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Creating a Personal Affirmation

May 21, 2013 By Heidi Leave a Comment

j0441048About 4 years ago, I sat in a yoga teacher training while the instructor talked about creating an affirmation statement for your life.  At the time, I resisted.  I was going through a rough time and had uncertainty and fear spinning all around me.  I wasn’t convinced that a flowery yoga phrase would help.  But, for the sake of participation, I complied and wrote this:

I am embracing the opportunities and adventures life and God have for me with courage, gratitude and love.

Fast-forward 2 years later…while rummaging through my training manuals, this small piece of paper falls out with my affirmation.  Now, I’d love to tell you that I was mindfully focused on it every day for the past two years and wonderful things ensued.  Wonderful things have ensued but I wasn’t mindfully affirming them, necessarily.  But, there is power in writing something down.  Even though I wasn’t focused on these words every day, they were there in the back of my mind, my intentions and God was weaving a beautiful quilt of opportunities, failures and surprises that I could’ve never imagined.

So a few thoughts on affirmations…at least what others say and what I’ve found:

  • Affirmations should be written in the present tense, not the past or future…but right now.  -Ing verbs are even better as they imply continuity and flow.
  • You want your affirmation to not be so specific that it won’t last through the years, but it’s also ok to have different affirmations for different situations in your life or life stages.  You might have several that serve you in different ways.
  • They should be aspirational…they should nudge you (in a good way) toward what you’re wanting in your life, how you’d like to be.
  • Write your affirmation down and place somewhere that you’ll see it frequently.  Mine is taped up in my office so that it’s in my peripheral vision while I type.
  • Affirmations should be positive.  They should not include a “not” or “never”… they should encourage and inspire us.
  • A practical exercise is to take a slow inhale and as you exhale think your affirmation in your mind.  It will begin to come off the paper and be a part of you.

Back to my affirmation, I think I’m going to stick with mine – unchanged after four years and maybe even more applicable today than back then.  Sometimes I just try to conjure up the short version: Courage, Gratitude & Love. It’s been a great day if I’ve expressed these three things in some small (or big) way.

New adventures are just around the corner for us (more in future posts) and maybe it’s because I’m nearly 40, but I am embracing them without old fears or my negative self-talk tapes.  I’m grateful for each opportunity and challenge, filled up with love.  Excited.  More soon.

Filed Under: Inspirations Tagged With: creating an intention, personal affirmations, personal mantras, replacing negative self talk

Breathing Through the Holidays

December 13, 2012 By Heidi Leave a Comment

We have one tool, one secret weapon against stress that’s always with us.  It’s (usually) free and doesn’t require a gym membership or doctor’s appointment.  It’s our breath.  With a bit of practice, we can learn to use our breath to calm down, relieve stress and even sleep better.  Here are just a few calming breathing techniques to help us through the hectic holidays. Next post, we’ll talk about energizing breathing techniques to perk you up.

Calming Breathing Techniques:

Belly Breathing: Sit or lie in a comfortable position.  Close your eyes and take 5 deep belly breaths – as you inhale, feel your belly rise and as you exhale, feel your belly fall back towards you.  You might place one hand on your belly to feel the movement of your breath.  Allow your mind to follow the pattern of your breath – noticing as you breathe in and breathe out.  When thoughts come to your mind, label each one with one word (worry, emotion, to-do) and let it go, bringing your attention back to your breath.

 “Ha” and Whisper Breath: Find a comfortable seated position and allow your breath to be slow and unhurried.  Inhale through the nose and as you exhale, open your mouth and make a “ha” sound as you release your breath.  It shouldn’t feel forced or uncomfortable.  It might sound like you’re fogging up a mirror with your breath.  Try this “Ha” breath a few more times.  Next, try the same breath but keep your lips sealed. This is the Whisper or Ujjayi Breath.  As you exhale, create a little whisper sound in the back of your throat.  Continue for 6-8 breaths.  (Try this breath when you’re working through your holiday to-do’s, or when you’re needing a quick refresher)

Counting Breaths: Take 3 slow breaths, breathing in and out through your nose and letting go of thoughts and things to do. On your next inhale, count the length of your inhale (one, two, three, etc…) and the length of your exhale. Notice if the inhale or exhale is longer or if both are equal.  Don’t try to make your breath longer – just count your natural breath. Continue to count your inhales and exhales, noticing if your breathing changes over time.  (Try this breath at night when you’re trying to wind down for bed, or when you’ve put yourself in “time out” from the holiday stresses)

