By Monique Minahan

lightOur yoga practice is a multifaceted gem. It's like a prism that reflects a different color depending on how the light hits it. Our practice can reflect back to us different emotions, feelings, or thoughts depending on how we approach it.

Yoga can draw out parts of ourselves we know exist but have difficulty accessing at times, such as strength, flexibility, balance, trust, love, and gratitude.

These are often physical traits we tap into on our yoga mat. Interestingly, we often find after practicing that we have access to them on a mental and emotional level as well.

I first noticed this transformative quality of yoga while practicing backbends. The steadiness and strength they require revealed to me the power and the past housed in my back body. The more I allowed this opening process physically, the more I was able to allow myself to open more fully to the people in my life. Seeing this natural evolution, I started adding intention to the mix.

By Monique Minahan

With the long holiday break coming up, it's a great time to rethink what your kids are eating at school.

The prevalence of childhood obesity has tripled among youth ages 6-19 in the past 30 years. Obesity that starts in childhood can extend into adulthood and can increase risks for a number of health problems.

The National Institutes of Health has actively been addressing this issue since 2005 through We Can!® (Ways to Enhance Children's Activity & Nutrition). We Can!® is a science-based, national education program that aims to help children maintain a healthy weight in a number of ways.

Whether you're looking for ways to add variety to your child's lunches in the new year or need ideas on how to start sending healthy foods to school that your child will eat, here's some suggestions on where to start:

Go, Slow, Whoa. This catchy slogan from We Can!® makes choosing foods for your kids easy. Not all fruits and vegetables are created equal, so

By Monique Minahan

cocktailsEver wondered why it's so hard to choose the carrots over the cookie when they're both right in front of you? We know the healthier choice, yet we often still make the unhealthy choice.

Here's some "food" for thought as we head into the next round of holiday gatherings, dinners, and parties.

Research shows that habits can develop from repetition and when an enjoyable event triggers the brain's orbitofrontal cortex, or "reward" center.

This explains why bad habits such as smoking, overeating, or addictions to social media can be so hard to quit.

Habits develop over time, whether good or bad, and change doesn't happen overnight. Once we've implemented a new routine, we need to continually strengthen our new habit because the old one doesn't go away. They both remain in our brains.

Researchers have found that exercising self-control regularly can help improve our self-control over time. Becoming aware of our unhealthy habits is the first step.

There's a lot of pressure during the holiday season to spend. Sometimes this pressure to spend overshadows the underlying intention to give.

In these tough economic times, with many out of work and a bleak economic outlook, here's some ideas on how you can still give without always having to spend an arm and a leg.

It really is the thought that counts, although retail stores would have you think otherwise. Adding a personal touch is a great way to dress up simple gifts and infuse them with heart!

*****

1. Choose a book you know they'll love. (Old-fashioned ink-on-paper books are great.) Make a bookmark with ribbon and stock paper and add your own message to it. Wrap it in newspaper, old maps, or sheet music.

2. Pair a small bottle of lavender oil (or tea tree, eucalyptus, or peppermint oil) with a few sticks of incense and a favorite rock or shell. Tie with twine or ribbon.

3. Grab a few extra bottles of your favorite (inexpensive) wine and include a handwritten

When packages left on doorsteps started to go missing, neighbors stepped in to set up a dragnet. The unexpected result: Video captured an 8-year-old kid swiping boxes in broad daylight.

Clermont, Florida, residents come up with a tricky way to catch the culprit. They left decoy packages and set up a security camera. And then they waited. Think of this as "CSI: Clermont" edition.

A clue that the perp was pintsize should have been the type of loot taken: According to local station CFNews13, the missing packages contained Barbie dolls, children's makeup, and children's cell phones.

Neighbor Jessica Araujo, who runs a business from her home, said she had $1,800 worth of packages that never arrived. She set up the video camera and instructed her daughter, Thalia, to stand watch through the door's peephole for the culprit.

But instead of a mischievous teenager or a passerby, the camera caught an 8-year-old girl, who had just gotten off her school bus. The footage

Courtesy of DrybarDrybar blew up for giving great blowouts (and that's it!), and now the company is taking its famous formula one step further with the release of a hair tool collection. The lineup includes Drybar's iconic Buttercup blow-dryer ($190), a flat iron and curling wand ($125 each), and a handful of styling tools like clips and round brushes ($15 to $40). We only wish their team of hairstylists made house calls! Shop the line at thedrybar.com now, and find the products in Sephora and Drybar stores nationwide in March.

Plus, browse the must-have hair tools we love in our gallery!

MORE:
• Drybar The Blow Dry Bar Offers Hair Tools
• Miss Universe 2012: Bouncy Blowouts Won Big!
• Get the Look: Heidi Klum's Soft Waves
• Drew Barrymore's Hair Colorist Opens a Salon!
• 20 Gorgeous Side Braids

-- Marianne Mychaskiw

Attention last-minute holiday shoppers and ladies who can't resist picking great gifts for themselves: the entire Shine staff has rounded up the very best items we bought in 2012. From fantastic no-run tights and comfy bras to makeout albums and must-have makeup, we love these purchases and strongly believe you will too.

By Monique Minahan

Do you remember your first yoga class? It usually makes an impression.

We are the fortunate recipients of an ancient practice that has traversed time and countries to land at our doorsteps, even at our fingertips.

Whenever and however we practice yoga, we become part of a venerable, healing, unifying, honored tradition.

And it's never been more popular than now.

There's something irresistibly magnetic about yoga beyond its stretching and strengthening powers. I think it's the subtle power of a regular practice to transform, not only our bodies, but also our deep-seated attitudes and beliefs. On our mats we are able to tap into the inherent peace of mind we often lose track of through our busy days.

Peace of mind. That's not something we often find at our local gym.

True to its flexible nature, yoga continues to keep up with our changing times.

While yoga was originally passed on from guru to student, in a sacred oral tradition, we find