Sound the Alarm
Posted: August 4, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: blogging, Comapssion, compassion, cycling, exercise, family, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, friends, gluten free, gratitude, Gravel Worlds, happiness, health, hipster, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, nature, nebraska, Omaha, passion, recovery, Training, writing, yoga 4 CommentsVery occasionally, if you pay really close attention, life doesn’t suck-
Can’t separate yourself from preparing for the big event (Gravel Worlds) two weekends from now? Constantly checking social media for updates, even in the middle of the night? Are you suffering from a strange compulsion to browse Strava profiles, fitness blogs for hours at a time comparing your training program to the other competitors? Feel awkward if you’re not blogging training updates, texting pics of your dirty yoga mat and bike, live tweeting work out session(s), and creating a Vine as you down a recovery shake?
…
Like helpless passengers aboard a ship violently broken from its moorings … We are adrift in a storm of angst, riding the waves of useless competing/bullshit/whatever, and I do the very same. More so than I like.
…
Finding a balance between useful “information” input and informational quiet that I can live with, is hard. Which is why we need a lifeboat to gently guide us back to safe harbor.
Daily Meditation:
When I remember to climb back into my lifeboat, a lifeboat where I can do anything. A sturdy vessel where I can day-dream, and talk to myself about gear ratios (aloud) while pedaling down a back country road. My lifeboat is easy to climb aboard, and it shelters me from the oncoming storm … When I stop to remember that is.
:Dazed:
Posted: July 30, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: building, First Tech Challenge, fun, gratitude, happiness, health, Iowa, Legos, life, love, meditation, motivation, musings, nature, nebraska, Omaha, passion, running, technology, Trader Joe's, yoga 16 CommentsTake someone who doesn’t keep score,
who’s not looking to be richer, or afraid of losing,
who has not the slightest interest even
in his own personality: he’s free-
Alongside all the noise in the social media world in regards to how we are wasting our daily lives away in front of a gadget of some sort or another – All of us seem to have a tighter daily schedule with all the training, club/social events, competitions … And let us not forget about the “The weekend is here its time to race” mentality. Dinner has become a leftover lovers, microwave users dream! Stuffing our faces, racing to catch the 5pm pilates class at the gym, only to be stuck in traffic, feasting on leftover mandarin orange chicken from Trader Joe’s. Down time is the eight minutes we get to wait because the instructor is late from running her own little “turds” to soccer practice.
And here I am lamenting, writing yet another post about our hyper-media-constantly-on the run world we live in. Dear Reader – Enough is Enough. All our efforts to keep “fit”, “active” and “involved”, are actually keeping us dazed, tired and confused (awesome movie title huh?!?).
Daily Meditation:
It’s time to slow down, time to pause, time to smell the lilac blooming, or better yet eating dinner at home – Just a thought …
*Side Note*
There are a few times during the year that I like to share a link(s) to a worthy cause – Consider this one of those times. There’s no need to twist your arm or whatever, however, these kids are doing such amazing and inspiring work and having fun doing it! A classic win-win situation!
Sweet Peas
Posted: July 29, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: advice, blogging, compassion, courage, crossfit, cycling, exercise, family, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, gluten free, gratitude, happiness, health, hipster, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, nature, Omaha, paleo, passion, perspective, pilates, recovery, running, walking, whole foods, WOD, writing, yoga 2 CommentsA ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for-
At the risk of mentioning something new, doing “things” a little bit different for a change … I have sensed for some time that many of my kind and passionate readers (just like you) need a pinch of courage to get them to finally go after their hearts desire, whatever that may be. Maybe its shedding the thought of looking silly in yoga class, or out-of-place at the gym. I personally know it takes a lot of courage to say no to running and choosing a nice relaxing walk instead. I could go on and on with examples, instead here is a tidy little list of ideas to be courageous today.
Make a mistake during yoga class today, like on purpose.
Follow your hearts desire while ordering a coffee.
Say, “I don’t know” instead of “I’ll look it up … ”
Genuinely ask for help from someone, instead of asking Siri.
Share your vulnerable moments, openly.
Trust your inner intuition, the crazier the better.
Let the past be just that – The past.
Love yourself.
Say “yes” to the things you want and “no” to those things you don’t.
