Pure – The Sound of Gratitude
Posted: June 30, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: blogging, compassion, cycling, exercise, free range, freshly pressed, friends, gluten free, gratitude, Grief, happiness, health, hope, kindness, life, love, marathon, meditation, motivation, natural, nature, Omaha, pain, paleo, passion, perspective, pilates, running, sorrow, trail running, whole foods, writing, yoga, Zen 15 CommentsMy expectations were reduced to zero when I was 21. Everything since then has been a bonus-
This past Thursday I walked into a local novelty store in the Omaha Old Market. “Good afternoon – How are you?” A kind worker asked me, a little too enthusiastic for the morning I was having. Life has been dreadful so far this Summer, and facing some stressful moments at the time … I did not shy away pretending all was fine.
I muttered, “I’m OK.” She replied back while stocking gift cards in a display, “Just OK? Not awesome? It’s a beautiful day outside! Cheer up dude, you should be thankful for what you have?”
…
There was no smile on my face this particular day. Although I still had gratitude and joy in my heart. Sometimes, expressing kindness and giving thanks does not require a peppy cheerleading routine.
Daily Meditation:
The message I am sharing today is a touch different from the norm around these parts. Simply put – There are times when we are experiencing difficult moments in our lives, and its hard to be – Awesome. Sometimes, openly telling others to “cheer up” and “be thankful for what you have” is a strategy for avoiding what they may be going through in the moment, the pain, the hurting and struggle.
It’s really easy to tell someone to cheer up. Rather than taking a moment to listen to what is going on in their lives…
All of us will face difficult moments in our lives, piss poor marathon this past weekend, stress at work and whatever else. Grief is a part of life and no matter how hard we try – we will never outrun it. We don’t have to have everything going right in order to be thankful, to express ever lasting kindness, in any situation.
The Swiss Family Robinson
Posted: June 19, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: blogging, compassion, cycling, exercise, family, freshly pressed, friends, happiness, kindness, life, love, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, nature, Omaha, passion, perspective, pilates, Poetry, Ron Padgett, running, The Swiss Family Robinson, trail running, writing Leave a comment…
I never quite understood who
the Swiss Family Robinson were.
The inversion of their name
confused me at an early age,
just as the name of Mary Baker Eddy
sounded as though she started out
as a woman and turned into
a guy named Eddy. At Walt
Disney World there is an attraction
called Swiss Family Robinson that
involves a tree house, so I assume
they lived in a tree. Why they did
I don’t know. It sounds rather
stressful to me, the fear
of falling out. I could look up
the Swiss Family Robinson
in a reference book, but
it’s interesting not to know
something that everyone else knows.
However, I would like to know if there
are many people named Robinson
in Switzerland. If there are,
I would know something that
most people don’t know.
: Diferente :
Posted: June 18, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: blogging, compassion, CWS, cycling, exercise, family, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, Glacial Till Vineyard, gluten free, Gravel Grinder, happiness, health, hipster, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, nature, Omaha, passion, pilates, running, trail running, writing, yoga 7 CommentsPerhaps when we find ourselves wanting everything, it is because we are dangerously close to wanting nothing-
In our constantly connected – Strava – King of the Mountain – always on the run world, we are expected to perform better each and every day. Faster and farther than the day prior, and in many disciplines, we are rewarded for our speed. However, I have found out that it’s extremely difficult, if not impossible, to achieve the right objectives, if we are not clear on what success really looks like, the dedication and sacrifices required.
The greatest hockey player of all time Wayne Gretzky (Joe Sakic is a close second) once said after loosing in the 82-83 Stanley Cup finals to the more experienced New York Islanders “… They won and they’re wounded. We lost and we are fine …”
…
Sometimes we come up with these grandiose ideas that appear like winning solutions from afar. The temptation to sprint off of the treadmill to qualify for Boston, the enthusiasm of showing up and competing early one morning, and the passion we have for our chosen discipline, can and will get the better of us. It truly is only a matter of time. Being powered by our emotions and energy can be a wonderful time in our fleeting lives, as this energy can launch us to quickly achieve milestones once thought impossible, allowing us to charge through and over the obstacles that were lying on our path.
