A Redoubt of Love
Posted: April 16, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: blogging, Boston Marathon, compassion, exercise, Feel, fitness, free range, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, hope, kindness, life, listen, love, motivation, musings, paleo, passion, peace, perspective, Relief, running, trail running, whole foods, WOD, yoga 13 CommentsWe all want to do something to mitigate the pain of loss or to turn grief into something positive, to find a silver lining in the clouds. But I believe there is real value in just standing there, being still, being sad-
All of us have been deeply affected by the tragic events during the Boston Marathon yesterday. We have been shocked by the scenes of utter violence and horror. Our very sense of security has been shaken to nothingness, left cold and vulnerable this day after Patriot’s Day. We worry, we pray for those dealing with heartache, pain and anguish.
I implore each and every one of you reading today, no matter where you may be in this beautiful world … Make a difference by bringing hope back into our lives.
Listen
Each one of us is afforded the opportunity to comfort, reassure, and console. Please listen and lend an empathic ear to the concerns of others (post from yesterday). However you choose to connect, the offering of emotional support to those who have been affected by this event will surely bring help. They may forget your exact words that eased comfort back into their life … They will remember your presence and compassion.
Feel
We are numb after witnessing the violence through various media outlets. Seek out the many stories of resilience and sacrifice. Be inspired by the courage of those who risked their own lives, ran into the fray to help those suffering. This event happened, thoughts and prayers no matter the meaning numb us to the heartache and suffering.
Solace
There is neither a simple nor graceful explanation of this tragic event. However, to help you bring meaning: Become a part of the healing process. Acknowledge the depth of pain and offer your own random acts of kindness today. Smile, hug, kiss, squeeze others to heal and bring comfort. Your actions today will resonate deeply, bringing true meaning to our collective sense of compassion, love and purpose.
Notes:
I am left in tears as I write to you this morning, left bare, vulnerable. Be well today.
Crummy Stuff
Posted: April 15, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: blogging, Boston Marathon, crossfit, exercise, free range, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, kettlebell, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, motivation, musings, passion, pilates, running, trail running, walking, whole foods, WOD, yoga 8 CommentsThere’s a lot of difference between listening and hearing-
When was the last time you engaged in a conversation in which you truly listened to the other person, sat eye to eye, connected?
People today are so pre-occupied with their own thoughts, bursting in their lululemon seams to interject with a story of their own, simply too distracted, disinterested that their eyes are searching everywhere but in your eyes.
“Did you see what she is wearing … Didn’t mean to interrupt, what were you talking about again?”
This sort of “thing” happens all too much. One of the most simple gifts to present to someone is to be there with them completely, with focus, with intent.
Notes:
Listen, attentively without interrupting, take in perspective, allow others to express themselves. Remove yourself, step back and listen.
**Anne is trotting around the streets of Boston right about now sporting Bib #21069. Check out the Boston Marathon website to track her real-time race results.**
“I tell you I must go!”
Posted: April 11, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: blogging, Boston Marathon, Charlotte Brontë, exercise, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, hope, Jane Eyre, jogging, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, paleo, passion, pilates, running, thoughts, trail running, walking, whole foods, WOD, yoga 6 Comments… I retorted, roused to something like passion. “Do you think I can stay to become nothing to you? Do you think I am an automaton?—a machine without feelings? and can bear to have my morsel of bread snatched from my lips, and my drop of living water dashed from my cup? Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong!—I have as much soul as you,—and full as much heart! And if God had gifted me with some beauty and much wealth, I should have made it as hard for you to leave me, as it is now for me to leave you. I am not talking to you now through the medium of custom, conventionalities, nor even of mortal flesh;—it is my spirit that addresses your spirit; just as if both had passed through the grave, and we stood at God’s feet, equal,—as we are!”
– Charlotte Brontë – Jane Eyre
Notes:
A very inspiring, touching and important post is on tap tomorrow to celebrate the 117th running of the Boston Marathon. I hope you stop by, until then – take care and be well!
Ahead of my Time
Posted: April 10, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: blogging, crossfit, exercise, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, hope, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, paleo, passion, perspective, pilates, quotes, running, walking, whole foods, WOD, yoga 18 CommentsThe best is the enemy of good-
Why do we allow others to inflict the burden of excellence upon ourselves when we’re not even sure what it means? The broad discussion I am asking you to contemplate this morning: Is the quest for “elite” performance – results, eroding our true inner ambition, our true talents?
We should not be pushed away from developing enthusiasm, passion for our talents. We should not be trapped inside what is regarded as potential by the supportive folks around us. In essence: We are being caged by possibility. We are being driven towards developing an “excellence” that might be better called “obsession.”
Notes:
“Excellence” shouldn’t be a burden every time you click in, go for a run, step with presence on your yoga mat; achievement shouldn’t be a weathered rope around your neck in the gym(box) or a weight tied tightly around your waist. Doing well, just being you. Should be a choice, a gift, a chance, a pleasure … a chance to be free.
Un poco de fe
Posted: April 9, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout, Yoga | Tags: blogging, confidence, exercise, faith, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, gluten free, happiness, health, Heuristic, hipster, hope, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, Neomania, Omaha, paleo, passion, trail running, walking, whole foods, WOD, yoga 8 CommentsI have great faith in fools – self-confidence my friends will call it-
Why is it that even our best efforts to create change often fail? Is it sheer laziness? Lack of motivation? The quality and variety of reality TV programming? Netflix? Many would attribute our failed attempts to change as a result of these examples. Really, who knew that duck calls and sophisticated red necks would resonate so deeply with ‘Murican folks?
Laziness and lack of motivation are often the go to excuse when our weekly goals implode on a Tuesday morning. Maybe what we need to address is our lost faith (in ourselves), the ever sagging confidence in our own inner ability to create change, possibility and growth.
As a society, external influences are growing in dominance, we are attributing increasingly more of our power to external solutions …
“This damn website lost my weight loss stats for all the hard work I had been doing this past month! And look, I gained five pounds this week!”
By releasing control of our inner power and resources to external forces, we lose faith in our own abilities to create change, which only makes us more dependent on the latest and greatest external solutions. Neomania run a muck!
It’s only Tuesday the 99th day of the year (awesome hockey number) – Let’s resolve to rediscover our own inner ability to create meaningful changes in our lives. Before turning to the Google Machine or The Facetube for an answer to a problem, what if we first look within ourselves for the resource(s) to bring meaningful change?
Notes:
Learning to be apart of the solution is a heuristic process. A process that will help you slowly build confidence – faith.
CultFit 