Ask someone how they are this morning, and really listen to their answer, instead of formulating your own.
Let go of your need to control everything, all of the time.
Let go of being busy this afternoon.
Say kind things to yourself, whilst staring into a mirror.
Be open to changing course, even at the very last moment.
Daily Meditation:
How have I been courageous this beautiful morning?
I set some new personal boundaries, listened to and trusted my instincts, decided to say no to riding to work – instead choosing to practice yoga instead. I penned a self-serving advice post, which many of you know I loathe … Be well today and please take care!
> Graceful <
Posted: July 22, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: compassion, Cornhusker State Games, cycling, exercise, family, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, friends, grace, Gravel Grinding, happiness, health, hipster, hope, kindness, life, Lincoln, love, marathon, meditation, musings, Omaha, paleo, passion, perspective, pilates, running, trail running, writing, yoga 9 CommentsYou are so weak. Give up to grace.
The ocean takes care of each wave till it gets to shore.
You need more help than you know-
I went through a rough patch this past Sunday competing in the Cornhusker State Games Gravel Grinder event. Something really challenging happened that pushed a whole bunch of my buttons at once, pushing my mind and emotions into overdrive, turning what should have been a nine-hour 111.9 mile ride into nearly a twelve-hour 140+ mile ride (single speed).
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I’m certain that many of you are familiar with the term “crisis reveals character” or something similar?
Whenever I get really upset about something, my emotions start to simmer and I secretly worry about my unsavory character boiling over, my dark side so to speak. Is this upset, bitchy person really me? Most of the time I like to think “things” easily slide off my back. That I’m a composed, chill sort of dude. Although when I become upset by a really difficult, or unfair situation, I sometimes contemplate or say things that I would never normally allow myself to think or say out loud.
Thankfully I don’t get so far gone that I rant in inappropriate situations, or to the wrong innocent person. However, I still say and think unsavory things that I wish I hadn’t thought or said.
…
“Forget it – Dude.” This crisis reveals character concept is complete and utter rubbish! When I am really upset? I’m not at my best, and I spent 30 miles (ish), cycling in horrid conditions this past Sunday, figuring this out.
Daily Meditation:
Somewhere between Burr, NE and 134th and Pella Rd (Google this if you are bored) I gave the gift Grace to myself. From the start to mile 80, I was mess, a train wreck oozing with bitching and moaning. Its amazing what a little grace, cold water, kind and compassionate company can do to restore your true self.
Basic Space
Posted: July 18, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: Afghanistan, blogging, Comapssion, compassion, crossfit, cycling, exercise, fitness, free range, friends, happiness, health, hipster, hope, Iraq, kettlebell, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, Marathons, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, nature, Omaha, pain, paleo, passion, perspective, pilates, running, trail running, walking, War, whole foods, WOD, writing, yoga, Zen 4 CommentsIf you claim to be a real friend then be real in your soul. If you claim to be fake then be an enemy instead-
I was in my early 30’s when we first met. This particular marathon was in a beautiful and exotic part of war-torn Baghdad, Iraq. I did not like it from the start and it only got worse from there …
I nuzzled my way onto the starting line cocky, arrogant, and self-centered. I couldn’t stand the thought of having to run through the pack, outlasting the early sprinters and generally weaving through the pedestrians. Much to my dismay, I faded back 10 miles into this scorching hot race. This was just another marathon, but I was the same person.
…
And there I was at the next big race in Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. The same person I was a year earlier followed me to this race as well …
It finally dawned on me, blonde hair and all, that it was I, who needed to change or else I would be my own worst enemy for the rest of my life. As I began to walk the path of meaningful change in my life, I came to realize my poor marathon performances were a metaphor for the way my life works. I can cast blame and run away from poor performances, although they will keep returning until I finally face them, and owe up to them.
Over the past three years of blogging. I tried at times, and failed more often than I like, to share with you, thinking out-loud, why these particular traits of me bother me so much.
Daily Meditation:
Once I set out to change myself all those years ago, I started to notice that the “old” me doesn’t come around as much anymore. When these feelings do arise out of nowhere? I tap deeper into my inner compassion and gratitude … Noticing that in some ways, I have been trying to help myself all along, I was just to cocky, arrogant, and self-centered to notice.
CultFit 