In the Midst of Chaos

I asked a question this week what do you do in the midst of chaos? I know there were many times this week when you questioned your reality. Is this really happening and why? The truth is there are no answers bad things happen and tragedies such as we experienced this week. First we had the Boston Marathon and then the West explosion no telling what else might have happened in your life this past week or the week before, but the question is how do you deal with it? Do you let it cripple you or do you move on even stronger? The best thing I heard this week was to look for the helpers quoted by Fred Rogers. “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” The events this week were tragic there is no denying that, but the good of the people how everyone came together and helped one another shows that there is good in the world. There is also the bad that we will experience, but let it bring us together as neighbors and friends instead of bitter. It is all in the perspective. We were not promised that everything would be perfect we will have pain, but help others get back on their feet in their time of need. Make sure you tell others how much they mean to you and live life with no regrets. We will never forget and we have a choice to stand together.

Live Life to the Fullest

                 

This week has been a crazy challenging week filled with tears and laughter.  I lost my Grandfather at the age of 79 3 days after his Birthday who saw his last final day on earth on April 1st 2013.  It has been a hard week with ups and downs, and I am so grateful for my family and friends who were there for comfort and prayers.  Everyone handles death differently I choose to handle it day by day, and I am so grateful for the time we had together.  I spoke at his celebration of life today and delivered a message that I would also like to share with all of you since this is a part of my journey.

Papa was a hero to everyone who met him, and he will be remembered and cherished always.  The peace in his passing comes through knowing the embrace that took place in heaven when my mom and her daddy were together again in Heaven.  It is not a secret all of Papa's health problems the ups and the downs.  We did not know that this would be the time he would go to Heaven leaving us behind.  Papa was a strong man and fought until the end to stay on this Earth for all of us.  He was one of the most caring men who believed in family and held us all together which was a hard task in itself.  He brought us sanity and constant love in this crazy world. 

I had a long talk with Papa before he was laid to rest, and it gives me peace to share that memory.  During our talk he shared with me the struggles he had living life after my mom died.  It crushed his world losing a child my mother who is loved by so many, and he told me the only way he survived was the companionship of his dog Lost and our horse Gypsy when he was alone he would talk to them about his pain.

They were a true comfort in his life during a dark time.  We cried together and shared memories of mom, and how life has changed without her here.  We talked about how grateful he is for Ninny and he knows that it is hard on her him being sick.  He mentioned the speech I gave at my Mom's funeral and quoted a few things I said.  I told him that it was not me that the Lord was speaking through me to deliver a message and gave me strength to share with others in her memory.  He understood he was sick and he was tired and one day like all of us he would be laid to rest.  When I talked to Ninny the day he died I told her I would also like to speak at his funeral to share this message and honor him and his memory.  I wish I would have had a recorder to record our last conversation, but it gave me closure that he would be all right and so would we by carrying his strength in our own lives.

We watched him in his last final days as he continued to fight the pain it was too much to handle.  We told him to go rest and to join his Daughter in Heaven.  Papa had a strong faith and led a blessed life we are all stronger and better people for having him in our lives.  Enjoy the moments today and every day.  Death is a complicated experience it does not get earier it is just different your happiness changes and there is a hole that you cherish.  The best advice I ever received when my mom passed was it will always be a different king of happiness it's not good not necessarily bad just different.  We will all meet together again in Heaven.  Go with God Papa and join your eternal kingdom.

Papa never met a stranger everyone was a friend.  He could light up a room and left a lasting impression that will never be forgotten.  We are all put on this Earth for a reason find your purpose and live out your own legacy.  Every day is a gift it is not owed to us live life to fullest today and every day.