One Word Breathing Meditation: After a few slow breaths, allow your mind to focus on one word.  It should be a word that’s positive to you, don’t take too long to think about it – just pick one that comes to your mind first. Maybe a word that when you hear it, you feel calm or peaceful.  Breathe in and as you exhale, think about your word.  Continue for 8-10 breaths.  Slowly open your eyes and rest, lying on one side or in Child’s Pose  (Try this breath ANY TIME you need a couple of moments of stillness and peace for yourself)

 

For more on breathing techniques, YogaXoga’s Demystified Yoga Volume 2 features a breathing techniques tutorial, along with three 20 minute yoga classes for your busy schedule.

Filed Under: Healthy Living, Inspirations, Yoga Before Bed Tagged With: belly breathing, breathing techniques, calming breathing techniques, ujjayi breath, whisper breath, yoga breathing for stress relief

Real Yoga Stories: My Wellness Journey Through Heavy Metal Chelation

May 22, 2012 By Heidi 3 Comments

Heavy Metals & Yoga?

It’s not what you think. No, I’m not setting my practice to an AC/DC song or another heavy metal music classic. Please excuse this post as I digress away from my traditional “Yoga for… ” posts and share something more personal.

Two months ago, I took a heavy metals test that revealed that I had toxic levels of lead and mercury in my body.   After the initial shock and a lot of research, we decided that the best course of action for me was to undergo oral chelation therapy using the FDA-approved drug DMSA.  My naturopath M.D.  tried to keep my expectations in check.  I would need to do 10 rounds (approximately 5 months) of treatments before she would re-test me.  And most likely then I still may need more treatments.

While you might think that this diagnosis and proposed treatment plan would induce despair, I really felt relief.  I’ve been on my self-labelled wellness junkie journey for 10+ years.  On the surface, it’s been about trying new wellness therapies and sharing those experiences in my Wellness Junkie Blog.  At a deeper and more private level, I just haven’t felt great.  Yes, it comes and goes.  For awhile it was just frequent migraine headaches and food sensitivities. Then sporadic fatigue, gluten intolerance and hormone imbalance but always an unexplained infertility.  Perhaps blogging about wellness things was my way of continuing to explore options to improve my health and also improve our chances of expanding our family.

When we moved halfway across the country to a new place, leaving family and friends, a switch seemed to snap on.  My fatigue and depression worsened.  I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism and went completely gluten-free (my mom is celiac, though I’ve tested negative).  Once on the gluten-free diet and  a natural thyroid supplement, my energy level and mood improved…but I still wasn’t close to 100%.

Being the wellness junkie that I am, I went back to my naturopath doctor  and asked if there was any possibility I could get off of the thyroid meds?  Can we address the root of the problem vs. my taking a pill?  And that’s when she suggested Heavy Metals testing.   So, after a decade of this wellness roller coaster, I have a likely cause. An answer and a plan to move through it.

These days,  I’m practicing my yoga in a very different, very humbling way.  I’ve never been more present in my day, in my body…moment by moment.  There are side effects to the treatments: extreme fatigue and brain fog for me.  With that comes a necessary surrender of my daily activities — the things that we do each day — whether those are chores, obligations or enjoyable pleasures, I’m on a much stricter budget of activity before the fatigue kicks in and wins for at least 3 hours a day forcing me to really listen to my body and give it what it needs (for me, that often means green smoothies and frequent, long naps).

I have a new appreciation and empathy for those who struggle continually with chronic fatigue.  In your mind, you are your former energetic, motivated, lively self…but in reality, we must accept where we are today and move from that point. So those things that I rested (at least part of) my identity in — my work, my activity, my fitness are all evolving…and do so at a much slower pace.

My yoga is different.  I focus on my breath and practice those calming breathing techniques that I’ve shared for years with others.  I do shorter energizing stretches on good energy days.  I hang upside on my Teeter Inversion Table.  I meditate, pray and study my Bible.  I rest and I am hopeful.  This is my yoga.

