Key to the Highway
Posted: March 8, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: blogging, exercise, fitness, free range, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, hope, kettlebell, life, love, lululemon, meditation, motivation, natural, paleo, passion, perspective, pilates, running, smile, Smiling, walking, whole foods, WOD, yoga 13 CommentsHope, Smiles from the threshold of the year to come, Whispering ‘it will be happier’…-
Did you happen to know that your gorgeous smile is actually contagious? Not my smile mind you, yours! The little nugget of your brain that is responsible for facial expressions, smiling when happy or mimicking another persons smile resides in the cingulate cortex (this is but one part of that squishy thing between your ears). Smile at someone today or with someone today, it’s likely they can’t help but smile back. If they don’t? Their either preoccupied taking a pic of their feet, a Detroit Red Wings supporter or they’re making a conscious effort not to smile back at you.
Looking at the bigger picture, each time you smile at a person, their brain triggers them to return the favour. You are creating a symbiotic relationship with a complete stranger that allows both of you to release mood enhancing chemicals in your brain. These very same chemicals activate reward centers and help you live a brighter, healthier life. WOW! All of this from a simple smile 🙂
Here’s the deal peeps: This kind of information is fleeting and falls on deaf ears far too often. No one wants to read a bloated self-serving book about smiling and magazines don’t fly off the shelf informing readers to smile. We can’t always control what happens to us, however I will guarantee (with complete confidence) that gracing your picturesque face today with a smile can seriously change your internal and external experiences in life. Your smile is something that should be worn at every available opportunity. Less Lululemon and more smiling!
*Science content has been removed due to it being boring and tedious.
The Workout-
A gentle early morning Walk, whilst Smiling and enjoy the company of a Friend.
Notes:
Quick reminder that tonight is your chance to get a sneak peek behind the CultFit curtain. A dashing group of us will be attending the Buddhist Boot Camp book signing and Q&A session at The Bookworm in Omaha, NE this evening. I’m curious to ask Timber Hawkeye his thoughts about smiling?!?
Also over the weekend I will be putting together the annual CultFit Meetup calendar. Sadly, there will be only a handful of running events this summer although all the cool kids these days ride on two wheels … If you know of an event in the Midwest you would like us to attend? Please email me at: cultfit@gmail.com
Daytime Dilemma
Posted: March 6, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: blogging, exercise, fitness, free range, gluten free, Gratefulness, gratitude, happiness, health, hipster, Humility, intensity, kettlebell, kindness, life, love, marathon, meditation, motivation, natural, paleo, passion, pilates, running, trail running, walking, whole foods, WOD, yoga 9 CommentsFinally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind-
We’re going to talk about courage, mindfulness and being vulnerable, again for what seems like the millionth time. Scurry along if you like although it would be nice if you stuck around for a minute or two.
Going out on a fragile, weathered limb, chances are you’re not perfect. Big deal, you are vulnerable to the whims of the world. What makes you courageous is that upon waking up each morning, you are willing to step into a wide-open space, without a care in the world.
Here’s the bit I hoped you stuck around for: Authentic folks really do not want to see perfection; We want to feel and share connections with others. When we try to present ourselves as the perfect version we can possibly be (like all of your Facetube friends)? We leave little to no room for creativity, failure, humility and error. Seriously Dear Readers, look around yourself this morning at the yoga studio or at the starting line this coming weekend. It’s in the effort of trying without the fear of failure that we know what works and what does not, it’s a process that we begin every morning. Each day, each moment is unique.
If we feared failure, we’d never roll out of bed, show up at yoga class and step out into the world. Life is more interesting when it is risky, rich and served messy. Life is not a box of hand dipped artesian truffles.
Notes:
I would like to leave you today with the following thought: Take the time to present yourselves with a wide open, pure heart today. Display your inner kindness in such a way as to actually move other folks to bare, pure emotions.
