Theme: Decisions
New Times Naturally (September 2005)
Theme: Returning to Community Connections
New Times Naturally (May 2006)
Natural Awakenings – Tampa (June 2006)
Theme: Self/Identity
New Times Naturally (July 2006)
Yoga: Focused & Fluid Movement
Finish Line: April 2007 - (St. Pete MAD DOGS, Vol. 13 (3))
Theme: Decisions
New Times Naturally (September 2005)
Thinking of how to start this little story of mine, I was enticed to look
into the online dictionary listing of the word ‘decision’. The all encompassing
definition was “the act of making up your mind about something.” All
of us make decisions on a daily basis, but many of us overlook a very
important decision; one in which we give more time to ourselves or for
ourselves.
So, on with my story here. I was reading one of my many magazines one
evening and I came across one of those little snippets off to the side of
some main story. This snippet stated that, “On average… women have
53 minutes of free time for themselves PER WEEK.” 53 tiny, miniscule,
little minutes to span an entire week?!
That works out to roughly 8 minutes of personal time per day.
The average is
only 8 minutes of free time? So basically we are
working with
someone’s time spent in a shower and perhaps brushing
their teeth as the only significant amount of time for themselves?
That is shocking to me. Now, mind you, I’m single and have no children –
but having been witness to some of my friend’s lives, I noticed that
families today try to squeeze in an activity into every waking moment
of every day. And it’s not just families with time issues. People these
days relentlessly seek more and more conveniences but end up feeling
more and more frazzled and burned out. I got to thinking… why is this
happening? Why does your _________ (input any electronic personal
devise in this space) have to be attached to you every single minute of
every single day? I recall a time (and I’m not that old) when phones didn’t
follow you every step of your day and there were times that messages
were taken and retrieved later. (Last I checked, most devices have
voicemail or some sort of message taking ability). So- let’s do a little
experiment here. Let’s make a DECISION to ‘unplug’ for 8 solid,
consecutive minutes per day. I felt it a good jumping off point with the
average time blurb from that article.
So what do I do on this 8 minute retreat you ask? Now is a good
time for a bit of reflection (starting with me). I’m from northern
Minnesota and can recall many summer afternoons spent riding a
bike and hanging out at the local parks or family lake. I remember
picnics, watching rain storms approach from my pal’s bedroom
window, and playing hide-and-go-seek in the yard. I had an apple
tree that I loved to pick; along with blueberries, raspberries, and
countless wild flowers. There were also those afternoons spent in
quiet reflection at the lake in a canoe with my childhood pal, listening
to the water lap the bottom while we glided through the wide, brilliant
green and yellow lily pads. (This is all coming from a child under the
age of 10, mind you). As I got older, I moved to Colorado Springs.
My mom and I used to take a nightly walk with our dog (weather permitting).
I used to love these long walks; strolling into the different neighborhoods,
looking at homes, seeing others walking their pets, and spending time
talking with my mom about a ton of different things (movies, books,
school, and people). Further along in age, I moved to San Diego.
Sure, this meant moving into a larger city, with more activities, and
more interruptions. But as I sit and recall some of my more quiet
moments, I was still able to find quiet time as a kid in these areas.
I used to wake up early on Sunday mornings and walk to the
neighborhood market with our dog to get a paper and a small
chocolate (for myself). I’d enjoy the quiet morning walk back home
and the time to myself. The point that I’m trying to get across to
you is this… I was taught at an early age to take the time to detach
and to unplug. Ok, no one actually sat me down and said,” Ok, Heather…
this is what I want you to do. It is important to have alone time and time
to reflect.” At that age I would have thought the person speaking to me
had a third eyeball; but I learned this behavior indirectly. It’s a learned
behavior that can be taught to others. Sure, times were simpler then,
but there is no reason that you can’t simplify your life now and slow
down on a daily basis.
We live in a world marked with immediate gratification, instant results,
and online access to countless things. Making time for yourself is one
of THE most important decisions you could ever make. I think that all
of us are worth our own time. So- let’s start with this average of 8
minutes per day. Write (either mentally or literally) into your daily routine
an 8 minute break from your daily duties. This could be on the drive home,
your morning/afternoon/evening shower, a quick break from work, lying
down before bed… the initial starting points of this are endless. Ok,
so from here… allow yourself this 8 minute (or more) window of time to
slow down and to essentially re-charge.
Starting with the option where you can close your eyes
(i.e. you’re not driving) start slowing down your breath and take in
deep drawn out inhalations. Draw that breath deep into your belly
and then exhale out the nose or mouth. Think back to a time in your
life that you felt relaxed, empowered, determined. Or think of the best
vacation you’ve had. Think about your favorite time with a loved one.
The best time spent with family… whatever it is… focus on that image.
Immerse yourself into that moment of time. Invoke the sounds, the sights,
the smells. Stay in this space and feel the things that you felt at that time.
Retrace the moments and take it all in. Then, open the eyes and breathe
normally. There you go. 8 little minutes just for YOU.
