tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17240234038782084882024-02-20T06:51:12.195-08:00Through the Looking GlassFinding balance and peace. Direction and freedom. The evolution of becoming fit and flexible physically, emotionally, and mentally. Hotchkisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08400106723073520219noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724023403878208488.post-8723912115984951352014-10-24T06:48:00.000-07:002014-10-24T06:48:17.466-07:00The Detox Series: Part 2This post essentially has two parts, so stick with me. <br />
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Every day we face opportunities to make choices, choices we make without much consideration. Choosing to listen to <a href="http://www.wxpn.org/" target="_blank">public radio</a> vs. commercial-run top 40s. Deciding to make coffee vs. buy it. Taking the scenic route vs. the busy highway. Or in our case last night, choosing to have Chinese take-out for dinner vs. make a homemade meal.<br />
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My posts the past couple of weeks have been about <a href="http://hotchkissheim.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-food-happy-concept.html" target="_blank">cleansing</a>, <a href="http://hotchkissheim.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-detox-series-part-1.html" target="_blank">detoxing</a>, and making <a href="http://hotchkissheim.blogspot.com/2014/09/trigger-happy-part-1b.html" target="_blank">healthier choices </a>all around. I truly believe in this, but I know it is a process. You cannot be perfect every hour, of everyday. Yesterday I made the choice to eat a Quest Bar (protein packed, gluten/sugar-free) for "lunch" because after teaching 5 classes, my business partner and I were preoccupied with getting our errands done for the Grand Opening on Saturday, and didn't have time for a real lunch before our workout. This choice meant that by the time I got home at 6pm (left at 4:30am) I was mentally exhausted, physically hungry, and made another poor choice: Chinese takeout. I choose the healthier options there, but knew that I would still feel less-than-great the next morning. And it's true, I do feel a little groggy today. However, this morning is a brand new day and the choices I made yesterday do not dictate today.<br />
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I woke up and chugged a big glass of water. I made a fresh cup of coffee, added cinnamon and coconut milk, and let the yumminess warm me up. Topped my gluten-free toast with crunchy, organic peanut butter with chia & flax seeds, and ate a perfectly ripe banana. I practiced a quick yoga sequence that focused on detoxifying poses (another post to come!) and an hour later, feeling much better! All too often we allow one poor choice to define us, control us, and cause us to lose direction of who we are and what we believe in. Know that you have the power to change that!<br />
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Now the original goal of this post, Detox Series Part <i>Duex, </i>was to pass on to you a simple, yet effective trick I learned from my mother. In my last post, I discussed how we can choose to minimize the negative effects social media has on our time and our lives. But before we had social media, we had <b>print</b>, in the form of magazines, catalogs, etc and <b>television</b>. Even though magazines are not has popular as they once were, they still exist and I still read them every once in a while. I already discussed my recent disappointment in <i>YogaJournal</i>, and my subsequent discontinuation of my subscription, but I still have a few issues coming my way. In addition, I like to treat myself to the occasional <i>Vogue</i> or <i>InStyle</i>. But what I don't want to treat myself to are the ridiculous amount of advertisements in each issue.<br />
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When I was younger, I remember by mom collecting <i>Better Homes & Garden</i> magazines and putting together binders of her "dream home." (This was the original way people did <i>Pinterest</i>.) She would get a magazine and rip out all the advertisements first. Without even looking at the stories. For those tricky pages with articles on one side, she'd fold the ad in half to hide it. It wasn't just Better Homes & Garden, it was all magazines. When I was in high school and started buying the <b>horrendous</b> <i>Cosmopolitan</i> magazines, I didn't rip out the ads. Instead, they made impressions on me, whether I knew it at the time or not. (Buy <i>this</i>, look like <i>this</i>, you need <i>this</i>, <i>blah blah blah--</i>this is old news, we all know this and it's been discussed at nauseam.) <i> </i>It continued until this summer when I received yet another <i>YogaJournal</i> magazine and I noticed it was so full of ads, that it was hard to distinguish between the ads and the articles. I started ripping out all the ads. It was fantastic. No more opportunities to looks at supplements that claim to make you look younger, yoga pants to make your butt look better, etc. Duh, and photoshopped images.<br />
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I started following in my mother's footsteps and now each time I pick up a magazine, the first thing I do is rip out all the pointless ads. It works for all kinds of magazines and it feels awesome to do it. Cut out the garbage and keep the stuff you really bought the magazine for.<br />
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As for watching television, try muting the TV during commercials. Use the time to talk to the people around you, switch out the laundry, do a couple of air squats/push-ups/sit-ups, light a few of candles, etc. When you're favorite show comes back on, simply un-mute.<br />
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It's a subtle change, but all these small choices we make during our day will help to detoxify our life. We receive so much involuntary stimulation throughout the day, why not choose not to when we can?<br />
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Have a happy Friday!!!!Hotchkisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08400106723073520219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724023403878208488.post-70333670101800426352014-10-22T09:34:00.000-07:002014-10-22T09:34:50.600-07:00The Detox Series: Part 1Every Wednesday morning I start my day by teaching 2 yoga classes before the sun even rises. While there are other days during the week in which I rise before 5am, Wednesdays are by far my favorite (Sorry Monday and Thursday crew!) There is something wonderful about starting your day with your yoga practice. A chance to enter the day with a clear mind and clear body.<br />
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This morning as I drove in, the rain softly showered the world around me. It felt like a calm, slow morning, so I chose a yoga class that would gently energize the group. Opening into backbends, opening our chests, and opening our hearts. After each class, I felt more clear and more ready for the day.<br />
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It helped me to finally clear my head enough to write down what I've been thinking for the past couple of weeks. After completing my last 21-day cleanse, I discovered that it was not just the way I eat that needed to be cleansed. I found that when I really looked at the way I live my days, hours, etc that there were many opportunities for toxic behaviors, images, or thoughts to creep into my life. <br />
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The largest offender of toxic thoughts, often leading to envy, comparison, frustration, "boredom" and the like? My stupid, stupid "smart" phone. We all know this, this is not breaking news, but the iPhone is creeping into our lives, ruining our ability to connect to people in the same room as us. It is interfering with our ability to be with our own thoughts. It is warping us to live our lives in a way that we can document through social media. <i>If we don't post it to the world, did it really happen?!</i><br />
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I remember in the years before I had a cell phone (I got mine at 17 with no texting plans) I would be okay with waiting in waiting rooms. I was content on long drives. I wouldn't read books, but I would simply day dream. I would talk with my mom, my friends, whomever I was with. I was fine with listening to music and <i>really listening</i> to the music. As an introvert, being quiet or being in situations without a lot of stimulation is not boring. There were moments of clarity. There were moments of inspiration. There were moments when I really got to know myself.<br />
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That was until the smart phone. Now it's too easy to pick up my phone and "scroll." Scrolling is now an activity. Commenting on pointless content is now a sport. Posting the perfect picture of yourself is now a "thing." I'm an active participant in this toxic behavior and I know it must stop. My husband and I do not get as much "free" time to just be with each other as other couples without kids do. Yet there are nights when we are both home, in the same room, with the TV on and the phones in front of our faces. I find this <b>terrifying</b>. And what's worse, its a really hard habit to break. <br />
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Beyond it just being anti-social, we open ourselves up to all sorts of emotions we may not even encounter on a regular day basis. We open up to <b>envy</b>--wanting what others have or seem to have. We open ourselves up to <b>comparison</b>--deciding that what we do, what we have, who we are is in some way less than. We bombard our minds with images, over and over again, without processing, or even thinking through what we see. Worse, we aren't even deciding <i>what</i> we see--we see it <b>all</b>. <br />
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I don't want to be one of those people who say, "<i>well, back when I was a kid</i>,"or "<i>things were so much better when</i>," because I think that takes away my own responsibility for my actions. But I will acknowledge that some of life's advances aren't necessarily good for me. In order to be my best self, I don't need all the first-world modern conveniences, including the constant attachment to my phone. <br />
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Of course, the list goes on. For instance, just because you can buy already made chicken soup, doesn't mean you should always buy it, right? How much better does it taste when you make it from scratch? When you commit to something, focus on it, and make it yourself. The sensation of comfort you get from smelling fresh rosemary. The squirmish feeling you get from handling raw chicken, the physical reminder that this was once alive, so do not waste it. The feeling of the steam on your face as you stir the soup. It's all important. It makes you mindful of what you're doing, where you are, and the time it takes to make something worth having. <br />
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Imagine all the time you would have to notice the beauty in each day if you didn't spend the 10 min in the morning scrolling Pinterest. The 10 min waiting for the train scrolling Instagram, or the 30min after you eat lunch diving deep into a high school classmate's wedding photos. Before you know it, more than an hour of your day--<b>of your thoughts</b>--is spent mindlessly scrolling. Literally doing nothing, but scrolling.<br />
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Again. Terrifying.<br />
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So, I'm getting the toxins out. I'm vowing to put my phone away when I get home. It's going to go in a "cell phone" jar and it's going to stay there, only to leave when someone texts or calls. Even then, if it's not important, it can wait until tomorrow. We can take our lives back, take our time back, and put the distractions away. They say it takes 21 one days to create a new habit.<br />
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Here it goes.Hotchkisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08400106723073520219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724023403878208488.post-2243180297504804312014-10-03T08:14:00.001-07:002014-10-03T08:14:41.087-07:00Results of the CleanseSooo… I was planning on sharing my results from the cleanse, but I was NOT planning on sharing my before and after pics. After some back and forth with my insecurity, I thought, '<i>what the heck! who cares anyway!'</i> Throughout the process I wanted to be completely honest and open, to encourage others who are struggling with their own health issues to begin healing themselves with food. I truly believe that food is one of the most powerful tools to heal yourself of most of our emotional, mental, and physical ailments. Eating right, moving mindfully, and listening to yourself are crucial to triggering your HAPPY.<br />
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Making changes is tough though, and I think the biggest hurdle is the mental part. We have to shed our emotional attachment to the food we eat, how we eat, and why we eat. Again, it's TOUGH. It's not supposed to be a cake walk, and you're definitely not allowed to eat cake.<br />
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So, in an effort to be honest and open, let me start with the beginning. The VERY beginning. <br />
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This was me a year ago. I was about a year into marriage and was loving beers with dinner, sweets, late night snacks, etc. The next day I started a challenge, which centered around a strict Paleo diet, which meant that I cut out all grains, dairy, sugar, alcohol, legumes (beans), etc. I lasted a month before I started cheating. It was such a strict diet that I found when I cheated, I cheated HARD. Plus knowing the challenge was 2 months long was really tough mentally to get through. It was more about what I couldn't eat verses, what I could.<br />
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I knew I wasn't officially overweight, but I felt overweight for me. I felt heavy, sluggish, and not-sexy. So, trying the challenge was a good first start. But it wasn't successful. In January, my father-in-law offered us to try Isagenix, and we did, but again it wasn't successful because it was about eating/drinking shakes for meals. It didn't fit our lifestyle and didn't make me feel good. I wanted to eat real food and get my energy back.<br />
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So, through our very stressful winter, my eating habits were quite bad. Not eating until 2pm, snacking at night, emotional eating/not-eating, etc. In June I decided to do my first cleanse with Liz. It was about listening to my body and it changed the way I look at food.<br />
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I don't have any pictures from that, but the results are pretty much the same as below. I decided to the SECOND cleanse because I had a really fun summer, with lots of travel, parties, weddings, etc. I knew I had gotten out of the habit of cooking and I thought it would help. And it did!<br />
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So here I am 3 weeks ago:<br />
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The very next day I cut out all the junk. I felt fine on Monday. In fact, I felt great. Tuesday, I felt like I was walking through a fog. I had slow, tired thoughts. I took a nap (which I never do) and stumbled over my words. Wednesday was worse! I had crazy headaches, more tired and was SO HUNGRY. I kept eating all day. By Thursday I felt fine and continued to feel fine.<br />
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The following Monday I cut out animal protein. It was supposed to be for the full week, but I shortened it to 5 days because I do CrossFit and coach it, and teach yoga, and practice it, all day long. All of this had been discussed with Liz the first time around, so I knew I could do it. Without the animal protein I was feeling like I had hardly any energy and my job requires I had energy! But aside from that, I kept at it. <br />
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What did I eat? A TON of nuts--borderline too much nuts--and fruit and beans and rice and spinach and broccoli and dried fruit (no sugar added) and tea and tea and tea and tea. (Can you tell I missed coffee!?!?) I worked out 4-5 times a week (my usual) and went to bed at 9:30pm when I had to wake up at 4am. I ate 3 meals a day and allowed myself as many snacks as I wanted. <br />
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I completed 2 weeks without any "cheats" or changes to the cleanse. Then this week, I added back in eggs for breakfast, as I had done the cleanse before and know that my body can handle 2 hard-boiled eggs in the morning. Then, last night, my husband and I split a pumpkin beer. I completed 18 full days of the 21-day cleanse. <br />
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What I continue to keep out of my diet (90% of the time) dairy, processed foods and sugar, nightshades, soy, gluten products, red meat, corn, and artificial sweeteners (I do like Stevia, so I have that.) I am human, so there are times when I have gluten (beer) or dairy (ice cream) or sugar (chocolate) but I keep these to a minimum, as I know that a "treat" doesn't feel like a treat to my body. <br />
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Here are my results:<br />
