Fuel

I love a good cheeseburger.  Hand me some cookies and I will most likely not turn them down.  My biggest food weakness by far is french fries.  Must be my German heritage but fried potatoes are the most amazing thing on the planet.  If I could eat this way all of the time I would given the choice.  But.....we get out of our bodies what we put into them.  Case in point.  Last week I was REALLY craving a burger so for lunch I had one.  I then proceeded to teach two cardio classes that night and completely tanked.  I was sucking air and watching the clock wondering if I could get through it.   The next day I had a really healthy veggie salad for lunch.  I proceeded to teach two classes that night and felt great.  I am taking us back to a previous post because it really is how you look at it.  I can look at that salad and say to myself "gee, I wish I was eating a burger right now" or I could say "I love how crunchy and fresh this tastes and I know I am going to feel great after I eat it".  How about this week we really think about what fuel we put into our bodies before we actually eat it and pay attention to how our bodies react.  Good luck!

Failing

I really hate to admit that I watch reality TV but I do.... it is somewhat of an addiction.  People fascinate me.  One show I watch is Survivor.  I was watching an episode last night (while doing sit-ups, lunges, and squats... just kidding.... I was sitting on my booty eating popcorn) and there was this young girl on the show.  She was talking about how she has never failed at anything because she never puts herself in a situation where she could fail.  I used to be a PRO at that.  When I was her age (early 20s)  the worst thing in the world would have been to fail at something.  I was easily embarrassed and humiliated and if I did fail at something it would wreak havoc on me for months.  I am not sure where the turning point came.  I think it was probably after my mom passed away when I was 23.  I realized that life is short and you better just do as much as you can with the time we have here.  Don't get me wrong, I really don't enjoy failing.  I don't think any of us do, but success is so much greater when we have failed a few times in the process.  It is so easy to stay in the comfort zone and not reach out and push ourselves beyond where we think we can go.  You never know until you try and in trying you might fail.... but you also might succeed.  We have to learn to laugh at ourselves, be a little crazy and allow ourselves the grace to grow.  I have literally fallen on my face in front of a ton of people but I picked myself up and brushed myself off and moved on.  What new thing will you try today that gets your heart racing at just the thought of it?  That is where life lives:)  

Choices

I don't care where you come from.  I don't care how much money you have.  I don't care how many friends you have or what you look like.  This life is about choices.  Every single one of us goes through tough times.  You might not know mine and I might not know yours but it is a certainty that life gets rough.  It is how we handle the rough times that defines who we are.  How we choose to look at a situation has a great impact on how it will affect you and those around you.
I used to hide behind my long blond hair.  I used to think it was part of me.  It wasn't until I lost it all during chemotherapy that I realized it wasn't a part of me at all.  I chose to look at the bright side and guess what?  It ended up being the bright side.  I love not having to worry about my hair any longer.  There were days when I would have a hard time getting off of the couch - I just didn't have the energy - but it was a perfect opportunity to snuggle with my kids and get to know them better.  On an average day I would have been doing laundry or cleaning or cooking.... something other than spending that quality time with them.  As crumby as I was feeling physically is was the perfect moment to really get to know my kids and what was going on in their heads.
There is ALWAYS a way to look at a situation and see the positive side of it.  We don't get to control very much in this life but one thing we can control is how we decided to look at things.  So, next time you look in the mirror - see the beauty.  Next time you are frustrated, angry, unsatisfied or depressed - take a deep breath and see if you can turn it around.  Choose to find patience, serenity, satisfaction and joy.  You won't believe the difference it will make.

Function

What if we took vision out of the equation?  What if our bodies were vehicles to help us enjoy our life and nothing more?  Our bodies are the most intricate and awe inspiring work of machinery.  They allow us to not only get to where we want to be but also provides us with physical pleasure of movement and expression.  Have you ever really "let go"?  I mean really let go?  It took me a LONG time before I could truly enjoy the freedom that comes with letting go through movement.  Your body wants to move.  It wants to feel the movement and express the feelings that come from hearing a fantastic beat or beautiful melody.  Our minds hold us back.  We don't want to look silly or feel foolish in front of other people.  What if nobody could see you?  Would you let go then?  Even if you don't think you have rhythm, even if you don't think you are coordinated there is a measurable freedom that comes when our minds let the body do what it was meant to do - move.  Endorphins release and we get a natural high.  What a gift!  Next time you are at THE EDGE - take a minute before class and tell yourself that "today I am going to be free of judgement in my own mind so I can enjoy the full benefits of this class".  Know that you are in a safe place with other like minded people who just want to have a great time and keep our most precious valuable - our bodies - in the best shape possible.  Reach a little longer, push a little deeper,  and maybe for just a moment you will feel completely free.

The Journey

If you haven't figured it out already it is never about the destination - always about the journey.  I want to take you on a journey with me.  We are going to try new things, takes steps in waters we have never seen before and grow in ways you may never have imagined.  I want to help you make your life the best it can possibly be.  We are going to go to those places where the words "I can't" live and turn them into "I can".  We are going to make every single day count and we are going to live in gratitude doing it.  Change can be really scary but together it can be a lot easier.  I will push, nudge, pull and drag you if I have to but a fire is going to be lit in your life and soon that light will be amazingly bright.  People are drawn to light and so soon you too will be showing people how to really, truly enjoy this journey we call life.  This is just me sharing with you how I came to find true happiness, satisfaction, gratitude and grace through positive living, through exercise, and through acceptance.  So now you have a choice.  This is just a blog and this all might sound like gobbledygook to you so feel free to disengage.  I plan on being here often to share insight and motivate you in your journey so - if you choose - check back often.  I will leave you with this for today - Everyone has dark days but just as the night can sometimes feel endless there is most certainly a sunrise every morning.