Now, if your chosen alone time is in your car; this might be worth
trying. I lived in southern California for 17 years and I’ve got commuter
stories that would make your head spin. Believe me, I know what it’s
like to sit in 5 lanes of stagnant traffic and to get those pangs of road
rage on a 2 hr commute home. On your next drive home, choose music
that makes you happy; or gets you moving or motivated. If you’re going to
have to commute home, why not make it as enjoyable as you can? Pop
in that CD and sing along… or groove to the music. Choose songs that
mean something to you or music that touches you in some profound and
positive way. Reflect on your good fortune to have a job to commute to
each day. By the time you get home, you won’t be so bothered by that
truck that cut you off, or what some person at work said to you.
I think that everyone deserves their own personal time every
single day. Set up a routine for you to get that time and start with those 8 little
minutes. Make up your mind to do it… decide that you are worth 8
minutes.
Theme: Returning to Community Connections
New Times Naturally (May 2006)
In today’s world of cell phones, laptops, and varied PDA’s, some folks think that
their ‘community’ is the one that’s located online on a blog or chat room of some kind. What
people seem to overlook is that while we are highly social creatures (as some may hate to admit) – we are all evolving
into a world where social connections are dispersing. I personally think that because of this lack of social community, social
graces and general niceties can sometimes go by the wayside as well. If we don’t feel connected, then why be nice? Right?
We don’t know the person that thinks they are getting into our lane to turn right on the next exit, but we’re not
letting that jerk over!!
So how do you go about building your social community? Well, you can start with your own family. You can actually have sit
down meals together on the nights that you are not running
out the door. One night… two nights… whatever it is. Or have coffee at home together where you can sit and chat while
catching a favorite television show where comments can be shared with some laughter mixed in. The point is that we are there ‘with
’ one another. If you all separate and no one talks to another about their day, how things are going, how they feel about one
situation or another… then there is a loss of connectedness. There is no sense of familial community and each of you can begin
to draw further and further inside yourselves. Can’t manage dinner? You could initiate a mandatory hug before bedtime. It is so
important for families to feel connected and to have that human touch factor that can sometimes fade when kids think it’s lame or
embarrassing to show affection. We can easily get too wrapped up in being politically correct and not touching those we love or care
about. It can be an empowering situation to have a family group that is truly behaving and acting as a community in our lives.
Moving beyond our homes, think about your friends. Your friends are a part of your community as well. So we need to be sure
that we nurture those relationships. Make time for lunch or coffee with that friend that you haven’t seen in awhile. Make it a
face-to-face connection. Make a standing appointment with your friends (weekly, monthly, or bi-weekly) to connect and share time. The
idea I am trying to get across is that we should encourage a social community with those that are connected to us in our lives. Our
family, our friends, our co-workers, our neighbors, our acquaintances at the gym, the cashier we see at the grocery store on a regular
basis– the options to truly connect with our surroundings is limitless. Seek out opportunities to talk to others. Ask how they are
and actually listen to their response. Help those that need it. Be there for someone.
In my yoga classes at the beginning or end (sometimes both) I read some encouraging or positive thoughts for the attendees to
think about. In one I refer to an article that I read by an educated yoga teacher named Aadil Palkhivala on the Yoga Journal online
newsletter. He stated that researchers had asked people from all walks of life, who were on their death bed, what they most regret.
Their responses (no matter the age, religion, belief, culture, sex, or occupation) were that they wished they had loved more. That is a
pretty profound concept when you stop and think about it. Of all the things in their lives and all the actions undertaken, they wished
that they had made connections to people in their lives… that they had nurtured the communities in their lives. Sure, most of us
don’t want to think about something as morbid as when we may die – but it is easy to let go of the thought that at any moment,
we can actually cease to be here. Instead of shutting others out and dying emotionally and spiritually while we are still here each day;
reach out to others. Let people get close to you and let others in. I bet you will be a happier person as a result of building upon your
community rather than stripping it down.
Besides… who wants to be that crabby person consumed with irritation and ready to snap when someone wants to simply change
lanes and needs to get over in traffic?
Theme: Self/Identity
New Times Naturally (July 2006)
The other morning, I was talking to a client of mine after class. She was discussing how she had been touched by a particular meditation that I lead at the end of the yoga class. Most of my meditations deal with some aspect of imagery and a connection to yourself, your emotions, or your perceived ideas on topics. We got to talking and she commented on how common it was in her office and daily routine to see that folks do not seem to be in touch with themselves. That individuals fail to recognize or tap into the strength and energy that they hold within. Stop and think for a brief moment while you read this. Think of how many people you know that are in touch with themselves. Truly in touch… to their core.