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<i>I wore the same swimsuit because that's what you do, right?! Also, my weight-loss was not going to be major, so wearing clothes wouldn't have been effective to show change. I also took the last pic in a different light to show that it's not the lighting. </i><br />
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Like I said, its not a MAJOR change in 3 weeks, but it IS major progress from my picture a year ago. <br />
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This is a year worth of work to not only find my food-happy, but find my LIFE happy. It's not just removing the internal stress from the food we put in our bodies, it's also about figuring out what outside factors are causing us emotional or mental stress. Learning to cope, to fight, to conquer, to listen, to love is what I attribute my major changes too. <br />
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Movement is medicine, food is medicine. Love is a cure all.<br />
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Interested in more information? Reach out to me!<br />
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<br />Hotchkisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08400106723073520219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724023403878208488.post-16708620374672393872014-09-25T11:56:00.001-07:002014-09-25T11:56:40.713-07:00My Go-to Recipes for Fall<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, my favorite season is officially here. I know its cliche, and all I see everywhere is #whitegirl jokes about how much we love Fall and pumpkins, but its true! I have always loved the Fall because it feels like a magical time. The crisp air and the slightly dreary sky reminds me of slightly spooky tales of Ichabod Crane. The turning of the trees, the darker nights, the warm scarfs makes me feel like I can curl up near a fire or watch a Quidditch match. The fashion is romantic, the food is comforting, and the world around you feels mystical. And to top it off, the Disney princess inside of me will forever and ever, for always, have the beautiful memory of marrying my love at a castle in the woods, in the heart of Fall. It is the best time of year, period. End of story.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With the wonderful weather comes all of my favorite recipes. I have gotten a lot of questions about food lately, so I thought it best to just compile them and give you my all-time favorite go-to recipes. Most are clean eating naturally, but if they are not, I have noted my substitutions. Enjoy!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Breakfast in bed:</span></u></b><br />
<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></u></b>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Quick Paleo Pancakes</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Ingredients:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">2 ripe bananas </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">1 tablespoon nut butter </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">1 egg </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">1 cup sliced strawberries</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Instructions:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Mash bananas in medium sized bowl. Mix in egg and nut butter until you have the consistency of a batter. Pour batter in skillet sprayed with olive oil cooking spray on med-high heat. Cook until browned on both sides. Top with sliced strawberries</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">AND just for Fall, <a href="http://www.janssushibar.com/pumpkin-pie-pancakes/" target="_blank">Pumpkin Pancakes</a></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Main Meal:</span><br />
<a href="http://nomnompaleo.com/post/4807547385/slow-cooker-roast-chicken-and-gravy" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Slow Roaster Chicken</span></a><br />
<a href="http://paleomg.com/honey-ginger-apple-shredded-pork/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Honey Ginger Apple Shredded Pork</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/turkey-pumpkin-chili" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Turkey Pumpkin Chili</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/savory-butternut-squash-pie-hazelnuts" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Savory Butternut Squash Pie</span></a><br />
<a href="http://paleomg.com/clean-it-up-mondays-turkey-and-spinach-stuffed-sweet-potatoes/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Turkey Stuffed Sweet Potatoes</span></a><br />
<a href="http://paleomg.com/turkey-basil-artichoke-meatballs-egg-free-nut-free/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Meatballs</span></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://paleomg.com/crispy-chicken-dippers/" target="_blank">Chicken tenders</a> (I add smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, cracked pepper, and garlic spices to the breading. Add to your taste)</span><br />
<a href="http://paleomg.com/bacon-and-spinach-stuffed-chicken/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bacon Stuffed Chicken</span></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://paleomg.com/pumpkin-cashew-coconut-curry-coconut-rice/" target="_blank">Pumpkin Curry</a> (i use regular brown rice, because I can't be bothered to make the other stuff!)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And, <a href="http://paleospirit.com/2013/paleo-dinner-rolls/" target="_blank">the BEST paleo dinner rolls</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Veggies:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.culinaryginger.com/p/roasted-brussel-sprouts.html" target="_blank">Brussel Sprouts</a> (sub broccoli for brussel sprouts and just as delicious)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sauted Kale with garlic and onion</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Baked Sweet potato</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Dessert:</span><br />
<a href="http://vegweb.com/recipes/who-knew-it-was-vegan-pumpkin-cookies" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Vegan Pumpkin Cookies</span></a><br />
<a href="http://paleomg.com/apple-cinnamon-muffins-nut-free/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Apple Muffins</span></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">AND...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The best zucchini brownies!!!</span><br />
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<ul style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 14px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 8px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 8px;">
<li style="background-image: url(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEilA89k21geRtYkbkeUinnLsQw8doLuJM2JYfm__uIR-K4NrQIMm_UGfAIdCqojO7hioEKAFX1BM9ZbP5febpDDg92_cdHXFOq2dFOJrJT1BtGEV5whPvePBxHKnGSLLPEK4nRK6TpaxIcz6bnPcpfYYfj92B7-fUCoNS2RbeqYx88LifsiIuCX-TRF3R8b_D_W=s0-d-e1-ft); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup almond butter (I used 3/4 sunbutter and 1/4cup almond, since that's what I had)</span></li>
<li style="background-image: url(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEilA89k21geRtYkbkeUinnLsQw8doLuJM2JYfm__uIR-K4NrQIMm_UGfAIdCqojO7hioEKAFX1BM9ZbP5febpDDg92_cdHXFOq2dFOJrJT1BtGEV5whPvePBxHKnGSLLPEK4nRK6TpaxIcz6bnPcpfYYfj92B7-fUCoNS2RbeqYx88LifsiIuCX-TRF3R8b_D_W=s0-d-e1-ft); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 1/2 cup grated zucchini</span></li>
<li style="background-image: url(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEilA89k21geRtYkbkeUinnLsQw8doLuJM2JYfm__uIR-K4NrQIMm_UGfAIdCqojO7hioEKAFX1BM9ZbP5febpDDg92_cdHXFOq2dFOJrJT1BtGEV5whPvePBxHKnGSLLPEK4nRK6TpaxIcz6bnPcpfYYfj92B7-fUCoNS2RbeqYx88LifsiIuCX-TRF3R8b_D_W=s0-d-e1-ft); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/3 cup raw honey (I used maple syrup)</span></li>
<li style="background-image: url(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEilA89k21geRtYkbkeUinnLsQw8doLuJM2JYfm__uIR-K4NrQIMm_UGfAIdCqojO7hioEKAFX1BM9ZbP5febpDDg92_cdHXFOq2dFOJrJT1BtGEV5whPvePBxHKnGSLLPEK4nRK6TpaxIcz6bnPcpfYYfj92B7-fUCoNS2RbeqYx88LifsiIuCX-TRF3R8b_D_W=s0-d-e1-ft); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 egg</span></li>
<li style="background-image: url(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEilA89k21geRtYkbkeUinnLsQw8doLuJM2JYfm__uIR-K4NrQIMm_UGfAIdCqojO7hioEKAFX1BM9ZbP5febpDDg92_cdHXFOq2dFOJrJT1BtGEV5whPvePBxHKnGSLLPEK4nRK6TpaxIcz6bnPcpfYYfj92B7-fUCoNS2RbeqYx88LifsiIuCX-TRF3R8b_D_W=s0-d-e1-ft); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 tsp vanilla</span></li>
<li style="background-image: url(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEilA89k21geRtYkbkeUinnLsQw8doLuJM2JYfm__uIR-K4NrQIMm_UGfAIdCqojO7hioEKAFX1BM9ZbP5febpDDg92_cdHXFOq2dFOJrJT1BtGEV5whPvePBxHKnGSLLPEK4nRK6TpaxIcz6bnPcpfYYfj92B7-fUCoNS2RbeqYx88LifsiIuCX-TRF3R8b_D_W=s0-d-e1-ft); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 tsp baking soda</span></li>
<li style="background-image: url(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEilA89k21geRtYkbkeUinnLsQw8doLuJM2JYfm__uIR-K4NrQIMm_UGfAIdCqojO7hioEKAFX1BM9ZbP5febpDDg92_cdHXFOq2dFOJrJT1BtGEV5whPvePBxHKnGSLLPEK4nRK6TpaxIcz6bnPcpfYYfj92B7-fUCoNS2RbeqYx88LifsiIuCX-TRF3R8b_D_W=s0-d-e1-ft); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">i tsp cinnamon</span></li>
<li style="background-image: url(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEilA89k21geRtYkbkeUinnLsQw8doLuJM2JYfm__uIR-K4NrQIMm_UGfAIdCqojO7hioEKAFX1BM9ZbP5febpDDg92_cdHXFOq2dFOJrJT1BtGEV5whPvePBxHKnGSLLPEK4nRK6TpaxIcz6bnPcpfYYfj92B7-fUCoNS2RbeqYx88LifsiIuCX-TRF3R8b_D_W=s0-d-e1-ft); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 tsp nutmeg</span></li>
<li style="background-image: url(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEilA89k21geRtYkbkeUinnLsQw8doLuJM2JYfm__uIR-K4NrQIMm_UGfAIdCqojO7hioEKAFX1BM9ZbP5febpDDg92_cdHXFOq2dFOJrJT1BtGEV5whPvePBxHKnGSLLPEK4nRK6TpaxIcz6bnPcpfYYfj92B7-fUCoNS2RbeqYx88LifsiIuCX-TRF3R8b_D_W=s0-d-e1-ft); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 tsp allspice</span></li>
<li style="background-image: url(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEilA89k21geRtYkbkeUinnLsQw8doLuJM2JYfm__uIR-K4NrQIMm_UGfAIdCqojO7hioEKAFX1BM9ZbP5febpDDg92_cdHXFOq2dFOJrJT1BtGEV5whPvePBxHKnGSLLPEK4nRK6TpaxIcz6bnPcpfYYfj92B7-fUCoNS2RbeqYx88LifsiIuCX-TRF3R8b_D_W=s0-d-e1-ft); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup dark chocolate chunks</span></li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Cooking Steps</span></h2>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. Preheat oven to 350.<br />2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.<br />3. Pour into a greased 9×9 baking pan.<br />4. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.</span></div>
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Hotchkisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08400106723073520219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724023403878208488.post-3525893583666066512014-09-17T06:05:00.002-07:002014-09-17T06:05:46.122-07:00For the Love of FOOD--Trigger Happy Part 3Over the weekend, I watched a documentary called "Spinning Plates," which I thought I would use as inspiration to talk about healthy relationships with food. But the film ended up being so much more. It highlighted how much love is packed into food, how our relationships are built and solidified around great meals, and how enjoying food with loved ones is one of the great pleasures in life. The film followed three different restaurant owners/chefs and their families. One a high-end, modernistic cuisine restaurant in Chicago, another a family owned and operated restaurant in a small town in the heart of America, and finally a Mexican restaurant in Arizona operated by a husband and wife, both immigrants into the US trying to make a living for their family. <br />
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Hearing their customers talk about the food, and the amazing people behind the food, was touching enough. It was a firm reminder that as much as we, Americans, obsess over foods and diets and weight and exercise and fats and carbs and 100-calorie packs of shit, that we are missing one of the greatest joys in life. Enjoying the pleasures of taste, one of our gifts, with love and passion. Tasting the delicious sweetness of a banana, without anything else. Tasting just one bite of rich, creamy chocolate. Or discovering all the complexities of olive oil. I often hear people referring to the French, saying that the French do it right. They enjoy rich foods, but don't over do it. I don't want to over generalize, but the concept is right. If we shift our perspective to see food as nourishing, delicious, healthy, and a blessing, I doubt we will scarf it down as quick as possible, load it with condiments, and pack it in with a large bottle of Coke. <br />
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The patrons in the family-run restaurant in Iowa would come in regularly, use it as a way to talk to their neighbors, enjoy their meals of chicken, potatoes, and corn, and get on with their simple living. While the diners in the upscale Chicago restaurant were taken on a "culinary journey" where the menus fixed, and they trusted the expertise of the chef to create the perfect meal. The chef viewed each plate as a piece of art. In both instances it's about the experience. Experiencing the food, enjoying it, without seeing it as a plate to conquer, to devour, to destroy. <br />
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Now obviously, we can't always eat out or make every meal feel like a heavenly experience. But I would urge you again to shift your perspective towards food, and more specifically, anything you put into your body. I have recently been trying not to eat on the go, or eat while I am doing something else. Too often I am eating my lunch while typing away at the computer, or devouring a banana while driving. I can't tell you how many times I have chugged my latte and forgotten to enjoy it. Not to mention, we do not have a kitchen table, we use the coffee table in front of the TV. It's terrible! It results in mindless eating, overeating, under-eating, poor eating, etc. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYxjAEfZBhc91cl-L9ReTrcTHMND6QzqF19kci9hRHsiWJrKZ_7Q_6NWp9iprODZv1wKpQ1NV_5sdAih3ZCYcUlaJ5LgU-Us9rL-7gCkxVZkcAo5XTLDY8JHI4fh-hxIEvgNwxmYeZL4/s1600/IMG_0378.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYxjAEfZBhc91cl-L9ReTrcTHMND6QzqF19kci9hRHsiWJrKZ_7Q_6NWp9iprODZv1wKpQ1NV_5sdAih3ZCYcUlaJ5LgU-Us9rL-7gCkxVZkcAo5XTLDY8JHI4fh-hxIEvgNwxmYeZL4/s1600/IMG_0378.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weezy trying to eat my leftover pancakes!</td></tr>
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If you've decided to start the food-happy journal, consider adding who you eat with, what you saw or experienced during your meal, where you ate, etc. I know that each morning when I teach early, I spend the hour and a half between classes at a local cafe. They know me when I come in, and I love grab a seat in the back. I smell the delicious bacon (that I don't order,) I want as yummy stacks of pancakes are delivered to eager faces. I see people meeting their friends, co-workers, or are simply starting their day alone, like me. Its a beautiful thing, once I started noticing. One day the man next to me, burly with grease under their nails, were talking about a construction project they were doing in a house. They were drawing diagrams, discussing the pros and cons of two different plans, and all the while over bacon and eggs with a steamy cup of black coffee. I thought they were fascinating (and I thought that I was being a bit creepy listening!)<br />
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But there is an opportunity each time we go to eat to be mindful about it. Some people say Grace before they eat, and I often wonder whether the words still mean something. But they have the right idea. Taking the time to put away the laptop, put down the cell phone, turn off the TV, and tune in to your meal, what food/drink your putting into your body. Then take the time to notice how it makes your belly feel. One bite at a time, triggering our food-happy state!<br />
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<br />Hotchkisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08400106723073520219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724023403878208488.post-2067500497668890952014-09-16T06:09:00.000-07:002014-09-16T06:09:09.302-07:00Trigger Happy Part 2#137.8<br />
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That was the number on the scale this morning. As I have mentioned before, I don't believe in measuring your worth, happiness, or beauty based on the number on the scale. In the past, I have fallen victim to this, daily checking my number, stark naked, to make sure it didn't go up. And guess what? It did! Somedays I would wake up with it 5lbs heavier that the day before. Then it would go back down, then up again, and then when it was getting closer to that time that makes you hate being a women, it would go up a whopping 10lbs. <br />
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I stepped on the scale this morning because a fellow yogini admitted that she still struggles with obsessing over the number on the scale. This pretty little lady has been a regularly practicing yogini for years. At first, she stuck to the Hatha yoga classes, which mean less movement between poses, longer holds, and overall less "athletic" of a practice. Not any less hard, just different. In the time period she has started practicing Vinyasa, or flow-style yoga, which can be really intimidating for a lot of us. She has gotten stronger, both physically and mentally, and has even decided to start her own teacher training program. She has a lot to be proud of!<br />
