Living Aloha!

Travel teaches you many things. What valuable life lessons have you learned through your travel experiences?

Aloha! I just got back from a week’s vacation to Maui, Hawaii. If you have read my blog, you know how special this place is for me. Don’t you love how being on vacation brings out your personal best?!

I disconnected from technology for a week and spent my days moving through: swimming in the pool, snorkelling in the ocean, walking on the many island beaches, and wandering around the towns and attractions. Saw turtles playing in the waves. Connected and had beautiful conversations with locals and tourists from all over the world. Rode the ocean currents on a catamaran, watching humpback whales enjoy the waters – especially a baby frolicking with its family. The sunrises and sunsets lit the sky. There were also some rain showers; but what I learned is that no rain = no rainbows.

With the breathtaking ocean, the mountains, the sunrises and sunsets, the whales, dolphins, and sea turtles – how can one not be inspired?! Being in Hawaii, you really connect to nature and to yourself. I became mindful of how much a supportive environment, combined with a positive attitude, really makes you feel your personal best! You truly feel alive!

Many seek out the Hawaiian Islands as a place of empowerment. From the time visitors step off the plane and walk through the airport, they are met with the calming ocean breeze of this tropical destination filled with the joy of the people. People are constantly visiting Hawaii from all over the world for the uplifting experience. The islands truly radiate life and movement!

There is a practice in Hawaii called “living aloha.” On this trip, I realized what that truly meant and bought a hat with those words on it. Perhaps you have heard the word ‘aloha’ as a greeting, as how I began this post. “Living Aloha is the coordination of mind and heart within each person. It brings each person to the self. Each person must think and express good feelings to others.” (source). This is what the word ALOHA stands for:

“Akahai, kindness to be expressed with tenderness;

Lokahi, unity, to be expressed with harmony;

Oluolu, agreeable, to be expressed with pleasantness;

Haahaa, humility, to be expressed with modesty;

Ahonui, patience, to be expressed with perseverance.” (source)

Reflecting on the term “living” on a deeper level, I became aware of what makes me truly feel alive: movement and connecting with others. For me, living means moving. We are all made to move.

Unbeknownst to me, I spent most of the time on this trip (and previous ones) practising “living aloha” by connecting with nature, with others, and with myself.

You don’t have to be in Hawaii or go elsewhere to find the Aloha spirit; you bring it with you wherever you go. Many of us seek vacations to escape their daily lives. You don’t have to only be on vacation to become your personal best and enjoy life! You can live as if you are on vacation anywhere, anytime – it’s in your mindset!

Coming home from this vacation, I will take action and practice “living aloha” by adding movement into my daily life. That is my souvenir: the reminder that our bodies are born to move – that is when I truly feel at my personal best.

Sometimes in the daily routine of business, you can lose sight of what your body needs. Linda Bacon and Lucy Aphramor describe it best in their book, Body Respect. “When we switch our focus to finding ways of being active that make us feel good and that we can fit into our schedules, we’re on the road to living more fully.” (p.141)

Here’s to bringing more life and movement into our daily routines!

Thank you – Mahalo - for reading and for your presence at this beach retreat! You Rock! We are all looking forward to hearing your thoughts in the Comments section below. What does “living aloha” mean to you? How do you incorporate movement into your daily routine?

See you at the beach!