1. Love unconditionally
2. Live with integrity
3. Leave this world a better place

All In

Some may joke that you are drinking the Kool-Aid, but the moral of the story is CrossFit can change lives from a body and mind perspective.  You also may think it is strange that I love CrossFit and Yoga so much because you think they are so different, but in the overall scheme of things they can be one in the same.  CrossFit is a series of functional movements that also help you to be stronger in your everyday life.  It is a challenge, but every challenge is against you to get better, stronger, and faster.  The competition is fun, and if you want to be a part of it you can.  There is no denying the sport is exploding especially with ESPN covering the CrossFit games, but it is the sense of community and change that keep others wanting more and anticipating the next work out.  Yes it is hard, but the reward of completing the work out of the day is amazing.  This year is the first year I am competing in the CrossFit games so some may say I am all in.  I am no longer dancing around whether or not to get on board with CrossFit.  Last weekend I watched others compete in my gym for the Open workout of the week and wow you have never seen so much determination and passion.  It was a very motivating experience that solidifies the meaning of being a CrossFitter.  I understand if you do not want to get on board and may or may not think it is a fad, but I am here to tell you because of the changes it makes in lives it is here to stay.  CrossFit with everything there is a balance and it is meant to make you better.  Do not beat yourself up just keep going it will all come together just like life it has its ups and down.  The last piece is nutrition and this is a very important piece.  When people start out they may complain about not seeing the results or ladies putting on too much muscle.  Since I started the strict Paleo challenge I have noticed how much food I don't need and my extra calories were making me bulky not the weights I was lifting.  I also cut out fruit extra sugar and nuts extra fat so I could see and feel the difference.  Nutrition and CrossFit go hand in hand to see results, but it is a long term change.  I would most definitely recommend CrossFit to others if you are looking to change your mind and body.  There are so many benefits and in the end you don't have to choose just choose your healthy.

Enjoy the Moment in the Life of Love

I recently had a realization in my life a couple of weeks ago. Although this may seem obvious to some I was living my life too fast from one event to the next. Life as a Yogi is not always easy and it does not come natural to me I have to really concentrate on being still and aware. I live in a very fast paced life, but what I did not realize is how many aspects of my life this affects. During Yoga teacher training was the first time I heard this message of living too fast, but I recently discovered how it applies in my own life. It is so easy to get into a routine and go from place to place without being aware of your surroundings. For me it is not a purposeful intention, but I had a certain instance in my life where I realized I needed to make a change. As you know my full-time job is a sales position in which I work in a fast paced environment, but with all things there is a balance. I realized that I was not taking the time to establish a personal connection with my potential buyers and that also was carrying on to other parts in my life. My friend shared with me something that made complete since after an appointment, but I had never thought of it "Treat everyone as they are wearing a necklace that says make me feel special". It turn out that it is a Mary Kay quote I found out later. Can you imagine how much better our life would be if we spent time making others feel special? The fascinating thing this is not a hard task, but it takes awareness and checks and balances. The day after my appointment I put this quote into practice and had the best day I met the lady at Starbucks, I smiled to every person I passed and said hi, and I shared stories with others to open up my life. As a child I was shy and I did not come out of my shell until I had my first job some may also find this odd. I still have shy tendencies when I am not comfortable I will stand back, but what I realized is me holding back may also come off as cold and unwelcoming so I had to get out of my comfort zone. The world is fast paced, and I know others that may confess to this same experience of just living life too fast at a surface level. The good news is you can make a change and open yourself up a new life with new opportunities. Tell others about your new journey and let them hold you accountable to slow you down to work on your awareness.  Take a chance and you will see the rewards in letting others in and enjoy the moment in the life of love.

Take Care of Yourself Body, Mind, and Spirit

I am week 2 on the challenge and 10 pounds down.  I want to emphasize that this challenge is about getting healthy, and in the process I am seeing the results.  As I have mentioned yes I am healthy and some may say too healthy, but it is about getting rid of things that I do not need so my body can benefit.  A funny story of how people don't understand even as simple as you may make it.  At a restaurant I ordered grilled chicken with double veggies instead of the rice and beans.  When the waiter brought my food out he asked if I was a Vegetarian?  My husband said well she is eating chicken so no.  The waiter seemed confused and asked well can you eat pork because it is in the beans? I answered will eat pork, but I wanted the double veggies instead of the rice and beans.  Paleo made simple can even be confusing for some.  We laughed a little about the confusion after the waiter left, but the truth is some people just do not understand and they may never understand.  I am lucky because Matt my husband started his challenge last Monday, and we have been doing great grocery shopping together and planning our meals and snacks on Sunday.  A new way of life does require planning, but after a while it becomes second nature and you would not want it any other way you start to accept it.  Of course I have cravings that I have to fight through, but the truth is I would take not being bloated and feeling stuffed over denying my cravings any day.  I am not saying you have to deny yourself just do what is best for your body and drink plenty of water.  Most of the time we may feel hungry we may be thirsty.  Learn to listen to your body, and you will understand the difference.  The next challenge I will face is we leave for Grand Caymans on March 7th for 4 days.  Most people would use this as an excuse to indulge.  I also know Spring Break is coming up for a few of you so how do you handle your health when you are out of routine?  Here are some helpful Travel and on the go tips for sticking to your healthy plan to take care of yourself.