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But this conditioning to base our daily confidence on the scale is just setting you up for failure. Unless you are significantly overweight and have weight-loss goals of 50+ lbs, I don't recommend weighing yourself often. Even those with significant weight to lose, I wouldn't weigh yourself more than once a week, as there are so many variables during the week that effect your weight. <br />
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In general, the daily weighing of yourself can go one of a few ways. First, your weight stays exactly the same and you've already decided you hate that weight. How do you win? You've already decided that weight is not desirable. Second, the weight (like mine) fluctuates daily, weekly +/-5lbs. Now you've made yourself crazy trying to figure out what exactly is going on. Third, the weight starts to slowly go down and you become obsessed with it. You develop unhealthy relationships with food and exercise in order to keep that number going down. Overtime, you may waste away into a person you don't recognize. Or, it can go up slowly and you think, 'well this is it, I might as well give up.' You stop caring and start to detach yourself from your body. <br />
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The last two are obviously extremes. (And I should note, I am no dietitian, nutritionalist, doctor, or therapist. But between my close friends and me, I have seen all of these instances occur.) When I woke up this morning I thought to myself, 'I don't have to go on the scale to write this piece.' I tried to come up with excuses as to why it was silly, but then I realized that I was succumbing to the very thought-process I wish to eradicate. So, I ate my full cleanse-approved breakfast. Two slices of gluten-free bread with almond butter, herbal chai tea, and my cleanse shake. I read a little article on aging yogis. Then I walked myself downstairs to dust off that old scale of mine. I kept all my PJs, took a deep breath, already deciding that whatever number came up, I wouldn't care about it.<br />
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And you know what? I didn't! It was weird, the last time I stepped on this scale I was getting ready for my wedding and each reading had such an emotional response from me. But today, nothing. I have been 137.8lbs multiple times before. I have felt "fat" at 137lbs, and I have felt thin at 137lbs. Today I just feel normal. And that's the thing, it about what you feel. I felt great after having my yummy breakfast. The sun is out and the humidity is gone. I have a day filled with teaching yoga and writing. I went to sleep last night at 9am, so I feel rested. All of these things which make me feel like having a great day are NOT on the scale. 137.8 does not represent all that I feel today, all that I can do today, and does not weigh the smile I have on the inside. It doesn't mean much to me. <br />
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Could you imagine the emotional roller coaster that would be if you truly cared about those little ups and downs on the scale? I can tell you that no one else seems to notice them. What people DO notice is confidence. When you feel good when you wake up, you can't help but look beautiful. Smiling during interactions, laughing at the small stuff, enjoying the Fall breeze. Taking a sip of a delicious Chai Tae Latte…THAT radiates beauty and happiness.<br />
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To bring this back to those who are unhappy and uncomfortable in their bodies and want to start feel better, it does start with listening, not assessing. I've said this before but I really mean it. Start a little daily journal and use it as a "check-in." Write how you feel upon waking, write how the different foods you eat throughout the day effect your belly. If you have a Greek yogurt for breakfast and it was delicious, but 2 hours later your stomach is gurgling and acidy, note that. Begin to find your own path to being food-happy, and belly-happy, and all around happy, by listening to exactly what works well with you. When you eat the foods that love you, and you eat the amount that hugs you, your body will begin to feel like your own again. That connection, between mind and body, will never be measured on a scale.<br />
<br />Hotchkisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08400106723073520219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724023403878208488.post-46175775291817148162014-09-13T11:07:00.001-07:002014-09-13T11:07:40.339-07:00Trigger Happy: Part 1bAfter my last post about my food-happy concept, I received a lot of feedback from friends, clients, and family. I am so glad that people have connected to, been inspired by, or found comfort in the post. But I believe it was a start of a larger conversation, and today I was reminded of just that. For that reason I am launching a little mini series of posts I'm calling "The Trigger Happy" series. I'll consider last post as Part 1.<br />
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For the past couple of months, I have been disappointed with my yoga journal subscription. Over the years, it has gone from a magazine filled with thought provoking articles on love, life, meditation, nourishment, and yoga asanas (poses) for all humans to a typical girly magazine littered with material advertising, yoga "quick fixes," tag lines like "yoga to tighten up that core!" and "clothes to highlight your yoga curves." It was sad to see the change, as it seemed this would be the one magazine that could change the cultural conversation. I decided not to renew my subscription, and today my final issue came in the mail.<br />
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As some of you know, my yoga girl-crush is Kathryn Budig, a fun-loving, beer-drinking, talented yogini, with curves to boot. She happened to be the <a href="http://www.yogajournal.com/article/people/qa-kathryn-budig/" target="_blank">cover model</a> this month, which makes my heart dance a little bit. She has been a "celebrity" yogini for many years, training big names like Giada, creating a DVD for <a href="http://kathrynbudig.com/shop.php" target="_blank">Gaiam</a>, and being the naked girl in the <a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BALOVJcCQAAc5DT.jpg" target="_blank">ToeSox</a> ads. When she did those ads, she was 25 years old and in amazing shape. Over the years she has found love, aged 7 years, and put on some weight. Yoga Journal asked her what she thought about looking at her 25-year old self, and this was her response,<br />
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<i>I don’t believe in changing anything, but it has been a challenge to watch my 25-year-old body turn into a 32-year-old body. It is not depressing; it is the evolution of a woman. This body, whether it is 10 pounds skinnier or 10 pounds heavier, can still do those postures because it is strong. I stay focused on what I feel, on the results. I have a lot of love in my life, and I didn’t have that when I was 25. If I get hung up on what my body looks like, I am losing track of my goal, of my aim.</i></blockquote>
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The whole article was great, and I encourage you all to read it. For me, it furthered the conversation about <b>finding our happy</b>, and specifically, making our relationship with our body a happy one. As I said before, being in the fitness industry is tough, because there is a lot of emphasis on how you look, with the occasional "how do you feel?" thrown in as an afterthought. I've known people who do not have an ounce of fat on their bodies be completely miserable and I know people who've put on weight and glow with happiness. </div>
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I think the most important step is changing our perspective. In the article, Kathryn alludes to the challenging yoga world, where the ideal aesthetic is long and lean. As a curvy girl, she has been called "brave" for showing her curves. Her response is simple,<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> being curvy and rocking it is <b>not</b> brave, going to war is. We aren't made to look the same, so it's not brave for those of us who have them to show our curves, its just how it should be. Same thing if you have a naturally thin body, <b><i>do you girl</i></b>. It's not brave to love how we are, it's just challenging. Even then, it's a problem we created ourselves. We make it complicated when we are perfectly healthy and relatively happy, but we look at the cellulite on the back of our thighs and say, "I would be so much happier if that was gone."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I have a long history of bad-mouthing my assets, but over the years I have made a conscious decision to stop. I have been open in my classes, talking about my "CrossFit thighs" and my "yoga booty." I have extra meat on me in different areas, but those are all signs of what I do, where I've been, and who I am. Don't fight the natural you. (Of course there are times when I am uncomfortable, like when I eat/drink too much of something or of the wrong thing. But we must recognize the temporary discomforts and separate them from living in constant dissatisfaction.) When you speak positively about yourself, it doesn't mean you are 100 percent OK with your body, but you are living with it and loving what you have today. </span><a href="http://www.yogajournal.com/article/people/qa-kathryn-budig/" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">Then you empower and give permission to other people to do the same</a><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">But, then there are real life issues we encounter and must face. So, if you are truly unhappy, or if you are truly uncomfortable in your skin, its time to touch base on exactly why. I had a student come up to me to inquire about the <a href="http://www.freeandabel.com/#!21-day-cleanse/c7ec" target="_blank">cleanse</a>. She feels uncomfortable in her skin, knowing that something isn't right. I've known her long even to know that she has suffered in the past couple of months (possibly the last year) through physical injuries, emotional traumas, big life changes, and more. These kinds of stresses have taken a toll on her body and she doesn't feel like herself. Her body isn't representing who she feels she is. She, like many of us, lost connection to herself, her physical self. I've been there and when you're there, you know the difference between being superficially unhappy with the way you look and knowing deep down that something else is going on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This is an example of when you can look at where you are and make changes <b>to get back to you</b>. It's not about losing weight here, its about attacking the stressors that have put on the weight. Because the physical weight isn't the issue, its the emotional weight that lives inside. <i>Shew</i>! That can feel heavy, right?! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">If you are feeling this way, and are not sure you are ready to take on any major changes yet, I challenge you to simply start "checking in." Start a daily journal and give yourself 5-10 minutes each day to express anything you want. Write down how you feel, what's up with you, or even a quote that spoke to you. Once you start that conversation with yourself, you're on the path to trigger your happy.</span></div>
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Hotchkisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08400106723073520219noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724023403878208488.post-67936932118365075472014-09-10T05:31:00.000-07:002014-09-10T12:32:05.611-07:00The Food-Happy Concept<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Diet</i></b>.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Wow. Something about that word just screams misery. It embodies all the feelings of deprivation, starvation, "no you can't" and "but I must." Even the thought of a diet makes my head hurt and my belly churn. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But being in the fitness and wellness biz, I hear it all the time, and sometimes even from my own mouth (<i>gasp</i>!) Recently, I have had a lot of people ask me about diets so I figured I would lay it all out there.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have been victim to this epidemic multiple times. Trying to find something, anything, that makes me feel better. Over the years I have tried many things. I was vegetarian for 8 years, a vegan for a year, a "whatever-imma-eat-that" for some time, and then back to vegetarian, then wedding-dress-panic, lemonade cleanse, then strict paleo, etc. The thing about all these diets, is that I can comfortably say that I have tried A LOT of things, and have discovered what exactly works for me and why.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My whole life I have been active, athletic, and a lover of food.<b> </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-69e8047f-5c04-ea1e-8a5c-d05d445d12cf"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I remember being 10 years old and being proud that I could eat a whole pizza by myself. That was a bragging point. I exercised because it was fun—life was a game and I freakin' owned it. Bagels were awesome, cheese was amazing, and I’ll have a sprite with my cupcake </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>please</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then at some point body issues creep in, and I became aware of what "fat" was, became aware of what foods "made me fat" and acutely aware that the opposite sex does not find </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">fat</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> attractive. I workout because I must, I dieted because that’s the way to win at life, and I drove myself crazy because, goddamnit, I want to be sexy. Cue the diets!!!</span></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I can tell you what eventually worked for me, and how you can do it too.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Step 1. <b>Get rid of your scale.</b> Unless you are trying to lose over 50lbs, the scale will just literally make you crazy. Here I am at 125lbs (the lightest I had been since middle school):</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">AND here I am at 148lbs (on the heavier side that I've ever been):</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Whoa, what a heifer, right?</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">So, throw out the stupid scale. I fit into the same clothes I did at my wedding weight as I do now. (Unless of course I do a lot of arm/leg stuff one day and I feel all "swole.") If you follow all the other steps, the numbers won't mean anything to you anyway.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">2. <b>Stop counting calories</b>. Eating is fun and eating is delicious, and math is not. If you turn your eating into a chore, a punishment, you won't EVER feel satisfied at the end of the meal. Instead, think of your food as a necessary and crucial part of your day. Feed yourself when you're hungry, not when you're bored and stop when you're full. Easier said then done, right? Follow step 5.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>3. Do something active each day, but don't always put a measure to it.</b> High intensity training is all the rage, and I wholeheartedly agree that it works, because it does. But there is a limit. Your body needs both low intensity and high intensity to function. Think about high intensity workouts as high stress moments. Imagine if your life consisted of riding roller coasters every single day. Eventually that adrenalin rush or euphoria will lessen its effect. Same thing if you went to a massage every single day. The effectiveness of both decrease over time. But, alternating between high intensity, low intensity, moderate intensity, etc will keep your mind and body on it's toes. Set a goal to workout hard 3-4x a week, while the rest of the week is committed to yoga, walking, light jogging, and/or biking. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>4. Start a food/exercise log</b>. This was extremely helpful for me. Not because I wrote down amounts, calories, or nutritional facts, but because I started to see patterns. I noticed that if I skipped breakfast, I usually had a much bigger lunch, had no motivation to workout, and slept poorly. If I ate a really salty snack (chips are my favorite) I craved sweets at night. Just by writing down what I ate and being accountable for my habits, I saw how the choices I made throughout the day effected me for days after.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">5. <b> Eat food that makes you feel good. </b> This is the hardest thing for most of us, myself included, to get right. But if you get this right, everything else becomes easier. <b>This is how I finally stopped dieting and just started eating right. </b> The bottom line is you need to find food that makes your mind and body <b><i>happy</i></b>. That means food that tastes good going in, feels comfortable moving around inside and is smooth coming out. That doesn't mean eating baked macaroni and cheese because you looooove cheese and pasta, but suffering through bloating and farting for hours. I am not talking about devouring ice cream after a long hot day and suffering through a sugar headache all night and next morning. These are examples of mental comfort food. The foods that we see as "treats" but are not really treats at all. They make us feel sluggish, bloated, gassy, achey, unsexy, and are keeping us fat. