It was one of those Facebook moments where you meet someone and something very cool comes out of it, worth shouting out to the rest of the world.

Meet Thomas DeLorenzo, publicist for Clothing of the American Mind and the guy who sent me two fabulous organic cotton t-shirts and one tank, which (upon opening the package) almost got snatched up by my 22 year-old niece and her girlfriend.

After my initial, “I love these buttery soft, organic, fairly traded, sweatshop free and made in America” t-shirts,” I did some research.

COTAM is a progressive company that was (according to the website) started in 2004 by Caitlin Blue, a former Hollywood set decorator, all-around creative and now, a full time eco-mom.

The company has grown quite a bit since it’s humble beginnings, but it’s core philosophy remains the same; COTAM is a grassroots apparel company dedicated to stylishly promoting, supporting and articulating progressive values through fashion.

The company is also deeply committed to creating apparel that is environmentally safe and responsible, politically and socially conscious, sweatshop free, American made and Fair Trade.

Super-active in politics and in raising consciousness, COTAM donates a portion of all funds collected from clothing sales to progressive causes and candidates fighting for issues of social and political justice.

We love that. Plus their corporate headquarters are located in my former stomping grounds, Los Angeles, also a city of progressive politics and powerful influence. COTAM also pays their manufacturers a living wage.

Now that I’ve mentioned L.A. I may as well bring up celebrities like Natalie Portman, Chris Robinson, Fred Armisen, Maroon 5, Daphne Zuniga, Arianna Huffington, John C Reilly and Amber Valetta who have all been spotted sporting COTAM clothing around the city of angels.

The great thing about COTAM clothing is it’s accessibility to everyone (it’s affordable and you can order online), its stylish appeal and its cause in raising awareness around important issues that affect us all.

For their complete catalog and purchase info, visit the website, www.cotam.org.

Sounds simple right? Not so, say most humans. It’s just that time of the century when the speedometer of life is so accelerated, who has the time, right?

Wrong. It’s more important now than ever to take a day off, at least once a week or more (if you can) to restore your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

How does one take a day off exactly? Here are some dos and don’ts.

Stay away from your computer and cel phone

Probably the most challenging thing to do right? What I am suggesting is to make a habit of NOT going near your computer or cel phone on your day off. Actually, turn it off so you won’t even be tempted. Five minutes of computer time (just to check your e-mail) interrupts the relaxation process and balance that you are trying to achieve. Everything will be there just as you left it, when you return the following day.

Don’t get in your car

On your day off, choose to walk or stay home for the day. It’s a nice break when our mind can stay off the road, away from traffic and any stress associated with it.  Walking and biking are great forms of exercise, release stress and are a great excuse to breathe in some fresh air.

Hang out at home alone

This is one of my favorite things to do on my day off. It’s free and you can wear your pj’s (all day if you like). If you have kids, try and pre-arrange an activity for them to do away from the home. This day is all about you. Here are some ideas:

1) Light a fire and stare into it.

2) Read an engrossing novel.

3) Cuddle with your cat or dog.

4) Listen to soft music.

5) Read angel or tarot cards.

6) Take a bath.

7) Read your favorite magazine.

Indulge in chocolate.

9) Drink tea.

10) Wrap yourself in a blanket.

11) Meditate.

12) Stretch or do some yoga poses.

13) Write in your journal.

14) Be grateful.

15) Take a nap.

At first, your mind will challenge you and want you to do all the things on your to-do-list. Acknowledge the voice, accept that it is pressuring you, and just keep relaxing anyway. After a few times of taking ‘your day off’, your mind will start to calm down and the next thing you know you will be looking forward to your special day.

One last suggestion: No guilt allowed

Do not let any feelings of guilt or obligation get in the way of your day off. You work hard and deserve it. Wouldn’t you agree?

When I first arrived at Breitenbush Hotsprings on Sunday afternoon I thought, “there is no way my mind is going to calm down” even though my body was way into it.

After all, the purpose of my self-imposed personal retreat was to calm my mind around the anxiety abound in the collective world, and more importantly, to return to my center.

