OK..picture this; you are practicing yoga in a beautiful setting away from all that is stressful. Smell the scent of lavender and  listen to the sounds of nature that surround you. Now imagine how relaxed and peaceful you might feel. You feeling it? 

Now imagine yourself out running around trying to find gifts for loved ones in 20 degree weather. The wind hitting your face, the crowd pushing you about and grey skis above.   Now imagine how tense, tired, and bitter you might feel?  You got it?

My point in the exercise above was to exemplify how easy it is to get to that place of peace in an ideal setting. But when we are functioning in the real world we are often surrounded by situations, environment and individuals that leave us feeling drained. I believe we unconsciously disconnect from our reality as a defense mechanism in dealing with  the stress in our lives. Have you ever been driving along and all of a sudden you realize that you have been in la-la land? You have no recollection of the last  15 miles.  Or you are watching TV and you realize that you have been watching  some awful show of no interest? It is like we turn into an ameba or something.

For many people this is the only escape from reality and stress. Others choose substances to escape. I am not judging for I completely understand and get why we do it.  However I do know there is a better way to get the escape and restoration amidst daily life. The previous examples provide escapes but leave us disconnected from what is most important and true. It is a continual process of escape and life, escape and life., escape and life. The result is that we loose ourselves somewhere. We become disconnected from our self(soul,spirit, divine,light) and thus  become more vulnerable to negative experiences.   One may feel angry, resentful, bitter, jealous, frustrated, isolated, and sad. Nobody likes to feel this way and most people would not want to admit to themselves that they experience such emotions. 

The solution is both easy and difficult. Those of you who exercise  can relate to the good feeling you left with after a workout.  But there is another component that you can add to increase your wellness. It is being still with your body, quieting your mind, connecting to your breath and being aware of your mind in relationship to your body. When you practise this connection it becomes easier over time. It eventually starts to travel with you throughout the day. You start to become more conscious and aware. You are more apt to to be in tune with your emotions and are better able to bring peace and calm to most situations. 

Let the next couple of weeks provide you with an opportunity to practise yoga off of the mat. Honor and be patient with yourself. It is a practice…just like on the mat we practice. Some days we soar in shoulder stand or crow and other days we fall in tree pose. Our practise (on and off the mat) takes patience, discipline, courage, strength,  and the belief  in  oneself.

Namaste’

Well can you believe that this is our final week of Boot camp! I want to express how proud I am of all of you. You have all made great strides toward becoming more fit and healthy. Now that we are in our fourth week I am sure you have noticed an increase in your personal fitness level. I have had an opportunity to observe each of you and have some suggestions and recommendations that you may find helpful.  Please contact me via e-mail, phone or text so we can discuss further.  I will be available for the next few weeks if you would like to schedule a personal training session. Group exercise is great in many ways but because everybody’s body is different it is important to know what exercises work  best for your body and fitness goals. Now is the time to evaluate your goals and think about a plan going forward. I am here for you so please reach out and let me help. Any questions or concerns? Just let me know…

1. SIGN UP FOR A RACE OR COMPETITION: Having a definite deadline gives more meaning to each and every workout.
2. MAKE A NEW PLAYLIST:Load a new workout playlist onto your iPod packed full of adrenaline-boosting tunes.
3. PLAN IN ADVANCE: Plan out your workouts  a week in advance and cross them off as you complete them.
4. SAVE THE BEST FOR LAST: Start each workout with your least favorite exercise so you can get it over with and move your favorite exercise to the end.
5. MEASURE UP: Taking your measurements every couple of months gives you a clear end-date.  Tangibles are the best motivators.
6. SINGLE SET:  When you just don’t feel like working, gear up for one set of your favorite exercise. Chances are you will probably want to finish the workout once you’ve started. 
7. REWARD YOURSELF: As you achieve your goals, reward yourself with a message, or facial. Just make sure the reward is not junk food!
8. WRITE IT DOWN: Write a contract with yourself listing all your goals and deadlines, sign it and keep it on the fridge as a daily reminder of the promises you have made with yourself.
9. SWITCH THINGS UP: Change your training partner every few months. If you get too friendly with your workout partner it becomes easy  to slack off and cancel.
10. JOIN A MESSAGE BOARD:Message boards are full of inspiration from people who have accomplished their goals and are working toward new ones.