1.  Be Prepared
2.  Pick your indulgence; indulge and move on if you must
3.  Exercise; do something active
4.  Drink in moderation if you must
5.  Stick to Paleo meals or your healthy picks
6.  Keep it simple for meals
7.  Take snacks with you for a backup plan
8.  Enjoy yourself while taking care of your body
9.  If you mess up don't stress get back on the wagon
10. Hydrate; drink plenty of water

Make Room For Change

This is the time of the year where people are making changes.  Some are doing it for the Lenten Season to grow their relationship with God, and others are making changes to make room for a better year and a better life.  We learn from our mistakes and we grow from our challenges.  You set your goals at the beginning of the year, and now you have either found the challenges and gave up or you are fighting through.  The Lenten Season everyone gives up a possession or luxury or adds something in their life to enrich their relationship with God.  I have gone through many challenges in my life such as marathons, Yoga teacher training, deaths, failures; too many to count, but my story comes in how you fight through until the end.  I started a Paleo Challenge last week that last 45 days, and this is the first time that I am following this challenge without any substitutes.  I have been following the Paleo diet for a while, but I have not seen any real change so I must face my challenges.  My challenge like lots of people with changing your diet is taking away things that you do not need and holding onto them as a crutch.  I have learned that I do not need as much food as I put into my body even if it is healthy.  I have cut down on my snacks and portion sizes.  I have also decided to cut out fruit and nuts since it carries extra fat and sugar.  Yes both of these are good for you, but in moderation and I personally have a challenge with eating too much.  I have also limited my caffeine to one cup a day.  The theory behind all of this is I want to see the change so I have to overcome my challenges.  This is very hard and you also run into critics along the way who do not understand why you have chosen this particular lifestyle or why you are not drinking like all of the others.  You have made a choice to be healthy; do not let others take this away for you it is your gift to yourself.  It does help that this is the time of year where others are making changes and may be more accepted than the Holiday Season a time to indulge.  We will run into our challenges, but stay strong and make room for change.  Here are some helpful tips if you are looking to make a change for improved health, and are having problems overcoming your challenges.

1.  Be Prepared- Prepare your lunches and snacks the night before
2.  Portions- for weight loss one plate of food or until you are full
3.  Snacks-protein and veggies
4.  Meals-Veggie with every meal
5.  Limit fruits and nuts-1-2 servings for weight loss
6.  Travel with Snacks
7.  Eating out-Keep it simple a protein and veggies
8.  Drink as much water as possible- carry a liter of water with you and refill
9.  Ignore the critics
10. Celebrate your success-let others know your goals
11. Have an accountability partner
12. Get your family involved
13.  Be patient-you are making a permanent change it takes time
14   Believe in yourself

 

 

Gratitude In All Things Good and Bad

Gratitude, thankfulness, gratefulness, or appreciation is a feeling or attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received or will receive.  How do you look at your life are you grateful or is it hard for you to look at the light at the end of the tunnel?  Most of us can be grateful when things are going the way we planned, but what about those hard times and the hurdles that are thrown our way?  We have talked about that life is like a series of waves and to surrender in the moment, but what happens when everything is falling apart?  Every week I think about the message I want to bring with my blog, and sometimes the message changes before it is written because life changes.  At the beginning of the week you are faced with Monday back to the routine and by the end of the week you evaluate did you have a good or challenging week?  The message are the challenges and life lessons that prepare you to be grateful for the good and bad times in your life.  In Yoga the time on your mat is sacred no one else can take that time away from you except for yourself; there is a focus on the presence and just being in the moment and grateful.  The challenges such as loss of job, loss of a loved one, or just living in uncertainty can change your character.  What do you do when your life is turned upside down?  As a Yoga teacher I get to see people change throughout their practice when they walk through the door with the weight of the world on their shoulders and leave the class with a freedom of surrender and gratitude.  Gratitude is the answered and unanswered prayers it makes us who we are and helps others get through their hard times.  Live your life as an example to others and know that you can make a difference today and every day.