Up(rising)
Posted: April 29, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: blogging, compassion, Compitition, crossfit, cycling, exercise, Fairness, family, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, friends, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, hope, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, nature, nebraska, Omaha, paleo, passion, perspective, pilates, running, trail running, walking, WOD, writing, yoga 5 CommentsThe world isn’t fair, Calvin.”
“I know Dad, but why isn’t it ever unfair in my favor?–
I want to go back and touch on “should” thoughts for a moment before we move onto today’s post. Contemplative thought is truly a brilliant tool to exploring your true potential, just not when its time to perform. I like to call these – trigger happy thoughts or reactive thoughts. Let’s dive a little deeper and to maintain some clarity, I’m relating the post today to competitive outings and more specifically: Running.
What are your initial thoughts and feelings when I tell you that “Fairness” – Is a fallacy? Fairness is rubbish and compete utter nonsense?
Many of us (maybe this hits close to home for you) … Cloak ourselves with the falsehood that there exists only a single standard of fairness and – SPOILER ALERT! – It’s our very own! What we consciously choose to ignore, and this is when we start our “should” thinking, is that fairness is a completely subjective concept, based on our individual needs, expectations, and values. The big boy truth, is that your definition of what’s fair? Is completely self-serving (mine included).
If your buttons have been pushed in the past, or even right now because you thought you were being treated unjustly? Let me share a classic example most runners have lamented about: “I should not be in the 30-39 year old age bracket! It’s too competitive! If only the race organizers would change the ages – my time in a different bracket would get me on the podium!”
Daily Meditation:
The next time you find yourself questioning fairness, your mind clouded with “should” thoughts? Try this on for size at the starting line – What I see as fair? Is a direct reflection of my own deeply held personal preferences. Then proceed to run the race of your life!
Passing “by”
Posted: April 28, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: blogging, compassion, cycling, exercise, family, fitness, free range, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, nature, Omaha, paleo, passion, perspective, pilates, running, Should, Trail, trail running, walking, whole foods, writing, yoga 8 CommentsWe are addicted to our thoughts. We cannot change anything if we cannot change our thinking-
We have been discussing “intention(s)” of late, and I personally want to thank each one of you who have commented during this time. Your kind words and thoughts help me, immensely! Keeping with the theme of intention, I would like to introduce – performance – “Umm what dude?”
Yup! We are going to talk about intention/performance as they relate to yoga, cycling, trail running and whatever really. Heck even making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich! Anything … There is another word hidden craftily in-between intention and performance though. A tedious, dirty little word that will completely mess up your best intentions and suck the very essence from your performance. What is this evil little word?!?
Should
Our minds logical fallacy is that our “should(s)” are universal, no matter what we choose to do. That what is intelligent, reasonable, or “good” for myself ought to be for others as well, from one activity to another.
Should I push a little harder during class? Should I listen to the cramps gripping my legs? Should I use extra peanut butter? Should I put bananas on my sandwich as well? Should I step up to the starting line, knowing I belong with the best runners here?
Daily Meditation:
Hopefully, by better understanding the “should(s)” in our lives, we can bring about meaningful performance <– Whatever that means …
Azules Día de la Tierra
Posted: April 22, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: blogging, Cheap Wine, compassion, cycling, Earth Day, exercise, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, friends, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, life, love, lululemon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, nature, Omaha, paleo, perspective, pilates, Power Yoga, running, trail running, Tuesday, whole foods, Winnie the Pooh, writing 4 CommentsIt’s Earth day I wonder if we can plant more trees than people for a change?–
Big friggin’ deal! Its Earth Day! Awesome! It’s also the day after Monday! Who cares about Earth Day anyways …
Today is Earth Day, which means it’s time for our annual Earth Day social media blitz, lamenting about the benefits of “green living“. Whatever that may be. Drive a Prius, plant a tree, hug a butterfly, recycle coconut water bottles, think about how fitly you are, buy an Earth-friendly yoga mat, read green-themed blogs, chew on some kale, grow your own while you are at it, and lets not forget to change the old energy sapping – ozone layer killing light-bulbs, for “energy – efficient” ones, that will pay off their $$$ price twenty years down the road.
