Easy to – Miss –
Posted: November 26, 2014 Filed under: Kindness, Meditation, Yoga | Tags: blogging, compassion, cycling, Disappointment, family, freshly pressed, friends, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, holidays, kindness, life, love, motivation, musings, natural, nature, Omaha, passion, perspective, pilates, pride, running, Thanksgiving, yoga, Zen 9 CommentsWith no expectations anything can become-
Life, struggle, disappointment. Hardship, pain and constant misfortune – What would our lives stories be without sharing the unpolished side of life?
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Why do I want to discuss these less then “glamorous” topics a day before Thanksgiving? There are a multitude of reasons as to why, just a few off the top of my head: Remember that New Years resolution that went haywire by the 5th of January? Maybe it was a string of poor race performances over the summer? Thanksgiving is but one day of the year when we awkwardly engage family and friends, acting as though all is fine and dandy in the world … When clearly things are not?!?
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We are all human (I think), and humans are by definition are imperfect beings. Every one of us (myself included), disappoint(s) someone at some time or another during the day, the calendar year and throughout our inspiring lives. This Thanksgiving and Holiday season, lets talk openly about our struggles. Lets deepen our capacity to love and connect with our fellow “creatures“.
Daily Meditation:
Be kind to yourself – Soothe your worries with grace and compassion, authentic conversation is food for the soul.
Best for : You :
Posted: November 18, 2014 Filed under: Kindness, Meditation, Yoga | Tags: Bliss, blogging, Body Image, coffee, compassion, Conversation, cycling, exercise, family, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, gluten free, happiness, healing, health, hipster, hope, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, Mornings, motivation, musings, natural, nature, nebraska, Omaha, paleo, passion, pilates, running, whole foods, yoga 16 CommentsThe battle you are going through is not fueled by the words or actions of others; it is fueled by the mind that gives it importance-
I was speaking with a close friend this past weekend and he asked me – quite bluntly like most dudes do, what change(s) since I ended the “reign of terror” on my body had the greatest impact on my being able to “compete” again? <– whatever this means. He waited patiently for me to share my “bad-ass” – “hardcore” training plan with him as we sipped our coffee during a frigid mid ride stop … The answer he eagerly awaited never arrived. As many of my longtime readers may know, the change(s) I made in my life were due in part to neglecting and abusing my body for many years. Moving on, after a long awkward pause I finally answered his question: I get up at 4 a.m. – Every single day. His response, in typical dude fashion was: “Why?!?” – Why wake at four in the morning?
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I simply, love waking up early. I get to be myself before the little one wakes up for the day. It’s peaceful early in the morning, and the world awakening around me feels calm and serene. The subtle gift of time speaks to my soul. You have to meet yourself there, early one morning to experience it – Dude.
Daily Meditation:
We fail to realize the rejuvenate energy given to us in the morning as we rush straight through it – Rushing to the gym to count reps mindlessly, updating our social status to let the world know we attended a 5:30 am yoga class. Such is the ebb and flow of life …
Dancing : In : the Moonlight
Posted: November 14, 2014 Filed under: Kindness, Meditation, Yoga | Tags: blogging, compassion, cycling, Cyclocross, exercise, free range, freshly pressed, happiness, health, hope, Intention, Iowa, Iowa City, Jingle Cross, kindness, life, love, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, nature, Omaha, Omaha Bike Co, passion, perspective, pilates, running, trail running, weekend, writing, yoga 7 CommentsIt is more Important to be of pure intention than of perfect action-
Its moments before the gentle warmth of the Sun breaks the horizon on a chilly Friday morning in eastern Nebraska. With a 90% chance of snow tomorrow and a daytime high of 20 expected this Sunday in Iowa City, IA. Perfect racing conditions for Jingle Cross if you ask me. Although, its only Friday … Why are our minds racing towards the weekend?
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Raising my chapped hand awkwardly in the air – I fully admit that daydreaming about the weekend is a supernatural delight, constantly peering off into the future to escape events that happened in the past. I’m feeling warm and bright right now thinking about racing in freshly fallen snow this coming Sunday. Pausing mid sip to reflect … I spent the past few days lamenting about my lack of “training” last weekend and the last couple of days endlessly checking the weather for the upcoming weekend. Simply put (because I’m a simple dude): I actively sacrificed being this week to fleeting memories, events that have already happened, and fantasies of how “things” might unfold three days and three hours away in Iowa.