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I started this journey of food-happy discovery when I was vegetarian. I realized beef doesn't mesh well with me. We aren't friends, so I avoid him. Then when I began vegan, I realized all those Greek yogurts I was eating made me feel gassy and cheese made me constipated. They were taken off the favorite list. Then I tried paleo, and I realized I don't digest quinoa well and bread makes me feel bleh. But, I still couldn't quite figure out the food-happy concept, and I kept going back and forth between foods I like and foods my body actually likes. Saying to myself, "well I LOVE beer, so I'm going to drink it anyway!" I kept fighting it because I was trying to commit to set "diets" rather than listen to what exactly I needed.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Then in June, I committed to a 3 weeks "<a href="http://www.freeandabel.com/#!21-day-cleanse/c7ec" target="_blank">cleanse</a>" which focused on specifically finding the foods that did not agree with me. <i> Liz, founder of <a href="http://www.freeandabel.com/" target="_blank">free + abel</a>, and the host of the cleanse, and I have talked about our love/hate relationship with the word <b>cleanse</b>. Despite it being exactly what it is, "cleanse" has been used recently to describe a "quick fix" for weightloss, which is NOT what this particular cleanse is. The 21-Day Cleanse Liz runs is about much more.</i> It was the final push I needed and provided me with all the proof I needed to change my eating habits for good. Within a week I felt more energy, within 10 days I found my abs, and by the last day, I didn't crave any of the foods I missed. I have kept many of the habits I learned from that cleanse and I am a way happier eater. I think the key was finding the "Rachael diet' or the foods that make my belly happy. There is no book for the Rachael diet, because it's made just for me.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">That's how it should be!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Do yourself a favor this Fall and commit to making your mind and body happy. Know that there are days when you fall into old habits, but they will get fewer and fewer. If you are interested in the cleanse, reach out to Liz directly at liz@freeandabel.com. <b>Get in tune with yourself and all the rest becomes easy. Cheers!</b></span></span></div>
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<br />Hotchkisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08400106723073520219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724023403878208488.post-21825909446544445382014-09-04T06:30:00.000-07:002014-09-04T06:30:00.560-07:00No Time Like The PresentMy post yesterday was actually written over a week ago. I was struggling with getting back into the groove of routine, specifically my workout routine, after weeks of excitement--personally and professionally.<br />
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What I didn't know was that that very night, after I wrote that post, my perspective would be drastically shifted.<br />
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Last Monday, my husband lost his uncle. He was relatively young, had a lot of life left in him, and didn't give his family and friends much time to prepare for his passing. This is the second death in my husband's family this year, and this one hit him hard. My husband is the hardest working person I know, and yet he is still amazingly giving to anyone who needs him. He never complains at work, he rarely expresses impatience, frustration, or even annoyance with me (and I can be annoying.) He just gives and gives and gives. I could never do what he does, work Monday through Friday, then sit in school on the weekend. Without envy or complaint, he gives up nearly all of his little spare time to others. To top things off he had a medical scare that really shook him. My heart just broke for him. <br />
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Phone calls with your mother can always make things better (or at least mine can.) After listening to me cry and scream, and say things like "why can't we catch a break?! Everyone else has it so easy" she reminded me of something so important, I better never forget it again. <b>It doesn't get easier.</b> We just get better at dealing with it--whatever IT is. Kids, house, job, money, health--there will always be something that tests your patience, your sanity. There is no, "<i>well, once this is over things will be better.</i>" Or, life would be so much easier if I only had _______.<br />
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When a person leaves you relatively suddenly, you begin to think about all the ways you live your life, and if how you spend your time, your energy, is the way you really want to spend it. For me, it made me really appreciate the people in my life that I love, and how precious each interaction is. I worked extra hard not to stress the small stuff. And by small stuff, I mean the things that I will not think about on my deathbed, like the extra $300 I shouldn't have to spend to fix my car mirror that I didn't break. Or the $100 to take the cat to the vet, which didn't solve the cat's problem. Or the day(s) I didn't have time for a workout. Or even the bellyache I had after having delicious cupcakes. None of these annoying inconveniences will matter in the end, so I really tried not to spend my time being frustrated about them. <br />
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What I can control is how I treat myself and how I treat others. I can decide to make choices that enhance my well-being, rather than deter me away from my personal goals in life. As a couple, we decided to take care of ourselves. My husband has decided that he will take time, everyday, to do something that he loves. Something that will make him happy. He can't control the hours spent at work, and he knows he chose to follow his dreams by going to school on the weekend. But he can choose not to be miserable when he has the time. For that, I truly admire him.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 16px;">“Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, when one only remembers to turn on the light.” Dumbledore</span><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span></span></b><br />
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<br />Hotchkisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08400106723073520219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724023403878208488.post-17640837151040237552014-09-03T14:00:00.000-07:002014-09-03T17:14:26.304-07:00Getting It TogetherSo, a lot has happened the past 4 weeks, and most of it has been wonderful. But last week, I needed to kick myself into gear and get my own butt moving. I needed something or someone to tell me to "get it together, girl!" No one likes to feel like they wasted something (time, energy, money, chances), but sometimes, it happens.<br />
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One of my favorite people in the world, Jennifer Lawrence, had a moment when she had a little voice tell her to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQCebziK1TI" target="_blank">get it together.</a> She had been nominated for an Academy Award, for the second time, and WON and was at a fancy-shmancy after-party. She had already won the award, got to canoodle with the always-sexy Brad Pitt, and was wearing a gorgeous dress. But, at some point in the night, she ended up having a moment. Check out the video, she's way funnier than me. <br />
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What's the point of this?<br />
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Well, in the past month, I kicked off my Instagram Yoga challenge, attended my best friend's bachelorette party, launched my yoga program's website, attended my father-in-law's bachelor party, rehearsal dinner, and was a groomsmaid in my father(s)-in-laws' wedding, closed our old box location, and actively helped prepare and open our NEW box location. Not to mention, my amazing husband completed his summer school with a 4.0 AND helped me with all of my career moves. We worked until midnight on a Friday, just to make sure our spot was ready for Saturday's class. It was exciting and overall, I would say it's been good 3 weeks for the Hotchkiss-Heim crew. Not to brag, but I'm pretty proud.<br />
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But after all that, I woke up on Saturday having completely overslept and thus missing our first class in the new box. Embarrassed, but still exhausted, I ultimately stayed in my pajamas all day. I did not make any effort to exercise. I had a latte and toast for breakfast, toast for lunch, and pancakes, eggs, and ice cream for dinner. On Sunday, I was better, I taught yoga in the AM, got done all my errands, did some cooking for the week, and got a lot of work done for Body Reconstructed. But again, zero motivation to do anything physical and no interest in going outside. Kinda sad.<br />
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Just like Jennifer Lawrence, who celebrated too hard, I woke up last Monday morning (bright-n-early at 4am) and realized I needed to get myself together. After weeks of eating and drinking in honor of celebrations, after long days of slow and steady manual labor, after many nights sleepless in anticipation, my body felt like a pile of....crap. So, I <b>got it together</b>. <br />
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There is no easy way to get back into the groove of working out, you just DO. IT. I knew I needed something that would get my heart rate going, but didn't involve too much strength, as I know after 3 weeks, I would be much weaker. So this is what I did:<br />
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Active Warm-Up, Followed by the following WOD:<br />
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500m row<br />
50 Wall balls (#14 to 10' target)<br />
400m row<br />
40 Wall balls<br />
300m row<br />
30 Wall balls<br />
200m row<br />
20 Wall balls<br />
100m row<br />
10 Wall balls<br />
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If I'm being honest, I'm not happy with the time I got, but <b>I am happy I did it at all.</b> Motivating yourself is not always easy and after the first round, my legs felt shaky, I was very short of breath, and I thought about quitting. But that day was step one, the step I must take to continue on and get back what I lost. You must wade through the suck. You must.<br />
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<br />Hotchkisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08400106723073520219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724023403878208488.post-35686313483843635952014-07-30T07:47:00.000-07:002014-07-30T07:49:49.964-07:00Why I hate Yoga, but not as much as I hate CrossFitYoga is many things to many people. And I am not one to tell you want it should be. I am not going to tell you it's simple stretching, but I'm not going to tell you it's a spiritual experience. Yoga to me, may not be yoga to you, and that's okay. In fact, it's hard for me to define what yoga is for myself when I get onto my mat it feels like it is for something new every day. What I need from yoga today, may not be what I want or need tomorrow.When I teach, I recognize that my students are all different, and do not have the same reasons for coming to me. <br />
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More than our own individual experiences with yoga, which inherently makes it different, the yoga community (Western world specifically) has created so many types of yoga. You have power yoga, acro yoga, aerial yoga, hot yoga, kundalini yoga, ashtunga yoga, yin yoga, Christian yoga (what?!) etc. Not to mention this overwhelming obsession with handstands that is taking over social media, creating what I'm now referring to <a href="http://hotchkissheim.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-case-of-yoga-selfie.html" target="_blank">Instagram yoga</a>. There are so many options, so many variations, so many claim-to-fame yoga styles. It's almost dizzying! How do you know how and where to begin? Why even begin at all?<br />
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I come across plenty of people who hear the word yoga and immediately cringe. There have been many times when people tell me directly how much they <b><i>hate</i></b> yoga (knowing that I am a teacher, and therefore, at the very least, <i>like</i> yoga.) When we get to talking, I find out that either a.) they never tried a yoga class and therefore have no real idea if they like it, b.) took one class and got frustrated at how tight and inflexible they were, or c.) are a go-get-after-it type and think yoga is not a "hard enough workout" for their lifestyle. All three of these reasons to hate yoga come with their own baggage, but I think the overwhelming drive is fear.<br />
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Fear that it may make them uncomfortable, fear that it'll be hard, fear that yoga may be humbling and they aren't ready for it.<br />
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Ironically, CrossFit has recently suffered a similar fate. Like wild fire, CrossFit boxes are popping up everywhere. Each one claims to be the best, to have something others do not. Mention CrossFit in a group of people and you're bound to have at least one person scrunch their nose at you in disgust. (<i>Ugh, don't get me started on CrossFit,</i> I had someone say to me at a wedding <i>knowing I am a partner of a <a href="http://www.cfreconstructed.com/" target="_blank">CrossFit box.</a>) </i> But, not unlike yoga, the reasons for hating CrossFit come with a lot of baggage, most rooted in fear or ignorance. They hate CrossFit, but they've never taken a class. Or it's way too intense, they could never. Or CrossFit is too competitive. They hate CrossFit because "it's cult"or "it's stupid." Perhaps they have that one friend who started CrossFitting, found a new sense of confidence, a new appreciation for their health, and is telling the world about it. And <i>god</i>, isn't that annoying? <br />
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Like yoga, CrossFit is not the same everywhere with everyone. Each box has it's own flavor, it's own style. I remember taking my first yoga class in a studio, while attending college. The teacher was so strange and I hated it. But, if I never tried yoga again, I wouldn't be here now. Knowing that it was one teacher, one class, allowed me to give it another shot. And the next class I took blew me away with awesomeness. My first experience with CrossFit was <a href="http://www.crossfit.com/mt-archive2/000881.html" target="_blank">Murph</a>, at the CrossFit Reebok One box. It was a small class of 4 people: my husband, my good friend (and Reebok employee), a random man, and me. I was uncomfortable, nervous, awkward, and tremendously sore the next 3 days. BUT, I gave it another shot and loved it. <br />
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As I mentioned in my last post, over the years I have found the style of yoga that speaks to me and what I need. Due to the amount of CrossFit I do now, coupled with years of athletics in my past, I generally approach my practice as a way to heal, rebalance, strengthen, and stretch (both mind and body.) There are days when the practice mostly gives me mental clarity, emotional calm, and serenity. Other days, my body hurts so much, that it's all I can do to continue to breathe during suddenly-painful poses. I started CrossFit because I wanted to find some fight in me, some strength. I wanted to challenge myself. Together, I find they are the perfect balance for me. <br />
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Now, I am not saying that everyone should love yoga and CrossFit as much as I do. I believe that everyone has different motivators in life, different goals and priorities. But at it's core, I believe yoga and CrossFit are for everyone and anyone. Yoga is essentially the act of harmonizing mind, body, and spirit through physical postures and breath. The word yoga is derived from a Sanskrit word meaning "to join." So, at any moment, when you are trying to make yourself feel more whole, that is yoga. CrossFit is functional fitness. It is our basic, primal ability to move through our environment as a human being, capable of all things we were naturally made to do. I think yoga and CrossFit are trying to achieve the same thing. Disconnect from our man-made systems and connect to ourselves. <br />
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Like I said, yoga is many things to many people. CrossFit is many things, to many people. Some people move as a way to deal with stress. Others move because their health depends on it. Some move to connect to other people, find friends, be part of something. There are those that move because they want to challenge themselves. <br />
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Then there are the ones who move simply because they love it. <br />
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I wish we could strip down the labels and call it what it is: mindful movement. Because if we did that, I know more people would try it. All I can hope is that you find your yoga, your fitness, and you rock it.<br />
