Know your Enemy
Posted: April 29, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: blogging, crossfit, exercise, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, gluten free, happiness, Healing arts, health, hipster, hope, intensity, jogging, kettlebell, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, paleo, passion, pilates, running, trail running, walking, whole foods, WOD, yoga 8 CommentsOur wounds are often the openings into the best and most beautiful part of us-
Today, I ask you to consider a rather different, more personal formula for recreating a healthy and happy life: Embracing the Arts (painting, drawing, prose, poetry, writing etc.).
Embracing the Arts does not entail you picking out a new foam roller to soothe your aching body after a recent run, cancelling another doctors appointment to have your knee locked at, bending and twisting in yoga class beyond your limits in order to express your inner beauty. Embracing the Arts does require you to reclaim your innate curiosity about your own body and its limitations.
Embrace the Arts to reduce the violence we are hopelessly addicted to. Yes, I believe writing or even taking the time to commit to memory a poem you enjoy, is infinitely better than a “recovery run, shake, workout – whatever“. A slight change in perspective, attitude and focus will make a drastic change in your life …
Notes:
We as a culture need to focus on and discover true beauty in nature, to help us heal, smile and generally: Be somewhat tolerable to hang out with.
Be well today and please take care.
Pies fríos, amigo?
Posted: April 26, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: blogging, crossfit, desire, exercise, family, fitness, friends, gluten free, health, hipster, hope, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, Musing, nature, NFL draft, paleo, passion, pilates, running, thoughts, walking, weekend, whole foods, WOD, yoga 9 CommentsWe are addicted to our thoughts. We cannot change anything if we cannot change our thinking-
“Damn! The marathon I signed up for last October is this *bleepin* Sunday!!!”
You remember the evening well, like it was yesterday. The focus on the positives of running a marathon were many: free sweat wicking tee, beer tent passes, the chance to buy a new running outfit. However, as the marathon date started to loom ominously on the horizon, the positive thoughts you once shared with others, quickly turned into negative thoughts that you shard with no one.
Even when doubts become overwhelming, when the call to starting line is announced,it feels painfully hard to back out:
“What will my friends think? I quit, I’m a chump, a loser? I bought new shoes and a sweet running skirt, I picked up the race packet last night. We have reservations for pizza and beer after.”
What does it mean to have cold feet, anyways? Is it a small, nagging feeling that a huge mistake is being made or is about to be made, or an internal scream that yells, “Hey stop already! It’s not too late!” How serious does the event need to be on order to be “serious enough” to listen to the doubts, weigh them as more important than the embarrassment of not showing up, the risk of potential injury due to the lack of training and preparation, and back out of the marathon at the last-minute?
It’s one thing to have last-minute doubts about running a marathon you thoughtfully planned, trained dutifully for, back in October; it’s something else altogether to have doubts because you failed to train, you are injury prone and your sense of pride out weighs any other mitigating factors. Cute running outfit not matching included as well!
Notes:
Purpose of the post today? That the doubts we all experience before a big event should be taken seriously and not buried with “pride” and “status“. Now is the time for reflection and honesty. Because on Monday … Feel free to expose the painful, underlying reality about your torturous marathon experience in a blog post.
Take care and be well this weekend.
Dare to Be
Posted: April 25, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: blogging, Dare, exercise, fitness, freshly pressed, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, hope, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, paleo, passion, running, WOD, yoga 7 Comments… When a new day begins, dare to smile gratefully.
When there is darkness, dare to be the first to shine a light.
When there is injustice, dare to be the first to condemn it.
When something seems difficult, dare to do it anyway.
When life seems to beat you down, dare to fight back.
When there seems to be no hope, dare to find some.
When you’re feeling tired, dare to keep going.
When times are tough, dare to be tougher.
When love hurts you, dare to love again.
When someone is hurting, dare to help them heal.
When another is lost, dare to help them find the way.
When a friend falls, dare to be the first to extend a hand.
When you cross paths with another, dare to make them smile.
When you feel great, dare to help someone else feel great too.
When the day has ended, dare to feel as you’ve done your best.
Dare to be the best you can –
At all times, Dare to be!
Notes:
Take care today and be well!
¿verdad?
Posted: April 24, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: Awareness, balance, blogging, Comfort, crossfit, exercise, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, gluten free, harmony, joy, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, musings, natural, paleo, passion, pilates, running, Stillness, thoughts, walking, whole foods, yoga 6 CommentsHabit is the intersection of knowledge (what to do), skill (how to do), and desire (want to do)-
It seems that in today’s world we have the freedom to pick and choose form a potpourri basket of interests …
“Check it out! I’m like totally doing this 30 day paleo, meditation, yoga, power walking, green smoothie, smiling at strangers, whole body cleanse thing! Just read about this push up challenge and hill sprint interval thing as well!”
Why do we choose to pursue a wide variety of “things” simultaneously and figure out how to do these “things” in a way and on a level that is average at best?
“My friend and I had a great workout at the box yesterday! 5 rounds of: 15 push ups – 15 jumping jacks – 15 sit ups – 15 walls balls and a 400m run. I still need to work on my push ups though, three years now and they are still pretty sloppy.”
Whatever happened to developing a deep knowledge base, knowing information (not stored on a gadget) and total devotion to the pursuit of mastery in a single field?
“I forget what my split times are in the pool but I’m thinking if I can work on my transition more it should make up for my poor swimming performance … Maybe?!?”
Are we afraid as a society to endure the intense work, discipline and willingness it takes to master a selected discipline? Are we afraid to embrace the risk needed to walk away from merely being “average” in the name of becoming extraordinary at one?
“It’s the same during every century ride: Chum it up with the guys for the first few miles, then I ride alone for the remainder of the time, lost in my thoughts, worried about “something”? I suppose it’s the 8am yoga class tomorrow and the 5k at noon?!?”
…
Yearn for the sense of intensity, focus and intrinsic reward that comes from the single-minded quest to master a particular body of knowledge: Yoga, mediation, martial arts, relationship(s), life etc. Radiate the pure energy and passionate spirit that comes not only from having attained mastery, but from simply being in the process of mastery. The secret Dear Reader lies here in the process of seeking mastery, this is where we find awareness, comfort, stillness, joy, harmony and balance.
Notes:
Do you, deep down inside, feel satisfied knowing that you are merely pretty decent at a bunch of “things”, but not exceptional at any?
Pensamientos?
You + Me =
Posted: April 23, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: blogging, exercise, family, fitness, free range, gluten free, gratitude, happiness, health, hipster, hope, kettlebell, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, Omaha, paleo, passion, pilates, running, Today, trail running, walking, whole foods, WOD, yoga 9 CommentsLet us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom-
A “Great Day” today lies within our power to create it.
During the events of today, we will use our free will to create such a day that is filled to the brim with love, compassion and joy. We will start today by being kind and loving to ourselves: A brisk walk and a free-flowing hour of yoga will do just fine. We will purposely take every breath with awareness and gratitude. We will try to eat only nourishing, healthy food (dark chocolate and tea), think only pure, happy thoughts (the Red Wings will not make the playoffs). We will give our friends and family our unwavering attention. We will tell them sweetly that they are loved, that they have a profound impact on our lives. We will make this day a day to remember, a day to treasure.
… When I rest at the end of today, reading quietly with my Son. I will be able to see how much power for good lies within my ability to create it.
Notes:
Every day is a precious gift, embrace each and every day, unwrap it with all your love and gratitude.
CultFit 