**Post-work out, no makeup selfie. Many thanks to Grass Roots Juicery in Williamsburg for the always-delectable plant-based bites and juices.**

Our minds are quite literally bombarded daily by ads promising all sorts of quick fixes. Scientists estimate that the average U.S. adult sees as many as 4,000 advertisements a day! If only you eat this / use this / do this / wear this, you’ll be heathy, beautiful, thin, model-esque, cool, perfect.

True beauty and health really does emerge from the inside, out - when your mind is on the peace path and compassion is your jam, you legitimately glow. Your kindness and gorgeous human energy reverberate right out of you. Over time, your skin, face, body actually change because the compassion reflects inside of you as much as it does to all others. Your eyes shine, your “flaws” soften, your sharp edges become smoother. It really is amazing.

Furthermore, science shows that things like high stress, anger, anxiety, and social isolation put you at higher risk for inflammatory conditions such as heart attacks. Compassion and meditation practices REALLY can help.

So the next time you have that urge to get that new thing that promises to make you amazing - pause for a moment, take a deep abdominal breath and then a few more. Ask yourself if this product really is going to be the magic quick fix answer it's promising to be. Ask yourself what your motivation is behind wanting it. Then say some loving words to yourself. And, finally, say a few more loving words to everyone else in this world. Watch what starts to happen!