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<br />Hotchkisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08400106723073520219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724023403878208488.post-33567452895298158632014-07-25T05:18:00.000-07:002014-07-25T05:18:55.022-07:00#30DaystoFlow Challenge Rules<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Hotchkisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08400106723073520219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724023403878208488.post-75481811541106168602014-07-24T10:26:00.000-07:002014-07-24T10:27:47.019-07:00The Case of the Yoga SelfieSo, I am launching my first <a href="http://us8.campaign-archive1.com/?u=809850936c91f1257ec21a5d3&id=b1ed1eaa28&e=371cd9bfc4" target="_blank">Instagram Challenge</a>, starting on the first day of August and I am a mix of excited, nervous, and apprehensive. There are many reasons I decided to do this, which I will get into soon, but before I do I have to address the selfie. First of all, I loathe the word selfie. I think it embodies all the stupid, narcissistic, spoiled, self-centered characteristics of a first world nation concerned only about ourselves. Namely, our image, thus the #selfie.<br />
Then while coaching CrossFit, the song that puts it all out there, the #<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdemFfbS5H0" target="_blank">selfie</a> song came on and a few of our members started groaning in agony. (I know, I know, it's a terrible song, but it also happens to be catchy, so I kept it on.) While it droned on in the background, we talked about how pathetic the song is, how I feel like my brain cells commit suicide while it plays, how the whole song is representative of a much bigger, more horrible trend in humanity, how we're all doomed. Oh, the horror. <br />
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But then, a member said, "Yea, but Rachael you're like the queen of selfies." <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCoeVb8ITybODXOETTr_kknhpmhsXHgI1TcoMBwE0gAMA4ooUPqbXpc684Gy8K2UYr4B6HLWx_DNN6jIXLrg08W0ND9JpO5Sc7y31YzdmfNM-vZPYlKMtbG4yeBGEg-DiGOp3lY0KQBuM/s1600/IMG_0522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCoeVb8ITybODXOETTr_kknhpmhsXHgI1TcoMBwE0gAMA4ooUPqbXpc684Gy8K2UYr4B6HLWx_DNN6jIXLrg08W0ND9JpO5Sc7y31YzdmfNM-vZPYlKMtbG4yeBGEg-DiGOp3lY0KQBuM/s1600/IMG_0522.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#selfie</td></tr>
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(Gasp!)<br />
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I was mortified. I never considered myself a repeat selfie offender. Primarily because I am hardly ever at clubs, I never remember to take pictures at parties (or maybe I forget to attend parties?) I don't take duck face pictures with my girlfriends, and I never take pictures in public bathrooms. But then it hit me, he was talking about my <b style="font-style: italic;">yoga selfi</b><i><b>es</b></i>. <br />
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Over the past couple of months as I made a shift in my life, my career, I started documenting my yoga practice. In truth, I had originally been inspired by some of the amazingly beautiful photos I found on instagram of some wonderfully <a href="http://instagram.com/laurasykora" target="_blank">bendy</a>, <a href="http://instagram.com/p/qNrUUUyHIi/?modal=true" target="_blank">flexy</a>, <a href="http://instagram.com/fitqueenirene" target="_blank">strong</a> yogis. (This trend sparked a<a href="http://www.abouttimemagazine.co.uk/think/about-time-the-yoga-selfie/" target="_blank"> great article</a> denouncing the yoga selfie, a must read. ) Either way, it was fantastic to see these yogis doing inspiring things with their body, but it wast truly representative of my own practice. My yoga practice has never been showy and still isn't. I've worked hard to be flexible, to try the more challenging poses, but I pretty much do the same yoga poses when someone is watching, as I do when I am all alone. This means lots of sun salutations, strong warrior series, lots of hip openers, some yin, some yang, etc. So, knowing that my photos were never going to look "as cool" as some of these talented folks, it didn't occur to me to put my yoga photos or videos on there to share.<br />
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What really started my #yoga #selfie journey was my cat, Weezy (aka #weezus) Every time I whipped out my yoga mat, Weezy would come into the room and stay by my side the entire practice. It was so adorable, I could barely stand it. I started to send pictures to my husband, then to my friends. Then I decided to just share it on Instagram, because everyone found them so entertaining. The fact that I was doing yoga in there seemed like an afterthought.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting all zen-like with my maine man. (get it, he's a maine coon.)</td></tr>
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As I shared in<a href="http://hotchkissheim.blogspot.com/2014/07/why-i-did-what-i-did.html" target="_blank"> my last post</a>, it's been an interesting journey lately, one that took me away from my mat for some time. Now that I am starting over, when I see the photos I took in the beginning with Weezy, I see how hesitant and vulnerable I really was. As the days, weeks, and months have passed, I am beginning to see some changes in the way I approach my practice and it shows in the photos. I'm trying new things, I'm having more fun with it, etc. However, more than just that, I am happy to hear from people who have been inspired by my photo story in some way. I love knowing that someone saw my photo and chuckled, smiled, maybe rolled out their mat, or went to a yoga class. While I am not perfect, I too am working towards being less critical and more accepting of each practice, each photo. Being content with getting on my mat each day and not being worried about how I look is a daily reminder, because that's the essence of yoga anyway. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVonhD1sm3cmScIo2NXsW5kncW8Xuok5M3yeNi4ZtJpo-eb-5OZN72V0JR3shtcXxkDG7eH8lCSh1Vevsr1VjIIAglkGYnanXLDe4RMPnlDdfx8XqLH7uJez11bdHnrItWhDKNjd1wdNY/s1600/IMG_0209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVonhD1sm3cmScIo2NXsW5kncW8Xuok5M3yeNi4ZtJpo-eb-5OZN72V0JR3shtcXxkDG7eH8lCSh1Vevsr1VjIIAglkGYnanXLDe4RMPnlDdfx8XqLH7uJez11bdHnrItWhDKNjd1wdNY/s1600/IMG_0209.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#fatcat #longhairdontcare</td></tr>
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Even though I had no direction when I started taking them, I now see my #yoga #selfies as a photo journal. I want it to be a testament to my dedication, my journey, and my commitment to living my life open, free, and full of love. Do I need to take pictures to prove this? No. But I love photos, and always have. And this is nothing new, not for me and not for human kind throughout time. The Egyptians made #selfie coffins to sleep in for all eternity. In the early centuries, people sat and posed for hours for a single #selfie. Then, when Kodak created film, people didn't take pictures of beautiful mountains and lakes, they took pictures of themselves. #RevolutionaryWarSelfie. When we invented the handheld video camera, we used it to document our own lives, our families, our memories. Call it a memorial, call it a portrait, call it a selfie. Whatever it is, we've always wanted to document and record our lives.<br />
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Just like in yoga, when it comes to selfies, the most important thing is our intention. If our intention is kind, both to ourselves and others, then I see no harm in the selfie. If it's used to inspire, to share, to connect, then go for it. If we find its about approval, about comparison, about showing off, then we know we're on the wrong track. When the Instagram yoga challenge launches, I want people to recognize their own intention. Perhaps you want to challenge yourself to try something new, maybe you want to hold yourself accountable to practice everyday. Maybe you want something fun to look forward to each day. Perhaps you want to share your lifestyle with friends and family. Perhaps it's just for you.<br />
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In the end, its about putting love out there and not worrying about what comes back. More smiles, the better. So, selfie on.<br />
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<br />Hotchkisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08400106723073520219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724023403878208488.post-16590376504944813002014-07-15T06:46:00.000-07:002014-07-15T07:45:21.971-07:00Why I Did What I Did<div style="text-align: left;">
While I don't believe I should have to explain my decisions to anyone, I have realized that we exist in a world now of over-sharing, so one's desire to keep matters private comes off as being prideful, spiteful, or worse--personal. As if the reason I choose to make life decisions for me is, in any way, for someone else. I keep a very small intimate group of best friends with whom I share my personal struggles and triumphs--but to all others, I prefer to keep things light and fun. I don't deliberately choose not to spill my beans to everyone, I have just simply always been this way.</div>
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With that said, it has been just over a year since I switched careers originally, and only a few months since the latest change. Every time, I have made changes that affect a lot of people. With this last move more people noticed, and it has caused some rippling. That start of the story is when I went from working in an office from 8am to 4pm, doing something I was not passionate about, to working full-time in fitness and wellness. While my official journey into health/wellness began in 2010, when I received my teaching certification and began teaching yoga, I believe I have been a health/fitness coach <a href="http://livingcourageously.blogspot.com/2011_09_01_archive.html" target="_blank">my whole life.</a> In the end, it took a deeply hurtful event to push me out of my comfortable office job. </div>
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For those of you who know, you know, for those who don't, I won't explain here. But know that I had to mourn something I had lost, and as we all know, the grieving process is long and complicated and different for everyone. The event start during our engagement and I melted into yoga to help me move through the sticky situation with ease. I was deeply hurt, but also deeply in love. I wanted to make sure I felt everything, savored every moment of our engagement and was truly present at our wedding. I wanted to get through it without breaking. And I did. </div>
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After the wedding, I didn't want to just be a survivor, I wanted a new beginning. I didn't want to think or feel anything I felt before. I wanted to be a fighter. I found CrossFit and a fighter I became. I fought through workouts, I fought through fear, I fought through emotion. Before long, my yoga practice was no longer a priority. Looking back at it now, I know this was all part of my mourning. CrossFit was the perfect next step. Something to get me on my feet and punch back. I had to be strong for the person I loved first, and I was. I became her strongest support, and gave up a lot of myself in our relationship to be there for her. I started to feel empowered again. CrossFit that gave me the courage to leave my office job and it was the people at CrossFit who offered me my next step.</div>
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When I started yoga, I worked hard to l<a href="http://livingcourageously.blogspot.com/2011/09/look-at-me-now.html" target="_blank">ose my competitive self</a>. I was constantly comparing, judging, and fighting myself. Yoga helped me <a href="http://livingcourageously.blogspot.com/2011_03_01_archive.html" target="_blank">let that go</a>. So, it comes to no surprise that CrossFit, in it's natural form, brought a lot of that back. I didn't mind at first, I felt really strong and super <a href="http://livingcourageously.blogspot.com/2013/02/competing-with-me.html" target="_blank">badass</a>. In fact, I believe I needed some of that fire back in my life, because the event left me feeling vulnerable and soft. But, because I had the tendency to be self-conscious, self-hating, it wasn't long before instead of feeling proud of my strength and the things I could do, I was beating myself up for not being <b><i>even better. </i></b></div>
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My body is <a href="http://livingcourageously.blogspot.com/2011_05_01_archive.html" target="_blank">no idiot though</a>, it kept injuring itself to force me to take a step back. I tried to listen, but I was seduced by the particular culture of the particular CrossFit gym I was a part of. It's no one's fault. Our gym was/is a very strong gym. The people are amazing and do amazing things with their bodies. As one of the better females, I felt pressure to always perform--or if I wasn't--justify why I was resting, or feel bad about doing lighter weight. I take full responsibility for going back before I should, for pushing too hard, as I know now that I should have known better. But my co-workers were friends, our members were inspiration, and ultimately my own ego was pushing me. </div>
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At the same time, my job at the gym became very demanding. It was less a 9-to-5, as it was a full-time 24/7 position. I had to live, breathe, sleep it. At first, this was a relief--our box brought me so much strength, the strength to get past something so difficult. But then I began to truly lose myself in it. I was competitive, harsh, and stubborn. My personal yoga practice was almost nonexistent, my time for my husband had to be second to my desire to work hard at my job. My own personal interests disappeared. Instead of being a fighter, I had became a machine. I know now that my blind drive to keep pushing was all part of my grieving and I know this step was necessary in me being where I am today. </div>
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I guess, as really great things are often born out of tragedy, another heartbreaking event had to take place for me to see I had to make yet another change. This time it was a deep hurt suffered by my husband. I saw that while he suffered and needed my support, I was truly detached. I could not find the emotion to help him or comfort him. Even at the funeral, I felt nothing, despite me having love and gratitude for the deceased. </div>
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So I had to take a hard look at where I was going, who I was, and I didn't like it. I wanted some of my vulnerability back, I needed to feel open, I needed to feel free. It's challenging in our society to say to yourself, 'I have to do something for me' without feeling like you have to justify it to others. And, we as a social society tend to take other's actions and personalized them. People are always going to ask you why, are you sure, what will you do, what did I do to you, etc. Even myself, I had to think, 'is leaving my job smart in this economy?' 'what on earth will I do?' But the risk of losing all that I loved by staying was too great.</div>
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Without a true plan, without a job, I left. Even my dear friend helped lie for me, saying I was leaving for something, because leaving for nothing didn't make sense. Free, I felt a surge of inspiration and I began reaching out to all those that were doing something awesome with their lives. Little time passed before I was involved in a lot of wonderful projects. I volunteered, I taught yoga, I read, I wrote, I practiced. I started to pave the way to my own destiny and I had NO IDEA where it would go. I even began the tough road back to my yoga mat. It was hard, my body and mind felt rigid. But I had to begin again. </div>
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Then, something amazing happened. A friend who had been scorned by the same gym I had just left reached out to me with an opportunity. Scared to jump into something too quickly, I decided to take some of his CrossFit classes to see if his community was right for me. My husband and I went together, and we both left feeling freshly inspired. This was a place where I felt I could design my own road, I had the freedom to go at the pace that I wanted, and all were welcome. He even wanted to start and develop a strong yoga program. We proposed a partnership, and bada-bing-bada-boom, I had something. </div>
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I believe I had to truly jump-off, <a href="http://livingcourageously.blogspot.com/2011_07_01_archive.html" target="_blank">with no safety net</a>, to land where I am today. I am finding the balance between feeling strong and in control, with being flexible and open. I did this for me, for my life, and even though I don't have to justify it to anyone, I can and I will. </div>
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Hotchkisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08400106723073520219noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724023403878208488.post-20193907357590991742013-05-06T12:43:00.002-07:002013-05-06T12:44:58.369-07:00Yoga Drill Sergeant<br />