Don’t worry! Tomorrow is Wednesday, not Earth Day, and it’s back to business as usual.
Earth Day was once dedicated to organizing mass action to radically change public policy, largely inspired by the movement that brought an end to the American War in Vietnam. Today, “Earth Day” hype is almost entirely based on individual responsibility, and the “look at me I’m kissing a malnourished toad and planting heirloom tomatoes” crowd.
My question for Earth Day advocate(s) is this: Why should I – some poor dude – bear the brunt of environmental responsibility for Earth Day? Is it because it’s easier for companies, friends, media and governments to brow beat and shame me into action?
Daily Meditation:
Is it too much to ask, to put in a little extra green work the rest of the year? To create a culture of sustainability, to live in a world devoted everyday to the well-being of the Earth? Even if it means taking a little time away from the inter-webz? Most of us don’t mind turning off the lights for an hour— lighting a candle to read, playing a board game, and some other low-wattage activities. Like I don’t know – Hopping off the treadmill, playing tag, yoga and Cycling outdoors?!?
Don’t get me wrong – Earth Day is pretty damn cool! Thank goodness we can still drink organic wine on Earth Day or is that frowned upon as well? Who cares – Cheers!
Paper-White Narcissus
Posted: April 17, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: blogging, Boston Marathon, compassion, cycling, exercise, family, free range, freshly pressed, friends, gluten free, happiness, health, hope, kindness, life, Lisel Mueller, love, marathon, motivation, musings, Narcissus, natural, nature, Omaha, Paper-White Narcissus, passion, perspective, Poetry, Spring, writing, yoga, Zen Leave a comment…
Strange, how they got their name—
a boy, barely a man,
looked into sunlit water
and saw himself so beautiful
he spent his life pursuing
that treacherous reflection.
There is no greater loneliness.
Here they are, risen
from the darkness of the pebbled pool
we have made for them in a dish—
risen and broken through
the long, green capsules
to show us their faces:
they are so delicate they invite
protection or violation,
and they are blind.
Weight(less) Morning
Posted: April 16, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: Boston Marathon, compassion, cultfit, cycling, family, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, friends, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, hope, lululemon, marathon, meditation, Morning, motivation, musings, natural, nature, Omaha, paleo, passion, Personal, perspective, pilates, Power Yoga, Revolution, running, Stillness, trail running, weight, writing, yoga 5 CommentsA personal revolution is the consequence of confronting self – as is –
Over the years, I have slowly arrived at the conclusion, that who I was, turned out to be largely influenced by whom I associated with. Quick example: Have you ever noticed how you feel and behave one way with your family on Thanksgiving and differently with your friends on a rowdy Friday night, and another way with your running buddies early one morning and super flexible yogi’s during a rigorous class?
Not that who we want to be is of no consequence during our daily lives. Although when it’s at odds with what another person’s presence pushes us to be … Let’s pause for a moment – Personal story time. I get caught up in the moment, depending on whom I am surrounded by and the given setting. Who I truly want to be often loses out, or is muted by their presence. How often, for example, do you want to be loving, kind and gentle towards yourself during yoga class, only to be left feeling cold and bitter by the lack of gratitude and energy in the room?
…
The idea I’m trying to highlight and one I feel is quite important, is that all of us, let me say this again – All of Us – exert far more of an influence on the people around us, more than we perhaps realize. This may not be our conscious intention, but by who we are ourselves.
Daily Meditation:
When we allow our true selves to shine through, no matter the setting, the intention or who we are surrounded by? Let’s just say I feel its immensely important to sit up and take notice of the profound effect this may have on our lives …
CultFit 