Invariably, though, emotion can only take us so far in life, we start slowing down, injuries start to visit more frequently, and then these obstacles come along, and stop us dead in our tracks.
Stuck, we might not know how to take the next step, or know even what the next step is …
Daily Meditation:
Like first time triathletes who start too fast, leisurely 5k folks who run at breakneck speeds off of the starting line, cyclist who envision themselves on the podium before half way … We risk running into a wall that is truly debilitating. Although, when we pause to breathe, honor ourselves, smile, embrace the moment instead of the outcome? This is when the obstacles in life, fall off of our path!
: Big Cocoon :
Posted: June 10, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: Arts, Authenticity, blogging, Commuting, compassion, cycling, David Foster Wallace, family, freshly pressed, friends, Gadgets, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, nature, NPR, Omaha, passion, pilates, running, trail running, whole foods, writing, yoga 15 CommentsThe parts of me that used to think I was different or smarter or whatever, almost made me die-
Nineteen powerful words by David Foster Wallace that truly defined who I used to be.
…
Last night, while making pizza with my Son, I missed an entire meaningful conversation about the new Star Wars movie he was trying to have with me. I was completely tuned out, and not because I was engrossed in making pizza and snacking on tortilla chips, but because I was engrossed in a NPR news story being played through a small speaker attached to my gadget-thing.
Side Note: Men reading this morning, and ladies alike – because as cunning and sly as you may be … I enjoy taking an extra-long time in the bathroom with my iThingy, I use my small arsenal of “mindless” apps as a means to escape the stress and chaos that often seems to accompany me throughout the day.
These periods of mindless isolation normally do not last very long, usually until one leg falls asleep or NPR news starts getting all high-minded and political while preparing dinner. I genuinely welcome these temporary escapes from the daily grind, although, how much is too much? Honestly, I don’t have an answer to give you and I’d be surprised if anyone else does either.
Daily Meditation:
Perhaps, maybe, it would be ideal if we reintroduced “intention” and “purpose” to our gadget use, even during the times when we are not using them. How cool would it be if we motivated each other to unplug at a time we are normally plugged in? Raise your hand if you are on your gadget minutes after finishing yoga class, in the restroom or making dinner?!? – notice my hands waving in the breeze – Just imagine the new sounds, the new encounters that awaken when we expose our true selves, to the very real world we call home …
: Face : To the Highway
Posted: May 20, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: blogging, compassion, cycling, exercise, family, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, friends, gluten free, happiness, health, hope, Innocence, kindness, life, love, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, nature, Omaha, passion, perspective, pilates, Roles, running, thoughts, writing, yoga, Zen 8 CommentsHe who has a why to live for can bear almost any how-
Who am I, really?
Would you live any differently than you do today? Would you be any happier, more fulfilled, or satisfied with your life if you could shed the role(s) we so often present ourselves as?
…
Why do we spend so much time and energy, defining ourselves to others? “Hi, I’m Jeremy – I have X amount of degrees, I’m a Father, I work for X and do X things. I drive a Toyota (not a Prius)” … You can probably sense where I am going here?!?
I remember a time when we didn’t define ourselves by “roles“, a time in which we didn’t define anything really, and what a beautiful period of time it was: “I wonder what that Blue Jay is carrying? How long is it before Summer graces us with her warmth? Why does my bike wobble when I pedal faster? What does black raspberry ice-cream taste like?“
A time when small questions revealed our true self. Interesting, to rediscover our true selves we need to be curious and amazed by the small things in life, believing that anything – is truly possible, however out of this world they may be.
Daily Meditation:
I implore you today to substitute your adult “roles“, with “small questions” … Innocence. and what it feels like to be in love – Again.
CultFit 