Filed Under: Healthy Living, Inspirations, Real Yoga Stories Tagged With: heavy metal testing, inversion table, lead and mercury toxicity, oral chelation dmsa, yoga for chronic fatigue

Re-evaluating those New Year Resolutions

February 7, 2012 By Heidi Leave a Comment

It’s February and usually by now, those resolutions have been attempted but are soon forgotten.  The gym crowds have thinned out and we’re faced with another disappointment…those good intentions lasted at least 4 weeks, right…what? seriously?  It doesn’t have to be this way…

I think we get hung up with the “new year’s resolution” label.  If it was just a regular goal or intention, who’s to say that we shouldn’t dust it off or tweak it and get back on the healthy train?

Don’t get caught up in the pressure of these resolutions and their life-changing ability.  Just take one day at a time.  What is ONE THING that you can do today? Just one.  And then tomorrow, do it again…

I believe that sometimes messages come in themes from a variety of sources.  I’ve been running lately.  Let me say that I’m not really a runner.  I used to do 5k races from time to time but that’s about it.  As I’ve mentioned this to friends, I’ve had several tell me about Couch to 5k, so I’ve checked into it and it looks like a great way to take baby steps each week that will add up to a lot of progress over time.  I’m starting this week so check back for future posts on the program and my experience… or better yet, join me! And tell me all about your progress….Plus they have Pooch to 5k which could be fabulous for me and my furry girl.

It doesn’t have to be running…Maybe for you, it’s eating a healthy breakfast or going on a walk 5 days a week…set a healthy intention for yourself.

Back to my main point… it doesn’t matter that we’re one month into 2012 and you’ve slowed down or fallen off the healthy train.  There are 11 more months to go… so call them your “Spring Goals” and get moving…When we’re sitting at the end of December 2012 and you look back at your growth and progress, this little “detour” will be so insignificant compared to your success!!

Filed Under: Healthy Living, Inspirations Tagged With: couch to 5k, fitness goals, health goals, motivation for getting fit, new year resolutions

How to Keep Exercising During the Holidays

December 19, 2011 By Heidi Leave a Comment

Recently, I just confessed to a friend that I feel like a slug.  Yes, a slug.  I wish I felt like the Energizer bunny, but it’s not true.  Not sure if it’s been the changes in weather (yes, it is cooler here in AZ…) or my growing list of to-do’s…but exercise has fallen off my list of daily activities.  Yes, I still walk the dog sometimes twice a day, but that high intensity or even medium intensity cardio workouts have slithered away. Like a slug.

So what to do? And why am I telling you this?  As a yoga teacher and wellness junkie, I should exhibit outstanding discipline and motivation always, right?  That’s just not reality for me or you.  We all have our slumps and I’m sharing what I do to break out of them.

Move! Even just a little…. The best way to ease out of a sedentary streak is to move.  I know it’s so simple…but it’s the best thing.  Start small with just 20 minutes and see how you feel.  If that’s all you have time for, start there and slowly try to build more exercise into your days.  When I’m feeling lethargic or glued to the couch, I tell myself: “it’s just 20 minutes and I’ll feel better”.  And I always do.  Ways to get moving inside:

  • Jogging in place, squats, jumping jacks & lunges while watching your favorite TV show.   Pick a number like 25 or 30 and count to that number doing each exercise.  Repeat series a couple of times and then stretch.
  • Pop in your favorite exercise dvd and commit to just the first 20 minutes.  I did this just yesterday with Insanity.  I wasn’t up for the full 40 minutes so I did the warm-up and then felt motivated to keep moving.  If high intensity isn’t your thing, I know a great yoga dvd or two…
  • Dance party in the living room with yourself, the kids or pets — the key is to get moving — it doesn’t need to be structured or fancy.  Plus, the kids need to burn off that excess energy too.

Track your progress and reward yourself… I had a friend in college that would create star charts for herself.  She would give herself a star each day that she did the behavior that she wanted to do (eat right, exercise, etc.) Once she had so many stars (30 is a good first goal), she would reward herself with something special — a small shopping spree, pedicure, a day off – your choice.  There’s something about the visual tracking of our goals and progress that keeps us going.  Put your chart on the fridge where you can see it and make sure that your reward is something really worth shooting for.

Don’t wait til January…Sprinkle in at least some exercise during the holidays.   You’ll feel better about indulging in Aunt Mae’s fudge and you’ll have a good start to your new year goals in January.   Feeling guilty about going to the gym when you have house guests?  Make it a group activity.  Go for a walk or hike together.  I’m sure your guests may be craving some movement too.