This morning started like many other Monday mornings—grudgingly dragging my feet from the bedroom to the bathroom. Stepping over the cat that is always in my way, grabbing my gym bag, but not my coat, and heading out into the barely-started day. My body operates as a programmed transport for my brain as I park my car, walk down the street, and into the yoga room. Then, as the students begin to arrive I finally start to feel awake. <br />
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While the class kicks off a bit stiff and disjointed, before long the class has transformed into a body of completely focused energy. I can see my students eyes fixated on the mirror, checking their alignment and struggling to hold on just a moment longer while balancing. This morning it occurred to me—in a big and bright way, not unlike times before—that yoga is anything but an escape. It is, if nothing else, an experience of your life, challenged, slowed down and in high definition. It’s intense. <br />
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I've had people approach me to say to me that they want to begin a yoga practice because they want “an escape.” <i>I’m super stressed and I just need to not think and just relax. </i>They may come into a class with this image of trance-like music, a beautiful teacher with airy words and a soft touch, and students moving effortlessly into spectacular poses. Welp, sweetheart, that sounds wonderful but that ain’t how it’s going to go. There will be a lot going on that you may not expect, so you better hang on for the ride. <br />
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The truth is, for most people beginning a yoga practice is a large undertaking. First step is always stepping through the door. Then once you’re in the room, chaos happens. You’re looking into the mirror not just at yourself, but at yourself amid a sea of others. Combine your already stressed state, with not knowing what the teacher will say, what to do with your hands, and wondering why the heck you’re so sweaty already and you have a jumbo-size mental mess. Of course there will be moments when you must come to terms with all the physical postures you may not be able to do. There will be moments of ego, where you must wrestle with your urge to critique and judge your physical abilities. <i>What?! I can’t balance on one foot? This is bullshit! </i> It’s not simply a physical practice, but a mind and body experience that will challenge all parts of you, even to points of discomfort. <br />
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You will face moments that have pushed many to quit in the past, because they wanted something easy and dammit it’s not. Because yoga is not a single experience, a serene and isolated beach that will remain the same each time you come to it. No, each time you step on your mat it’s a whole different ballgame. From the moment you left your mat to the moment you’ve come back, you’re carrying new baggage, new experiences, everything that you put into your body since then. And if you’re not paying attention you may end up on your ass—literally and figuratively.<br />
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So why does this image of peaceful and stress-free yoga sessions keep taunting all the brand new beginners, as if the jokes on them? Does it ever become easy? Last week I had a student tell me, “Wow, you’re a slave driver—I like it. You’ll see me next week.” <i>What?! That doesn't sound like a yoga teacher I want to go to!</i> You should know, yoga was not by any means easy for this man. He is well past his 50s, had to use the wall for balance, took modifications of most poses, and sweats enough to create his own, private pool. But he had over an hour to wrestle his demons head on and he came out alive--smiling even. Really, I just helped guide him from one point to the other, with gentle reminders in between. You are challenged to meet yourself exactly where you are, both mentally and physically, and then willingly let go of disillusion. Following every sweaty torture of holding dreaded eagle pose, is the opportunity to release. So no, I’m not the slave driver, <b>you are</b>—but you’re welcome anyway.<br />
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The calm, tranquil, serene beach of paradise can be found in yoga or any other activity you find to be challenging because it forces us to let go of the false image of ourselves. We must rise to the occasion to get through what we are doing. We must be better than we think we are. And that is a wonderful feeling. That is the moment of <i><b>Ahhh</b></i>. That is why my students get up every morning and get on their mats--to face themselves in the mirror and come out <b><u>victorious</u></b>.<br />
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Hotchkisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08400106723073520219noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724023403878208488.post-316312215843569172013-04-02T08:06:00.001-07:002013-04-02T08:11:21.330-07:00Feed the Wolf<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Often I hear people saying that they want to recreate themselves. They are coming to yoga to recreate their mind-body connection or getting healthy to recreate their sexy and more youthful self, or the oh-so-cliché post-relationship total image overhaul—recreate, recreate, recreate. I am guilty of very much the same; feeling an urge to recreate myself into the woman I thought I should be by now. There is an image of the <b><i>me </i></b>that I am and the image I want to be. I can get stuck believing that because I sit at a desk answering phones, opening doors, and directing people to offices that I am somehow morphing into a one-dimensional secretary from a 1950s sitcom. It’s easy to latch onto anything that I’ve done in my past and use it to define who I am—label myself a <i><b>blah</b></i>. Then in sheer fear of the person I created, I search to strip down and recreate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But, the idea of recreating <i>me </i>suggests that I somehow created myself wrong. And I don’t like that—not one bit. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In yoga, the belief is that we are all already whole and complete beings. We have all that be need to be great within ourselves, in the same place where we keep our struggles and our fears. Everything is inside. A Native American proverb says it simply,</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A fight is going on inside me, he said to the boy. It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. This same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, Which wolf will win?</span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The old Cherokee simply replied, The one you feed.</span></i></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I <a href="http://livingcourageously.blogspot.com/2013/02/competing-with-me.html" target="_blank">posted before</a> about how there are no “wrong steps,” for without what we perceive as mistakes, we would never be where we are today. In the same way, some of the things we’ve done do not define who we are, but rather help shape who we are becoming. When I practice yoga, I need to remember that I am connecting to my true self, not getting rid of a version I don’t like. In the same way, when I push really hard in a CrossFit workout or challenge myself to try something new and scary, I am not recreating myself. Instead, I am finding a part of me that was left unattended and unfed. Over time, in the moments that we allow, we can see ourselves as whole and complete human beings. This reminder comes at a perfect time, as I am faced with some tough choices. One is daunting, fresh, yet exciting; while the other is safe, boring and tiresome. </span><br />
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Hotchkisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08400106723073520219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724023403878208488.post-56280310063469299192013-03-28T10:07:00.001-07:002013-03-28T10:08:02.302-07:00Moments of Happy<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Thanks to my wonderful friend Randi, who helped in inspiring this post (which happens to be a perfect compliment to the <a href="http://livingcourageously.blogspot.com/2013/03/indifference-and-neglect-often-do-much.html" target="_blank">last one</a>.) Both of the following videos bring to light those small moments of happy--the moments when we are entirely present in our humble pleasures. Short, sweet, and full of life.</span><br />
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Hotchkisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08400106723073520219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724023403878208488.post-33668979799523725482013-03-26T09:25:00.002-07:002013-03-26T11:08:56.400-07:00The Tides of March<br />
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<span style="background-color: #073763; color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Indifference and neglect often do much more damage than outright dislike.</span> </span></span><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><span class="bodybold"><b><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">J. K. Rowling</span></b></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://london-cleaners.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Frost-bitten-Rose-300x225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: #073763; color: #f1c232;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://london-cleaners.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Frost-bitten-Rose-300x225.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span style="background-color: #073763; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The month of March has
lived up to its reputation; it has felt like nothing less than unrelenting
madness. The days of “<i>in like a lion and out like a lamb” </i>are
long gone, replaced by schizophrenic weather and unsure predictions of
tomorrow. In Delaware, the school kids
have gone through a winter without a snow day, and the rest of us have been shuffling
into the new year with our heads down.
It feels like just now we are lifting our gazes to realize that the
third month of 2013 is nearly over. “On
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<span style="background-color: #073763; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">March brought some
changes to my schedule, as I now start my day Monday through Thursday by
teaching yoga, in addition to teaching two nights a week. Then the CrossFit Games’ Open began and I
have been <a href="http://livingcourageously.blogspot.com/2013/02/competing-with-me.html" target="_blank">competing </a>in that. And that’s
just my workout schedule! My hours in-between
are spent, often feeling more like a deposit into a life account that I will never
see rather than a progression towards something. Lately by the time my head hits the pillow
at night, I realize I barely had time to think during the day. It’s then that all the thoughts come rushing
in waves and the moments tick by without any real relation to conventional
time. I cannot do anything but
think. Then, it begins again.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.sarahlaynephotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/yoga_sara_deakin_forward_fold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: #073763; color: #f1c232;"><img border="0" height="281" src="http://www.sarahlaynephotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/yoga_sara_deakin_forward_fold.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #073763; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #073763; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I recently wrote a post
about <a href="http://livingcourageously.blogspot.com/2013/02/setting-intentions.html" target="_blank">setting intention</a>s, about having a purpose to practicing, training, moving,
living. While I still find that setting
an intention is challenging, I find it just as difficult to keep that intention
in mind—staying completely present in whatever it is I am doing. Part of the problem is that days are filled
with lots of doing—minutes defined by actions, what I need to do to get
through. My time is propelled by what
others need me to do. I will be in class
practicing yoga and instead of being present for me, I am thinking about what
postures or poses I would like my students to experience. Before I know it, the hour or so that I dedicated
to myself is gone and I am back on someone else’s schedule. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #073763; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This may seem like just
distractions, but it is actually a form of neglecting myself. Yes, I am distracted by what others need and
want me to do—but worse—I am <i>ho-hum</i>
towards me. “Indifference and neglect often do much more damage than outright
dislike,” (J. K. Rowling.) If I am
floating through my day without mindfulness or true feelings, then I pretty
much neglected precious moments that I will never get back. If at the very
least I dislike something, I usually work harder to move to something that I do
enjoy. Feelings of dislike can be
catalyst of change, whereas indifference is a life sentence of static. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #073763; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">March may almost be
over, but it’s not over yet. So I have
vowed to change! While my routine has
not changed, my perspective has. On
Monday morning I got up and taught my small class, not because I have to, but
because I enjoy seeing my students evolve.
Then I was fully engaged in a staff meeting because I was there, so why
not? I was thankful to get out of work
early, danced around my house, went to yoga, and then ate cake. It’s not easy, especially in the morning, but
I have been reminding myself today that I am here, so just <i>be here. </i> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #073763; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Life moving fast is
definitely nothing new and it will not change. The days will tick on and the responsibilities
will pile up. People will tell you what
to do and you won’t always have a choice.
So I propose the intention to simply <i>be
present</i>. Notice what you’re feeling,
especially if it is unpleasant, and work towards something better. That way as we move forward, we can drop away
the tasks, the people, the jobs, and our own thoughts and feelings that are not
serving us. Spring is the perfect time
to walk forward with your head held high—winter is leaving and the sun is
shining the way into summer. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
Hotchkisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08400106723073520219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724023403878208488.post-21083393424193552792013-02-21T13:15:00.000-08:002013-02-21T13:17:33.464-08:00Competing with Me<br />
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I am excited and still surprised to announce that this
weekend my husband and I are competing in our very first CrossFit
competition. It’s only been about four months
of “CrossFitting” but we decided to dive head first into the challenge. In some ways, it makes perfect sense. Since joining our box (CrossFit gym
affiliation) in early November, we've grown so much; each day we’re getting
stronger and more confident. So, when less
than two months ago the opportunity to compete was presented, it would only
make sense that I would immediately jump on it.
But, I had a minor internal struggle about whether or not I would
compete. When I came to the box, it was
not my intention to train to compete; rather I saw an opportunity to challenge
myself. (And if we are being perfectly
honest, I watched the CrossFit Games on TV and I wanted to look as fit as those
ladies!) <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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So why not compete?<o:p></o:p></div>
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I had come to a point in my life, where I believed
competition was behind me. This was not
because I felt “too old” or out of shape or was scared I wouldn't do well. There was something else, much deeper inside,
which I would have to come to terms with.
Growing up I was always involved in athletics—and not just-for-fun athletics—every sport I
played was on a very competitive level. I went to the Junior Olympics as a sprinter, I
was on various state champion teams for track, was the captain for various
teams, and played almost every sport under the sun. And I loved it. I loved the “do or die,” “go hard or go home,”
win, win, win feeling. Then, when I
graduated from college and entered the “work world,” I left behind my team
sports. It wasn’t long before I found
myself channeling my competitive mind to my professional and personal
identity. Unlike in sports, when a
competitive drive can be productive and even necessary, my instinctive
competition became self-hurting.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.evolutionsyoga.com/evolutionsyoga/wp-content/evolutions/showcase/yoga_class.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://www.evolutionsyoga.com/evolutionsyoga/wp-content/evolutions/showcase/yoga_class.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It was at a time of pain that I came to begin my yoga
practice. In many ways I was going
through a quarter-life crisis. I was
deciding what to do and where to go, and how to be okay with my choices. (If you want to learn more, just read some of
my older posts!) Basically, I was
hurting both physically and emotionally, as my stress slowly took hold of
me. Luckily for me, I had my youth and
developed my yoga practice at a perfect time.