Fool in the Rain
Posted: March 5, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: blogging, exercise, fitness, free range, Giving thanks, gluten free, gratitude, happiness, health, Hesitation, hipster, hope, intensity, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, natural, nebraska, Omaha, paleo, passion, perspective, running, star wars, technology, trail running, walking, weather, WOD, yoga 10 CommentsThe most wasted of all days is one without laughter-
There is a glitch in the system. Being grateful, humble and full of joy is inherently easy when the sun is shining, when the kids are being good (for once) when our dreams start to come true, when the world seems to be for our taking. There’s always a “but” and today’s but is a biggie, like Sir Mix A-Lot big! But … Gratitude is a glitzy system. Are you grateful when you step on a Lego at 5am? When your perfect treadmill trot goes sideways? When you quite can’t find stillness, awareness and comfort in your daily yoga practice. Every door seems to be slamming us in the face? F! Gratitude!!!
“This is the last time I step on a mother bleeping Lego …” Like any system, the system of gratitude relies on triggers. Sometimes it takes a smack in the head, a Lego, someone saying “Hello and Good Morning” with a genuine smile. Some may find an early morning run a rather pleasant trigger, a cup of coffee or snuggling with a loved one before going to work. Small, grateful triggers to set the tone for the day.
The Workout-
Open the door to happiness in your life, step outside, begin your day with a smile, join a friend for a workout – walk – run – yoga … whatever.
Notes:
What was your grateful trigger this morning? What small moment changed your outlook on the day and brought a smile to your face? For me, I simply stepped on a Star Wars Lego piece, I think it was a Light saber?!?
Fuera de Peligro
Posted: March 1, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: Dreams, exercise, fitness, free range, Freshly Pressed is Overrated, friends, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, kettlebell, life, love, lululemon, motivation, natural, nebraska, Omaha, paleo, passion, pilates, play, playing, recovery, walking, whole foods, WOD, yoga 12 CommentsLast night I dreamt that somebody loved me. No hope, no harm; just another false alarm-
We made it this far into the week in one piece, congrats- job well done! No worry about tips about this or that today, so I decided to share a story with you instead. Pull up a chair, sit still, in comfort. Chill … Dark chocolate and a fresh cup of Earl Grey will make this tale so much more tolerable.
Two vibrant young kids were playing in sandbox not too long ago, I’m guessing they had to be around the age of 9 maybe 10. Pails, shovels matchbox cars the whole shebang. Spoiler Alert: A disagreement turns into a proper ruckus! You know the deal; building tension, pushing and finally one of the kids runs away screaming, “That’s not fair! You totally suck – dude!”
If you took the under of the kids playing again in +/- 10 minutes? You would be correct! In no time at all they were back in the sandbox doing what little dudes do best … Making a proper mess.
So what exactly happened here?
“These little dudes choose happiness over righteousness.”
Each one of us can save ourselves from so much unnecessary suffering, if we simply acted more like kids, playing with matchbox cars in a sandbox. Stepping aside from anger, pain and a bruised ego takes courage and humility. Our constant need to be “right” … All the time, keeps us from walking back, smiling and playing.
Notes:
Dropped actions, walking away … Do not heal, staying silent in anger only adds to the pain. Words heal, a smile, a gentle touch. A wise man once said “Remember the Alamo” … Today I ask of you “Remember the sandbox!”
I cannot go to school today
Posted: February 28, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: exercise, family, fitness, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, kettlebell, life, love, lululemon, motivation, natural, passion, perspective, play, Struggle, walking, whole foods, WOD, yoga 10 Comments… Said little Peggy Ann McKay.
“I have the measles and the mumps,
A gash, a rash and purple bumps.
My mouth is wet, my throat is dry.
I’m going blind in my right eye.
My tonsils are as big as rocks,
I’ve counted sixteen chicken pox.
And there’s one more – that’s seventeen,
And don’t you think my face looks green?
My leg is cut, my eyes are blue,
It might be the instamatic flu.
I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke,
I’m sure that my left leg is broke.
My hip hurts when I move my chin,
My belly button’s caving in.
My back is wrenched, my ankle’s sprained,
My ‘pendix pains each time it rains.
My toes are cold, my toes are numb,
I have a sliver in my thumb.
My neck is stiff, my voice is weak,
I hardly whisper when I speak.
My tongue is filling up my mouth,
I think my hair is falling out.
My elbow’s bent, my spine ain’t straight,
My temperature is one-o-eight.
My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear,
There’s a hole inside my ear.
I have a hangnail, and my heart is …
What? What’s that? What’s that you say?
You say today is ………….. Saturday?
G’bye, I’m going out to play!”
Notes:
Play, Is it really that hard?
CultFit 