Silence that inner critic…Whether you’re choosing to get out for that holiday run or choosing that Christmas cookie…accept your choice readily.  Don’t allow your inner critic to berate you for not making the healthier choice.  Consciously choose and then move on.  Try to think moderation, balance and grace.  Moderation in that that cookie isn’t going to be the end of all of your healthy progress.  Balance in that you can sprinkle in exercise with all the shopping, baking and indulging… and grace for accepting when you just need to snuggle up with your loved ones and savor those moments.  The gym will be there tomorrow.

Filed Under: Healthy Living, Inspirations Tagged With: exercise during the holidays, insanity workout, new year resolutions, starting an exercise plan, staying on track during the holidays

Practicing Gratitude

November 22, 2011 By Heidi 2 Comments

This year, as I suspect is true with every year, I have much to be grateful for.  For some reason, living in a new place (our first Thanksgiving in AZ) magnifies those things and puts everything into technicolor perspective. I’ll share just a few…

I’m hugely grateful that God really showed off a couple weeks ago and brought my dear college friend back from near death.  I’m grateful for her witty Facebook posts and updates just days after a coma.  The girl I know is back.

In that same weekend with one friend lying in a hospital bed, another married her sweetheart and I’m so grateful that I was standing with her on that beautiful, crisp night.

I’m grateful that the pain and disconnect of picking up our lives and moving to the desert has subsided and that this place with its own beauty and charm is beginning to feel like our new home.

I’m grateful for my health and while it’s been a journey learning about hypothyroidism and what that means for me…it’s been a year of discovering connections, finding answers and re-discovering hope for healthy, abundant living.

For…My husband & best friend.  My sweet Charli. My parents.  My sister.  My lifelong friends.  My new friends in AZ.  If I stick with this gratitude thing, the list goes on and on… I’m so overwhelmed and blessed. Thank you, God.

We all have our stuff.  Our storms.  Our trials.  So much that challenges us and wears us down that we find ourselves gazing upward with a “really?” to God…It’s in those moments that I intend to practice thanksgiving over and over again and not just in November with turkey.  Will you join me? What would that look like…a daily gratitude practice?

What is your list today?  Not your pad answer when you go around the table on Thursday and say what you’re most thankful for… what’s the long list?  Allow yourself time this Thanksgiving to get enveloped in the long list of blessings that you cherish.  Moments that overwhelm you.  And bask a little in the list.  Breathe into it. Enjoy it.  And give thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

God Bless….

Filed Under: Christian Yoga, Healthy Living, Inspirations, Real Yoga Stories Tagged With: being thankful, practicing gratitude, thanksgiving yoga

Simple Meditations for the Workday

August 31, 2011 By Heidi 1 Comment

One of my yoga clients here in Phoenix mentioned that at his office, his computer regularly shuts off so that he can’t continue to work, forcing him and his co-workers to take a 5 minute brain break several times throughout the day.  His company not only encourages this but has created an environment where it’s mandated.  Wow.  Look how far we’ve come (some of us) in recognizing that our minds need a break.  We need that stillness and rest in order to be more productive.  Often, in those restful, meditative moments, solutions to nagging problems and lightbulbs of ideas come to us…not when we’re straining or stressing toward an answer.

Meditation doesn’t have to be complicated.  The important thing is just to begin.  Try these simple techniques to get you started. If you can step away from your desk, cubicle or office…that’s great.  That way, you’re a safe distance from the “bing” of new emails and the phone.  If not, at least turn your back away from your computer screen to ease away from the workday.

Breathing Meditation: One of the simplest meditations is to focus your mind on your breath.  Sitting tall with eyes closed, breathe in and out through your nose and notice the length and texture of your breath.  Does it feel short, shallow or rushed?  As you continue to breathe, notice how your breath changes; how it slows down and lengthens.  Try to keep your upper chest still as you breathe and feel movement instead in your belly and lower ribcage.  As thoughts come up, briefly notice them and bring your attention back to your breath.  Start with 3-5 minutes and work up to 8-10 minutes.

Focus Meditation: Sometimes we need a more direct object for our meditation. Is there a word or phrase that has meaning and would be helpful for you right now?  Maybe it’s COURAGE for your next meeting with your boss?  Maybe it’s PEACE because of worries about layoffs or more organizational shifting?  Maybe it’s COMPASSION for an irritating co-worker?  Choose one word that your mind can focus on for the next few minutes.  With eyes closed, breathe in through your nose and as you exhale, say your word in your mind slowly and intentionally.  Continue for 3-5 minutes.