In the beginning, I continued to struggle with competitive feelings. During class I would stare at myself and
others in the mirror, comparing my ability to theirs. I always wanted to push harder, “do better at
yoga,” and was continually frustrated with myself. It took some time, but through practice I
realized that there was no “winning” yoga.
There would be no end to my effort, it’s continuing, it’s constant, it’s
forever. Coming to that realization was
not only freeing, it was humbling. When
I let go of my need to push, I finally moved forward. My mind’s constant judgment resulted in my
body being stuck. Once that powerful
hold was gone, balance and flexibility came easy. Poses became beautiful and my mind felt
light. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So, am I taking a step back by training at a CrossFit gym
and—even worse—competing again?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://crossfit-games.edgesuite.net/sites/default/files/WODArea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://crossfit-games.edgesuite.net/sites/default/files/WODArea.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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No. I have decided to
think about life as stepping stones, and whether or not you begin something
that you’ve already done before—it will never be the same, because you are not
the same. If I had started CrossFit
instead of yoga three years ago, I would be a completely different person today. My guess is that I would be extremely
critical, unforgiving, and aggressive. This
is not because CrossFit makes you so, but because of where I was in my
life. Having built a foundation in yoga
instead, I came to CrossFit with an entirely different mindset. I would not be stepping back to the blindly
competitive 18-year-old, because I am no longer that girl. Having forgiven myself, I can now train with
a much clearer mind. Not only that, but now I can see how we're all in this together. Everyone is challenging themselves, in their own way, at their own pace. I can only ever compete with myself, so either I win or I lose.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Don’t get me wrong, it ain’t easy. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I always have to check in with myself, remind
myself to be weary of old habits, and be open to move forward. As yoga has taught me, you are never “good to
go;” you are never done growing. Pushing
yourself forward is part of life—progress—but is not the only way you grow.</div>
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I practice yoga for my mental strength and clarity, and I
train at CrossFit for my physical and mental challenge. To me, they are intertwined and not mutually
exclusive. So when I compete this
weekend I know that with each moment, I have an opportunity to grow. And with each breath out, I begin again. <o:p></o:p></div>
Hotchkisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08400106723073520219noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724023403878208488.post-45493853974045580872013-02-07T08:44:00.000-08:002013-02-07T08:44:25.061-08:00Setting Intentions
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">At the beginning of every yoga class I take, there is an
opportunity to create a personal intention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s the moment when you are able to ask yourself, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">why am I here <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">right now</b></i>?
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each time I come on to my mat, I have the
wonderful opportunity to rediscover my motivation for being there, as it can
always change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The teacher usually
instructs us to think of a simple word, a virtue, or a dedication and then
gives us space to think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, more
often than not, before coming onto my mat I’ve had a long day at work, a
stressful drive during rush-hour, and a lingering feeling of annoyance that all
together leaves me rather fatigued.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
all I can do to muster up the mental energy to be fully engaged in the first
three minutes of class, let alone dig deep and remind myself of the real reason
I showed up that day. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes, before
I know it we’ve began class and I somehow missed the moment when I should have
made an intention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It may sound silly,
but it’s no easy task to come up with an intention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When I first began, my intentions were simple: learn what I
was doing, pay attention, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(gasp)</i>
lose weight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My motivation was coming
from my brain, not my body, and often led to so-so feelings at the end of
class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, as I practiced more and
let a lot of my insecurities go, my intentions became clearer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would feel them arise inside way before I
stepped onto my mat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I would become
frustrated at work, I would know that I would practice yoga to bring me back to
calm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each movement and breath became
less about what I looked like in the mirror, and more about how I spoke to
myself inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yoga became the main
thing that filled my mind when I had space in my day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the primary source of physical
movement in my days and weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It became
part of my every day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But as it often happens when life becomes routine, my mind
and body began to feel “stale.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
wasn’t much stimulation or challenge either on the mat and or off—and if there
was—yoga had made me so calm that it barely struck a single cord of adrenalin.
I had lost my umft, my grit, my drive somewhere along the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was always a competitive athlete, so what
was nice about yoga was that it calmed down that aggression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the same time, it nearly took it all away
and in many ways, I was lost without it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<a href="http://www.self.com/fitness/blogs/freshfitnesstips/YogiSquat3Resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.self.com/fitness/blogs/freshfitnesstips/YogiSquat3Resized.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then, I got engaged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During
the early months of engagement—despite <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>my original assumptions about myself—my <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>thoughts became all. about. wedding. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Rest assured, not in a bridezilla type of
way, but oh-my-god-I-love-everything, sort of way.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I continued to go to yoga (which kept me
sane), but my days and nights become infinitely more busy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then at the same time, my parents began an
awful and bitter separation, which obviously could not have come at a worse
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mind became all jacked up
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, as a good friend always
does, yoga kept me grounded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it was
time to set an intention, I would dedicate my practice to my mother, whose
heart was breaking; or to my sister who needed support and love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would allow virtues such as patience,
forgiveness, kindness, and love to lead me through practice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yoga, in a quick and effortless swoop, became
my therapy. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Intentions came easy again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<a href="http://24.media.tumblr.com/7be81b98eab4653b0348f796f60f125b/tumblr_mfxdmbbgnz1rk0z0lo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/7be81b98eab4653b0348f796f60f125b/tumblr_mfxdmbbgnz1rk0z0lo1_500.jpg" width="239" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yet, as with all wounds, time passes and healing
occurs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now here I am, married and happy
and nothing immediate on the horizon, and I am once again <s>struggling with
intention</s> struggling with coming up with an intention for my yoga
practice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have (as mentioned in my
last post) began training with CrossFit and am set to compete in my first
competition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In CrossFit, I set intentions as well, albeit
they are usually different than those set on my yoga mat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have goals to get stronger, improve certain
Olympic lifts, and move more efficiently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>CrossFit has helped me fill the void that was left when I stopped
competing in sports and has really brought a spark back inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Of course it helps that the hubby loves it
as well, so it has become something we love to do together!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think about getting to the next workout and
I am excited when I leave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having a
competition to work towards motivates me to do my best each and every time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, how do I come up for intentions for both?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the surface, they seem like two very different
animals, yet ultimately they are one in the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I first came to CrossFit, my intentions
were similar to those I had when I started yoga: learn what I was doing, pay attention,
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(gasp again)</i> lose weight. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Did I learn nothing from years of yoga
practice?!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But now, just as was with
yoga, at CrossFit I am striving to be a better person, push myself, give it my
all, and see what I am made of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like
yoga, CrossFit is ultimately a practice to strengthen your mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After coming to that realization, last night I had the most fulfilling
yoga class that I’ve had in at least a month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When it came time to set an intention, I challenged myself to be
present, be in tune, and to try my best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And really, what more can we ask of ourselves?</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.creativesoulinmotion.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/grounded.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.creativesoulinmotion.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/grounded.jpg" width="261" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
Hotchkisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08400106723073520219noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724023403878208488.post-65706923127009727482013-02-05T08:18:00.001-08:002013-02-05T08:21:49.429-08:00Back. So fresh and so ready!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, I’ve had this blog for a long time and for the past year
it has been left dormant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not
because I don’t love it, or I ran out of things to say, but rather, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">life
happened</i></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the past year and a
half, I got engaged, switched jobs, planned a wedding, my parents separated, I
married my love, and I started teaching and training at an amazing <a href="http://www.cfriverfront.com/" target="_blank">CrossFit</a>
affiliate in addition to staying loyal to my other yoga center, <a href="http://www.empoweredyoga.com/" target="_blank">Empowered Yoga</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I mean…I had things to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">By starting so many different things and new stages in my
life, I am learning heaps and it’s tremendously exciting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even more exciting, is the amount of
questions I have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, my dream is to use this blog again as an
opportunity to explore all this with you all again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.iamcrossfit.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/01-24-2013-Crossfit-Vida-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.iamcrossfit.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/01-24-2013-Crossfit-Vida-9.jpg" width="318" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I hope I am not alone here, but I thrive on curiosity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need stimulation and speculation, doubt and
fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And nothing tests that like
walking into a situation as a brand-spanking-new beginner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trying something new forces me to test my
mental and physical strength, and nothing is more eye-opening and humbling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s uncomfortable to walk into a room full
of people who (whether assumed or not) are not as brand new as me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I go through the stages of thinking, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">will I be decent at this, will this be uncomfortable,
will people be nice to me, </i>and of course, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">why the heck did I want to do this again?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>My first time walking into the <a href="http://www.cfriverfont.com/" target="_blank">CrossFit</a>
gym, I did so knowing that I had committed to teaching—so I had to do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Don’t get me wrong, I really wanted to be
awesome at all those crazy lifts and upside-down things, and I wanted to look
really good.) But when I walked into a room with a ton of buff, good-looking
guys grunting and lifting heavy things and ladies cranking out pull-up after
pull-up, there was that moment of ‘OOPS,’ and mapping out the quickest exit
route.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That moment when you say to
yourself, ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nevermind, I am okay just the
way I am.’ <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But we’re not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That’s why we wanted to </span><a href="http://livingcourageously.blogspot.com/2011/03/spice-of-life.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">try
something new</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can see our
potential deep down and wanted to give that awesome self a chance to
shine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only thing standing in our
way is our mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all know the first
time at anything is a little terrifying, but we can allow that fear of the
unknown to light a spark deep inside. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Over the weekend, I took a friend from CrossFit to a
workshop on asana and mediation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is
one of the veteran CrossFitters; being there from the very beginning and feels
very comfortable lifting heavy things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I, on the other hand, am now a veteran yogini and still feel more
comfortable on my mat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We take each
other out of our comfort zone and have been teaching each other a lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The added benefit of seeing someone going
through something we went through for the first time is enlightening and
humbling all at the same time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, I
digress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So in this workshop we
revisited the principles of meditation and I was reminded of the way the mind
works and how often it </span><a href="http://livingcourageously.blogspot.com/2011/03/head-games-and-heart-wars.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">stands
in our way</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meditation is not about
thinking of nothing, but rather just noticing your own habits of thought and
working to create a calm and peaceful mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When you let your body remain still and you begin to notice
the mind, it doesn’t take long to realize the mind is a noisy, noisy
place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While practicing meditation in
the workshop, I envisioned my mind as a sky, with my thoughts being these
swirling clouds of noise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s here in
the clouds that I have my thoughts of mediocrity, doubt, asking what’s for
dinner, am I going to like this and of course, when is this over (just to name
a few.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I notice that my thoughts circle
back, even when I notice them and try to “put them out.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://yourbellalife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/meditation_2070026b.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://yourbellalife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/meditation_2070026b.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It took time, but by the last sitting in meditation, I found
my breath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a brief moment, it was
calm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could hear the breath in my
lungs and it felt like energy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
calm and relaxed and the best part, I felt open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But then I thought, ‘this is awesome!’ and it
was all downhill from there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
thoughts were back, but this time they were positive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Where am I going with this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m almost there—patience, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga_Sutras_of_Patanjali"><span style="color: blue;">santosha</span></a></i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">January is a great time for people to decide to change their
life’s path, exchange old habits for new, and to set goals to be better people
in the New Year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s usually a
combination of our minds and bodies telling us what we want and deserve to be,
and we set forth with our New Year’s Resolutions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We set A LOT of goals and we intend on
keeping them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But come February, the
mind begins to grow tired with all our big plans and high hopes—learning something
new is hard!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The mind begins to quit
before the body ever does.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In between
workouts we give our body rest, but we never really thing about our brain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNksk0aHZrWi3i12SDkaykvuwvqMWUJerTfVKYrzecrq-FuUK0qbuDpheHOhrgRMMh3gUWXqnDUVREPJZLZDb76sP3h8TV30mbupQ3nEqY-nKqU5RJaky77hRw4aalFsLlcvwKZHe_YMFq/s1600/47150_672627302590_25909153_38775689_7095240_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNksk0aHZrWi3i12SDkaykvuwvqMWUJerTfVKYrzecrq-FuUK0qbuDpheHOhrgRMMh3gUWXqnDUVREPJZLZDb76sP3h8TV30mbupQ3nEqY-nKqU5RJaky77hRw4aalFsLlcvwKZHe_YMFq/s320/47150_672627302590_25909153_38775689_7095240_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Therefore, I propose that in order to reach our new goals (physical
or not—give your mind a break—and meditate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We need our mind to push us, to give us motivation, and to drive
us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But if overworked, its influence
begins to backfire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So maybe try something
new and different—try sitting and breathing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Hotchkisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08400106723073520219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724023403878208488.post-81904507042585064822012-02-08T09:56:00.000-08:002012-02-08T09:56:05.865-08:00Being Pretty<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Some days I wake up and wish that I was materialistic, superficial, self-absorbed, and dumb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s today—thinking so much has just made me tired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, if I was a narcissist my life would be so simple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All I would care about is me—what I want, when I want it, with no regrets or sense of consequence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only thing that would occupy my mind first thing in the morning would be my outfit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then as soon as that was settled, I would focus on my overall look.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I would look <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">gooood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i></b>After that, I would go about my day without caring about others, because all that mattered would be me. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would stop at every mirror and observe the glory of my life—making me look good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would walk to look good, I would eat to look good, I would sit, sleep, and speak to look good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would have no problem with this because I would be too dumb to know or care about anything else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://justanothergirlfriend.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/zoe_saldana_21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://justanothergirlfriend.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/zoe_saldana_21.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But this is impossible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s not that I ever really, truly want to be a shallow, narcissistic wad of a human being, but I do often think it would be easier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Things would be less complicated if I only loved myself and no one else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There would be less stress in my life if I didn’t care about the happiness of my family. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How simple life would be if I didn’t care whether or not my cats are content, healthy, and fed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Work would be undemanding if I didn’t care about what we did, what we stood for, and the people I work with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life could be less hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But this is impossible.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is impossible because no matter what you do—no matter what you want—the world is one big web.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We cannot exist as self-sufficient individuals; we are always connected to a network of people, places, and things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It begins from the moment we are born and we are instantly connected to at least one person—even if through basic necessity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Overtime our need turns into love, compassion, empathy, and devotion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This cannot be helped, we as human beings want and need connection with others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We want to help, it makes us feel good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The excitement on my mother’s face when I did something great meant the world to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I wanted to pass that on, keep that feeling going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Happiness is addictive!