Daily Meditation:
The most memorable races, the most memorable “things” in life, are rarely those that have been planned in advance. They are usually formulated over a few adult beverages with close friends late one evening in August, where we meet the moment without any preconditions or expectations and simply surrender to being. Savoring each and every moment that comes our way.
Take care this morning and please be well!
*Big Thank You to the fine folks at Omaha Bicycle Co. and Endless Bike Company for keeping me prepared this late into the cycling season – Thank you!*
Little Bitty Pretty One
Posted: November 7, 2014 Filed under: Kindness, Meditation, Yoga | Tags: #100happydays, blogging, compassion, cycling, family, Freedom, freshly pressed, friends, happiness, health, hipster, hope, Interstellar, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, Omaha, passion, perspective, pilates, running, self, social media, trail running, Truth, yoga 16 CommentsDon’t think about making life better for other people who don’t even deserve you, rather, focus on making your life the best, for yourself and those who love you-
Why do we find it so difficult to share our dark and dirty selves online? Do we openly express our happiness via social media to seek the approval of others? Perhaps the most damaging part is that by only recording and sharing the splendid moments in our lives, we lose track of who we really are? 100 happy days isn’t enough to outweigh the other 265-ish days in the year.
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Right now, in this beautiful/inspiring moment, I can pen a list of “things” that really pissed me off and made me feel rather unhappy yesterday. The first 5 or so things would be dedicated to parenting. Having a nine-year old dude going on 20 is good for a few unhappy annoyances. Sprinkle in a entitled beagle for at least 10 more. Next up would be work and then a major portion would be dedicated to the many poor choices I make during the day: Peanut butter with or without honey – Who to start on my fantasy hockey team – Which yoga poses to practice – Reading an article about the upcoming movie “Interstellar” that gave away major plot points – Which race do I sign up for next – Fussing over the recent elections.
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My #happy# moment yesterday was something so profound and kind that the thought of sharing it publicly, affectionately adorned with a hash-tag, seemed woefully self-serving (which is why I’m doing it now …). Why you may ask? Because it deeply touched my heart and soul. This amazing gift was something I could have Instagramed, or Twerped . The “thing” that brought me joy, and made my heart swell with gratitude yesterday, amid all the nine-year old drama, entitled beagle crap, work issues and peanut butter guilt … Was opening my email, sorting through all the spam from local yoga studios, and noticing a gift card email sent from a close friend. It is precisely because of all of the unhappy moments—the ones I’ve listed above and the ones I carry close to my heart—that this moment was so precious, and why I’m still smiling this morning after stepping on another Lego piece at 0400!
Daily Meditation:
Opening up our hearts and writing about ourselves online, while blindly attempting to live up to the expectations of others, makes all of this social media stuff kinda less than truthful at times.
: Sunshine : On a Cloudy Day
Posted: November 4, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: childhood, friends, kindness, Laughing, life, NPR, passion, Tom Magliozzi 12 CommentsI think the only way to get through this life is laughing hard and constantly, mostly at myself-
A dear friend of mine passed away yesterday. At the age of 12 I was introduced to Tom Magliozzi and the popular NPR show “Car Talk” In my fathers garage every Saturday morning. Work in my Fathers garage was hard at times, and one thing that always brought an air of levity to the moment was Tom’s laugh. It didn’t matter what we were doing at the time, Tom’s iconic laugh was always the perfect cure, and it still is. Over the years I tuned in and out of Car Talk, never straying very far from I have grown to love and cherish. I’m glowing, and crying right now recalling a few moments in my life listening to Car Talk … Listening to the podcast with my Son growing up in England. Working on our own vehicles mils away from home, not knowing what the hell I was doing but having fun and laughing at the same time! The best part, is that my Son and I still listen to Tom and Ray each Saturday morning at 9 am. This Saturday though, in Tom’s honor and at Tom and Ray’s mothers displeasure … I’ll be lighting up a Cuban cigar in your honor dear friend, may you rest in peace.
To read a wonderful article about Tom please click HERE
photo courtesy of Car Talk
CultFit 