My body was excited about soaking in the natural hot springs for three full days (can you see my toes twinkling in the air?) and by the second day, the monkey grip on my mind began to soften. Without a cel phone or internet access and surrounded by an old growth forest, my heart finally had a chance to speak and I listened. She was perfectly at ease.

In the planning stages of my personal retreat, I experienced resistance to spending the money, even though it was very affordable. (Check out the website for details.) I knew from a deeper place of my being that by giving to myself in this way, I would be able to continue to contribute to the world in a healthy, positive way.

After being there for just a short time, I felt certain areas in my body (like my jaw and my shoulders) start to relax.

There was this deep sense of restoration that my body had been craving, but my mind had resisted. I released into it and remembered the importance of self-care.

I was grateful.

With many years of self-care under my belt, I still need to be reminded to love myself by simply receiving.

These days, the speedometer of life has been accelerated at a pace most of us can hardly keep up with.  Remember, we are humans, not machines, and although we like to think of ourselves as unstoppable, our bodies are there to remind us of the importance of staying in balance.

All we have to do is listen.

Vintage Car -  Vintage American cars are a dime a dozen in Cuba.  Every street corner bustles with the likes of Fords and Chevy’s that have been a part of the islands mystique dating back to its pre-Revolutionary era.

Congo Drum -  The music in Cuba is inspiring.  Everywhere you go the richness of the music serenades your ears and caresses your soul.  This photo, even in its simpleness, reflects that richness as well as the vibrancy of colors and textures that is also associated with this enchanting island.

Viva Cuba Beisbol -  Baseball is Cuba’s national pastime.  Kids play with everything from bottle caps and fruit as baseballs to cardboard boxes as gloves and broom handles and tree limbs as bats.  Not even the lack of material goods can stop them from playing the game they love!  Viva Cuba Beisbol!

View more photos of Cuba by visiting Byron’s photo gallery at: www.byronmotley.com and his blog vivacubabeisbol.blogspot.com.

Testimonials on the Brewed Chocolate website boasted feeling a ’sense of well being’ after drinking the warm beverage made out of water brewed whole cocoa beans and organic evaporated cane juice.

I was intrigued. I’m a big fan of warm, chocolately drinks and always open to trying something new.

Mara Krausz at BC offered to send me a sample so I could decide for myself and I offered to write a review (if I liked it).

A few days later, I received a small box in the mail (with the sample inside) and invited my boyfriend to participate in trying our new chocolate drink.

At first, I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure how I’d like it, but I followed the directions and stirred in a teaspoon to my half a cup of hot water. My boyfriend followed.

We both sat back in our chairs and sipped on our brewed chocolate, which reminded me that big things do sometimes come in small, decadent packages.

It was delicious, grounding and calming, not in a sweet thick chocolately kind of way, but rather in a mature, centered Chai tea kind of a way.

As always, I was curious about the story behind the humans who created the product. Here’s more from Mara:

Brewed Chocolate is the inspiration of Rob Polevoi, who very much wanted to create a chocolate product that would contribute to the well being of his clients.  We all know that chocolate can make people feel good and recent studies highlight its health benefits.  We wanted to take the best things out of chocolate from an emotional and physical health standpoint and present it in a natural way.

We had discovered that the ancient Mexicans seemed to value chocolate even more for how it made them feel than for how it tasted, which was very striking.  They didn’t conceive of it as a dessert or as a sweet confectionary.  That got us thinking about chocolate in a new way.  We experimented for almost three years and the result was Brewed Chocolate.

Through taste testing, we found that brewing cocoa beans revealed the various physical/emotional effects of chocolate, e.g. mood elevation, stress relief, a gentle energy lift, clear calm.  We also chose to brew the purest form of chocolate possible; raw, unhulled and unground cocoa beans.

What I enjoy most is hearing from people about how they enjoy Brewed Chocolate and how it has helped them.  That is my inspiration.

I think I just found my new favorite hot drink, and just in time for the winter. Philip?

For more info on how to order Cabaret Brewed Chocolate, visit the website: www.brewedchocolate.com.