<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">With age, our web expands, relationships grow and we learn the complexities of the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We learn how our actions affect others; we learn about consequences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our emotional world becomes more diverse and difficult as we learn of pain, hurt, heartbreak, and pride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We lose trust, we gain responsibility, we fail, and we accomplish success.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We learn lessons through mistakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We make lots of mistakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life becomes harder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life becomes scary.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But it also becomes unimaginably wonderful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In every situation that I have struggled, I have realized an appreciation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It can be a feeling so intense, you want to squeal—and I often do!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, if I worked out really, really painstakingly hard in preparation for a track meet, winning the race meant that much more to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would be brimming with adrenalin for hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>High on accomplishment, I would simply float.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, after I had the first devastating heartbreak, finding love again felt oh-so-good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would fight to hold on to this love—hug it and squeeze it and never let it go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I know that the thought of losing something allows me to love that something more completely, without judgment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being able to see life like that just makes it more fulfilling—makes every day worthwhile.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, I imagine that if I really were that shallow, self-absorbed person that my life might be easier and simpler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it sure would suck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Hotchkisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08400106723073520219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724023403878208488.post-28148567417615972742012-01-31T07:42:00.000-08:002012-01-31T07:44:44.535-08:00Looking Ahead and Above<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I haven’t written a blog post in a very long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, I didn’t want to write inconsistently, so I wanted to make sure that if I started to write, that I would continue to write strong and interesting posts in a timely manner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With that being said, honestly my head was just not in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since April, my life has changed in so many exciting ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got engaged to the love of my life, with which has led me to explore a whole new world of pretty planning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, I closed one chapter of my life and started another at a new job in a totally different environment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I began teaching yoga four days a week, often subbing for other teachers whenever I could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And lastly, I started eating meat and consequently dropped 9 pounds. (More on that later)</span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I didn’t know where to begin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My life began to follow an unchartered path and it was (and still is) just as scary as it is exciting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other day I actually used the word scary (among other more positive ones) to describe to Matt all the feelings I was having regarding our wedding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked at me sideways and said, “Now that’s a word I would <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not </i>use to describe my feelings toward our wedding.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first I was shocked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean this is such a huge decision we are making, a lifelong choice, a true and soulful commitment—how could you not be just a little bit scared?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, then I had to examine what it was that I really meant by scared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was I scared that I made the wrong choice?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not one bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew in my heart when I was in Kenya, calling Matt on a satellite phone, that he was someone very special.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was sitting on the ground, with my back against a large African tree while Matt sat on the curb outside his NJ bank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We didn’t need to say anything of substance; it was just the excitement in his voice that let me know he really cared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So if I know I am making the right decision what am I scared about?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could say that I feel too young, but that wouldn’t be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">entirely</i> true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ever since I was a little girl, my mother has told me to not get married young.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Don’t date until you’re 30!” she would say; although I threw that advice out the window in high school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My father focused on my sports and academics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mother focused on my emotional strength, my interests and talents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Together they raised me to be independent and confident.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a consequence, I was not brought up with visions of me as a bride, and neither of my parents ever spoke to me about the fantasies they had about their little girl getting married.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was not really talked about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m at fault too; on my end I couldn’t ever picture my own wedding because how could you envision a wedding if you had no idea who you would be meeting at the end of the aisle?<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">But despite not exactly being encouraged to think about getting married, when the time came I knew my parents would want no one else but Matt to marry me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps the timing was earlier than they expected, but no one has since asked me the question, “Are you ready?” so I take that as a sign of their confidence in me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Personally, I was definitely taken by surprise and was in shock for a number of days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Yet that is the beauty in our love story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s always been about the unexpected, going with my gut, my heart, and trusting it will steer me right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without going into detail, there are a lot of people who would have never guessed Matt and I would go out together <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ever</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, they were more shocked when we saw each other on more than one occasion during the first week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Weeks later, no one</span> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">could have seen it coming—that I would be writing him letters from across the world, hoping he would be writing me back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But that’s the way we are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know what we want, what we like, and we just do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And with that I found myself deeply in love and engaged at 24.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So again I ask, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">why am I even a little bit scared?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The answer came to me eventually.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Really it’s something I’ve known all along, but didn’t want to admit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The scary feeling comes from none other than a pesky little insecurity deep inside me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It stems from a fear—ideas and feelings I have had about my own vision of my success.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have I accomplished enough?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Am I still interesting and exciting?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have I lived up to my potential?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It goes on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This fear interferes with my drive to write blog posts, gets in the way of me deciding on a career, and in other small ways just creeps up on me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Essentially I’ve had to take a good hard look at myself and see that despite all the beauty and love in my life, I still allow one single question to stand in my way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Am I good enough? <o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">After coming to that realization, I actually became relieved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is something I had control over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fear can be overcome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could change the way that I feel, and I had the ability to harness confidence and greatness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Granted, it will be a question I will probably ask myself over and over and over again for the rest of my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But lucky for me, I will have a new husband who loves me and will always remind me that despite my fears, I am—and always will be—<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">awesome</b>. <o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Now if only a wedding could be planned that easily…<o:p></o:p></span></div>Hotchkisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08400106723073520219noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724023403878208488.post-84629761884570150782011-09-20T09:25:00.000-07:002011-09-20T09:25:29.019-07:00Awakening Your Body—Part 1<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My last post was all about giving your mind a rejuvenating kick in the butt—a fresh start for the month of September.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This week it’s about giving your body a wake-up call.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A couple of weeks ago, while in class, the teacher whispered in my ear, “you have wonderful body awareness.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I smiled and thought, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">how nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>It’s true that I can control my body movements and tend to understand what muscles should be doing what and when.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is not to say I do things perfectly (since there is no such thing) but I do feel in control when I move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For years, I attributed that ability to years of sports.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then the other day I was told by a co-worker that I seemed to have a very strong and comprehensive vision of self or great self-awareness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was flattered and yet humbled, because it was at that point that I realized a long and hard transformation was finally taking shape.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://supconnect.mylocallineup.com/images/stories/Article_4_Morgan/SUP_Yoga/Stand_Up_Paddle_Yoga_-_Big_Toe_Pose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="196" rba="true" src="http://supconnect.mylocallineup.com/images/stories/Article_4_Morgan/SUP_Yoga/Stand_Up_Paddle_Yoga_-_Big_Toe_Pose.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I had this feeling my whole life that body and mind awareness were intimately connected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, I have even said that before on this blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But this recent <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ah-ha </i>moment takes this to a different level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s more than just healthy body equals a healthy mind, since it is more than health that we are talking about. Just because you work out, don’t have high cholesterol, no diabetes, and decent BMI doesn’t mean you have strong body awareness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was something I had to realize myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Giving specific muscles attention and purposely pushing my body to do things—try things—it’s never done has awakened aspects of my personality and thought pattern.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For example, for years I would suck in my stomach, leave my abs in constant tension, and constrict my belly with tight jeans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought this would create strong, sexy abs, or at least give the allusion of such.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not sure if that ever happened, but what I do know is that my mind was judgmental, harsh, tightened and unforgiving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would criticize my body in the mirror, I harbored jealousy towards others, and I thought nothing was ever good enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I didn’t have the body I wanted, it was my own fault—and then I would continue to beat myself up about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My stomach would have constant aches, rumblies, and indigestion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But recently (I would say the past year or so), I have begun to allow my stomach to relax and listen to what it needs. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.inmagine.com/img/bigcheese/bcsi001/bcsi001100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" rba="true" src="http://images.inmagine.com/img/bigcheese/bcsi001/bcsi001100.jpg" width="212" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Just take a moment and lay on your back, close your eyes, and bring your hand on your tummy and the other hand to your heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just allow your belly to relax and just watch the breath come in, filling your belly and lifting your hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then release the breathe slowly and feel your hand lower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Taking time out of my day to do that (whether before or after a yoga class) has been extremely humbling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your poor, poor belly gets all this anger thrown its way, but truly it wants to be treated right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t beat it up with harsh foods, over indulging, and too much alcohol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And take time out of your day to reconnect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It seems so simple, but since I consciously stopped holding in my stomach, I feel much, much better. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>AND I am still wearing the same size jeans from high school and they fit better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Generally, I feel like I look relatively the same—if not finer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without getting too weird, I think that by changing my attitude towards—and image of—my body, my body finally began to cooperate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Strange right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But give it a try.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dedicate time to awaken with your feet (take off your shoes!) moving and flexing toes or connect with your tummy and then work from there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://kukhahnyoga.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/breath1.jpg?w=500&h=332" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="212" rba="true" src="http://kukhahnyoga.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/breath1.jpg?w=500&h=332" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Your body is such a precious vessel; it’s what allows us to get from one place to another, reach out to touch the ones we love, and allow a safe place for our great minds to work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, there is often a huge disconnect between what we do to our bodies and how we think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or—so we think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember a moment in your life when perhaps your emotional state was not positive, how did you treat your body?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or on the reverse, think about a time when you might have become overweight, developed an eating disorder, or often came down with colds—how was your mental state?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I don’t want to make any guarantees, but I’d like to think that when you treat your body bad, your mind produces negative thoughts and vice versa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This is of course relative only to “self-induced” body sickness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other diseases like certain cancers, Alzheimer’s, and functional failures are deeper issues, often not explained or cured easily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do not pretend to know enough about this subject nor do I think a person’s condition in that state is due to bad-thought-karma.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The second part will talk about awakening your muscles, discovering your strength, and working towards a strong and positive awareness of self.</span></div>Hotchkisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08400106723073520219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724023403878208488.post-73418607857817823362011-09-07T13:06:00.000-07:002011-09-07T13:11:09.353-07:00Look at me Now<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So one year ago today, I began a regular, dedicated yoga practice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>September 7<sup>th</sup>, 2010 was the first time I had step foot into a private yoga studio, and my only experience prior was a limited collection of DVD’s, a college fit class, and one failed attempt at the Y.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then my most current and continual yoga practice had been with Tony and his P90X version of Yoga X.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I worked hard to figure out the poses, but I was still in my bedroom, on carpet, using my make-up mirror for alignment, and blasting myself with a fan whenever I got remotely sweating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of which was quite different from the yoga I would begin when I started practicing at my current studio.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Truth be told, I actually had my first exposure to yoga at 14 years old. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One day I sneaked into the basement and popped in a Jane Austin “Power Yoga” VHS.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did that tape almost every day for 3 weeks, and it wasn’t cool for a young teen to be doing workout videos in her basement—alone—so I didn’t want anyone to find out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was afraid of letting my friends do it with me, because yoga poses were a little strange and some made you fart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I figured if I got flack for doing Tae-Bo at age 12, then yoga would not go over any better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Before long, yoga started to become more main-stream and I also grew old enough to not care what people thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By that time my VHS died on me and I had other DVDs to try and friends to try them with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, for the most part, yoga was still something that I did relatively on my own and randomly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ever since I physically could, I was a competitive athlete.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was just natural to work hard and push through to the end—soccer, ice skating, softball, basketball, track, ultimate Frisbee, hiking, everything was competitive to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://doanie.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/baby-ultimate-fighting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" nba="true" src="http://doanie.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/baby-ultimate-fighting.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This was obvious even at a young age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Easter egg hunts were not simply a fun, holiday game—oh no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My cousin Pete and I could turn this and any other family activity into a full-blown battle. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was necessary to warm-up and stretch before a game of Monopoly—and forget poker—you might as well bring your bullet-proof vest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t get me wrong, I love it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But recently on my journey to adulthood (which I’ve barely started), I stopped fighting other people and I began fighting myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not like in a good competitive way, but in a let’s-beat-myself-to-exhaustion-with-no-end sort of way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With no particular sport to play anymore, I became the sport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I was losing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So it was a perfect time in my life to finally pursue yoga.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite my awkward start with yoga as a teen, I always knew in my heart that I was in love and it would eventually become a regular part of my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was something different about it that felt really, really good even when I was immature and relatively unstressed in life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yoga practice was a chance for me to push my body, but still be kind to myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.teachenglishinasia.net/files/u2/lily_pad_lotus_flower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" nba="true" src="http://www.teachenglishinasia.net/files/u2/lily_pad_lotus_flower.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">What I didn’t anticipate were the enormous changes that would take place in my life from beginning my yoga practice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mentally and emotionally, personally and professionally, inside and out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would have never guessed that within a year I would be this physically fit, madly in love, engaged, working at a new fantastic job, certified to teach AND teach yoga.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To some these all might seem unrelated, but I know in my heart that it is completely related.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Am I bragging?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>NO.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I was terrified to begin this journey, was filled with self-doubt and frustration, and even struggled to continue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I got through it and now—one year later—I am blown away by where I am. Shocked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And there is nothing special about me; anyone can do this!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe yoga isn’t your thing, but everyone has their thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Find it and get after it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">September is about <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">fresh starts </b>and </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">new beginnings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you want something, NOW IS THE TIME.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></span></div>Hotchkisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08400106723073520219noreply@blogger.com0