Awareness of Sensations Meditation: An awareness meditation is just as it sounds – we’re focusing on becoming more aware of our bodies and minds.  Closing your eyes and finding a comfortable seated position, begin to turn your awareness inward;  becoming more aware of sensations in the body and breath and thoughts that come up in your mind.  Try not to follow those thoughts but just be aware of them and let them go…. Sometimes visualizing that you can put a post-it note on that thought (worry, plan, vent) helps us to release it.  Continue for 3-5 minutes.

For more on the Benefits of Meditation...

Filed Under: Healthy Living, Inspirations Tagged With: benefits of meditation, meditation at work, meditation break at work, meditation phoenix, yoga at work, yoga focus, yoga phoenix

Enjoying Moments of “Home”

August 16, 2011 By Heidi 2 Comments

I’m sure I’m not the only person who has found themselves in between “homes” or without that sense of “home”.  I don’t mean a physical place to live – I’m very fortunate that that’s not what I’m talking about…. but that sense of familiarity, belonging…that this is MY PLACE.

We just returned from a quick trip back to my hometown of Kansas City for my h.s. reunion, a couple of yoga classes and quick visits with friends and family.  It was a whirlwind.  At 9 months post move, Kansas City is no longer really home…but it’s familiar.  It’s known.  It’s my history.  It’s like wrapping a worn, soft blanket around you that takes you back to a different time and place.   I loved nearly everything about our visit:  re-connecting with classmates, teaching yoga to new and old friends,  enjoying BLTs (best tomatoes ever!) with my folks, and taking in the beauty and character of my city.  But, it’s no longer home.

Phoenix is starting to grow on me…living without constant humidity and sinus pressure is a beautiful thing.  Seeing the mountains (even though they are brown and rocky) every day is very nice too.  And while, we’re slowly but surely settling in, it’s not quite home…yet.

Have you been here?  In the “in between” space?  How do we get grounded and settled… can we or should we try to rush that process of feeling at home?

After contemplating this a lot over the last 9 months…I don’t think you can rush it.  But…you can intentionally help your soul along… For me, that means finding those moments of home and fully being present in them and enjoying them.  It’s like having the ability to slow things down and go in slow motion so that you don’t lose any detail of what you’re experiencing.  Sometimes they are brief but sweet moments: a heartfelt conversation with a dear friend who has known you 20+ years,  a knowing look of gratitude and love, familiar foods, routines…just doing life.  In yoga, we use our breath to slow things down and tune into the sensations that we’re feeling…to heighten our awareness of ourselves.

These are the moments that give me hope that the in-between space has a sweetness of its own.

Filed Under: Inspirations, Real Yoga Stories Tagged With: being present, finding a sense of home, just moved, lessons of yoga

Breathing Through a Big Change

May 18, 2011 By Heidi 3 Comments

Forgive me while I go on a short trip away from my usual yoga fare.  I do think I can interweave this topic back to yoga though…you’ll see.

Six months ago this week, my husband and I and our little dog left my parents’ house (we had already sold ours, thank God!) and headed west to Phoenix, our new town, new home, new life.  Right after we moved, a kind friend emailed me and said “be sure and give yourself 6 months to feel settled”.  Some folks shared that it took them a year sometimes 2 to settle into a new place.

I won’t say that it’s been easy.  I think I’ve needed every day of this 6 month window to grieve the life I left, to ease into this new, strange place and truly begin to plant ourselves here.    Some practical things have helped: we bought a house in a very quaint and friendly neighborhood, I’ve started teaching yoga again and we’re building some friendships, plus the sunny days are nice too.

Feeling yanked out of your world is hard…so to those of you experiencing your own big change (whether it’s a move, a life change or something else), I’m here to tell you it does get better.  Sometimes in mysterious ways.  But it’s hard.  Allow yourself to step back and just acknowledge that.  Maybe it stinks.  Maybe it’s scary.  Give yourself a moment to be in that place of frustration or grief or fear and then choose to move through it.  I think that’s the connection to yoga.

With yoga, we work on acknowledging and being aware of our thoughts or our discomfort with a pose and then releasing it…letting it go with our breath.  The same is true with change.  Sure, there were times earlier in our move when I felt that I was completely fine and fully transitioned, only to have something or someone trigger a memory or an emotion that brought everything back.  Sadness.  Guilt.  Grief.  Wow – am I back to the drawing board?   No…I know that will still happen from time to time – but it’s ok…I’m in a better place to see it for what it is — growth.  At the six month mark, I have the perspective that everything is always changing…and that’s as it should be.