In my six plus years of yoga practice, I’ve seen many who go through the movements of yoga postures and meditation. Heck, at some point I was one of them in corporate America who couldn’t sit still without lapsing into some grocery list or inner ramblings of what I had to do on the way home. Launching into whether my own ‘down dog’ was as good as the Barbie doll in her coordinated yoga outfit next to me… but I digress. I know that some don’t particularly enjoy the meditation part of class and would sooner ingest some gross concoction from ‘Fear Factor’ before plopping down on the floor to become still for 5 minutes… but I tend to think that it’s those folks that are the ones that truly need to connect internally. If you’re so busy in your daily happenings and in your comings and goings – when do you take the time to check in and see if what you are doing brings you happiness? If what you’re doing gives you a sense of purpose? If you truly feel that your inner strength can bring you through troubles at work or home? If the energy you emit is routinely positive or negative? Am I getting too esoteric now? Well, if we continually ignore our inner drive and the energy that we give off to others– what effect does that have on our lives? A lot – according to just about any eastern martial art or physical practice. Whether we refer to it as our aura, our chi, ki, or prana; energy makes up the world around us and the very body in which we move around in every day. It’s not uncommon for most Americans to take this all for granted and just go through the motions on auto pilot day in and day out.
Corporate employees who rush from one thing to the next; mom’s who live vicariously through their kids; employees who run through the day to day, teens who cram one activity upon another to fulfill the college ideal… the list is endless. Their identities can sometimes be lead by the actions they take, the job titles they hold, the items they buy, or the clubs they belong to. We are all SO much more than our outward appearance, titles, jobs, and activities. Yet we cram our days full of movement, chatter, and tasks. Most of us rarely take a moment to be quiet and alone. Why? Are we scared that being alone or being still translates to wasting time? That (heaven forbid) someone might think we’re lazy? Are we scared to see what we will find during that quiet time? If we never seek that inner strength- what would happen when something rattled us to the core? Would we crumble into a heaping mess? Disappear into the cave of our rooms to wish it all away and deny that it’s happening altogether? Perhaps numb ourselves to the issue with food, pills, alcohol, or more busy time? Most of us grew up being told that it is better to face our fears, our troubles, and our upsets. We can face them with unbridled energy and a deep seated sense of knowing that we will get through this and that ‘this too shall pass’.
One of my favorite quotes is from former professional boxer Muhammad Ali and it states “It is a lack of faith that makes people afraid of meeting challenges.” It’s that faith not just in the religious sense of the word, but the faith in ourselves that brings us strength and ultimately brings us peace. We can each connect to this faith or this inner spirit by becoming still and becoming quiet. I admit that in this day and age it becomes increasingly hard to make the time. But consider the enormous pool of courage and resolve you could draw from. Think of what a powerful thing it is to acknowledge and consciously hold a connection to our inner spirits that lies within each of us. This connection can bring us unwavering self-assured and confident determination in all we do. With this deep connection comes a change in outward energy as well. Back again to the prana, aura, chi, or ki that surrounds and makes up our world. Think of how energy connects and inter-relates. If we each tapped into that internal source of strength and energy, think of how it would spread into the relationships and interactions around you. Think of how many would feel or sense your strength and your inner Self.
So jump into that unknown. Step into that quiet space. Embrace that time to connect to your internal source of power. Try to be a part of the meditations in your yoga classes. Take time to be alone every day. Get to know yourself!
Yoga: Focused & Fluid Movement - Finish Line: April 2007
Triathletes are a strange breed to me. Watching folks push themselves through not one but three separate sports in sequence against the clock and other athletes is borderline lunacy to me. During my four year stint in Muay Thai kickboxing (Yes, I’ve had bouts of psychosis as well), I found out what it feels like to push the body to extremes and to deal with multiple training injuries, physical limitations, and mental anguish. Subsequent practice and study of varied forms of yoga for nearly eight years have given me an appreciation and a respect for the body, its limits, and its profound strength in spite of all that can be done to it.
Being completely unfamiliar with triathlons (aside from the general composition), I’m not entirely sure that Florida even constitutes as having an ‘off season’ for training as well as racing. I do know that providing additional complementary workouts could prove to be quite beneficial.
In triathlons, the running and cycling activities occur within a single plane of movement (for the most part) and it stands to reason that the muscles and supporting tissues that act appropriately within that plane can certainly become disproportionately stronger; while those that act in other planes of movement can become weakened. If your focus is solely on activities and workouts that are cultivated strictly for race specific enhancement – you may be neglecting tissues that are becoming weakened and thereby increasing the risk of injury.
To counteract the effects of overuse and overtraining, consider adding yoga to your repertoire. Yoga, in its many forms, has proven to be quite restorative to an overworked body. Imagine putting your body through a series of multiple planes of movement. You can enhance your level of stability and draw upon a more balanced workout. You can move through a full range of motion while you strengthen the muscles through and around varied axis of your body. You can develop greater joint mobility and bring about a more balanced center of power. Some athletes also find an enhanced efficiency of breath after practicing any number of forms of yoga (as most center attention in and around the breath). Continued practice can also derive a mental clarity – by using breath awareness and in staying focused on the present and learning to envision the very things you want your body to accomplish during your racing.
If you are interested in what yoga can do for your training, please feel free to contact me for information relating to private sessions, semi-private classes, or open class times.
HAPPY TRAINING!