The other BIG factor to this peace that I’m beginning to feel in our new world is through my faith.  When you can let go of trying to control everything and trust that God’s got my best interests in mind…it’s liberating. Not always easy…but liberating.

Here are a few other nuggets I’ve learned during my six months of change:

  • Get out of the house! It’s easy to hole up and isolate where it’s just you and your (sometimes irrational) thoughts.  I try to have at least something on the schedule every day – even if it’s just the grocery store or dog park…it’s something.
  • Get out and make new friends (this applies more to people just moved), but there’s a great ministry called JustMoved.org and they offer classes all over the country for women who have just moved.  Out of the 10 week class, I’ve continued to keep in touch with a handful of gals going through the same sort of transition.
  • Keep some of your routine – for me, this included Sam and my Friday night takeout tradition, my morning time with God, my yoga practice and daily morning walk with Charli.  When everything else was in flux, there were a few things I could rely on.
  • Be accepting and gracious to yourself when you have a bad day - Feeling guilty about being sad or sad about being sad just makes it worse.  Bring in your yoga — acknowledge and accept what you’re feeling. You are human, after all… and let it go. Tomorrow’s a new day.
  • Every now and then, take a moment to pause and look at where you are now… maybe that’s 3 or 6 months or a year down the road…(guess that’s what I’m doing here…)
Filed Under: Healthy Living, Inspirations Tagged With: dealing with change, letting go, self-acceptance, yoga help for change

Motivation to get moving…

February 3, 2011 By Heidi Leave a Comment

Last month,  I purchased a Groupon for one month of unlimited spinning and yoga classes here in Phoenix.  The place is literally 2 minutes from our apartment and offers a decent variety of times and classes.  But the important question is…have I gone yet?  And sadly, the answer is no…not yet.

Why is that? What is it about February that makes us want to hole up at home and not come out?  I know many of you are snowed and iced in, so you have wonderful excuses to stay in.  However, I do not.  So here are just some thoughts on getting motivated and why it’s ok that I haven’t gone spinning yet or that you haven’t found that spunky motivation to start a new exercise routine.  But when I do get on that spinning bike, you can read all about it on the Wellness Junkie.  Soon…very soon.

So.  Motivation.  Think about when you were a kid.  What did you enjoy? When Mom said “go outside and play” what did you do?  If the idea of getting on a treadmill every day for 30 minutes seems dreadful, then don’t do it. At least, don’t start there.  Start with something fun.

Here are just a few ideas…that I have personally tried in the last month to get myself moving and those endorphins flowing:

  • Dance Party – Turn some disco or 80s tunes on and just dance for 20 minutes.  If it’s a snow day, all the better – have the kids join you and burn off some energy.  Other ideas – play “dance teacher”  with them or “show your best move”.  When I do this, my dog looks at me like I’ve lost it, but afterwards I feel great.
  • Living Room Boot Camp – While watching your favorite TV indulgence…(currently for me that’s Season 2 of Arrested Development via Netflix) rotate through 10 Jumping Jacks, Lunges, Squats/Jump Squats, Alternating Knee Lifts, Jogs and Kicks…take a quick breather and repeat.  If that’s too much, try moving during each commercial and work up to more.
  • Get outside – Yes, I know that this is not possible for much of the country right now…but as soon as you have that balmy 40 degree day, get outside…take fido with you and enjoy! Charli and I just got back from a long walk along the Arizona Canal

    Our walking trail these days...

    (see picture) and along with the physical, cardio benefit of our pace, it really lifted my mood to get outside and enjoy the sunshine.  You can set a pace for your walk/jog outside where you are getting your heart rate up and enjoying the view.

So…if you don’t get to the gym today or on the treadmill,  give yourself a break.  Yes, we need to move and exercise and once you do, you know you’ll feel better…but it’s also ok to listen to your body and honor how you feel.  Maybe that means no workout at all tonight…maybe it means a more creative enjoyable workout… remember… we didn’t have to make ourselves go workout as kids…we just PLAYED.  What does that look like for you today?

Filed Under: Healthy Living, Inspirations Tagged With: beginning an exercise routine, cardio for kids, creative cardio workouts, exercise at home on snow days, finding motivation to workout, getting fit, ideas to get moving
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