I must say I am proud of our EDGE family! I know we sprung some big changes on you and for the most part you are flowing with them. It is difficult to make everyone happy and also create a business that is sustainable. We had to decide one way or another to continue with our a la carte system or switch to an all inclusive program. We based our decision on your responses to our survey and most of you seem very happy with the change. We love that it coincides with our philosophy that fitness should be a lifestyle not a hobby. We hope that this opens you up to try new things and perhaps spend a little more time building a healthy body.
Most people do NOT like change. Many of you have your "favorite" class or "favorite" teacher. I would guess that for most of you it might just be the FIRST class you took or the first instructor you had..... am I right? We find things in our lives that we like and we stick with them! Let me offer something up to you though. We hear things like this all of the time -"I don't dance", "I am not coordinated", "I only like dance classes", "I can't do high impact" etc etc etc..... My husband often says "argue your limitations and they are yours" and he is right. Notice the words in what I just wrote above.... don't, not, only, cant. All negative and all describing limitations. What if we changed our thought process to make life about embracing things not pushing them away. What if we had the patience to try something more than once before making a decision on whether or not we liked it.
Example A - "Sally" takes mash-up on Friday and struggles with it. She says to herself "this is too hard and I am not coordinated enough to get any of this". She walk out and never takes the class again.
Example B - "Amy" takes the same class and feels the same emotions while taking the class but decides to give it another shot and understands that she might not get it on the first try. She takes it two more times at which point she is starting to enjoy parts of the class. She feels a sense of accomplishment in ADDITION to feeling good about working out.
Humans want to succeed and master tasks but most of us are too afraid to leave our content, happy place to try and master new things.
Example C - "Kristin" was always the last one picked in PE at school. She was tall and gangly and uncoordinated. In fact, her sixth grade teacher told her she couldn't hit the side of a barn if she was inside of the barn with the doors closed. Kristin spends years avoiding things she knows (or thinks) she is not good at. She avoids speaking in public, sports, jobs that she doesn't know exactly how to do. One day she looks at her life and realizes..... it is boring and she is not learning anything. She slowly steps out of her shell and eventually takes a fitness dance class. She is gangly and uncoordinated and frustrated taking it, but she doesn't give up. She gets better and starts to love it - so much so, she eventually teaches it.
Change is GOOD! Change helps us to grow and reach and achieve and thrive. It isn't always easy but the alternative is boring. Even then life will just get in there and change things anyway. I LOVE change now - I look for it and thrive on it. I hope you will give some new classes, or new instructors a try. You may just find that your life is richer and more rewarding than is was before. A caterpillar has to change in order to know what it is like to fly.
This Saturday, April 19th, we will begin our biggest loser challenge. It will last 3 months and is geared toward weight loss. We are requiring a minimum of 20 pounds of weight to lose to participate. This is where you come in. As you know the EDGE is all about making people feel comfortable. We don't care about what you wear or what you look like while your exercising. We are just after a healthier community. We know the hardest part is getting through the front door. We know every excuse that has ever been created to not go through that door. You also know that the people that come to the EDGE are very special. It is difficult to describe but the FAMILY we wanted to create has become a reality. Everyone is supportive, friendly, encouraging and accepting. We all get along well and love one another. Those that don't fit this profile don't stay and that is just fine with us.
How do we reach more people in our community? How do we get the non-exercisers to start exercising? You. We can advertise until we are blue in the face but people trust their friends and the opinions of those they know. Can you think of someone that has been wanting to start that weigh loss journey but can't seem to motivate themselves to start? Do you know someone who would feel better mentally and physically if they started exercising on a regular basis?
Our program will be motivating, encouraging, and most of all successful because we are all going to help one another. Please share this with your friends and family and maybe come with them to our meeting next Saturday at 11am. We are so excited to help more people feel good and have the energy to really LIVE their lives because that is what life is all about.... living.
I used to be a huge procrastinator. If I could put something off I would. To this day I still procrastinate - it is a hard habit to break (my taxes are not finished and probably wont be until the 15th). For the most part though, I try and do things as I think of them. I have since learned that all procrastination does is clog up your brain. It is always sitting in there waiting in the queue until you get to it. My brain needs all of the help it can get to fit things like choreography and swim meet dates into it (and all of your names!) I have also discovered the benefit of actually doing things right when you think of them. It doesn't give you a chance to get out of it. You just do it. No need for second guessing or allowing fear to come into the equation. No need for reminders or lists or post-its.
I think there are two reasons we procrastinate - fear and laziness. Fear is understandable but these things usually have a BIG payoff. If it is enough to scare you but you know you should do it, it is probably something that will benefit you in the future. Laziness is just laziness. Work is work..... or is it? I will go back to my previous post and say it is all about attitude and perspective. I know that if I do the dishes at night I wont have to do them in the morning. If I make that phone call right now I have a better chance to get an appointment.
Exercise is probably the one things that people procrastinate about most. I can see how sometimes it might be fear - can I do it? will people look at me? how out of shape am I? - and it is easy to see how laziness could factor in. Sitting on the couch sounds a whole lot easier than burpees at 5:30pm. I think giving yourself the option or choice to not workout is the biggest problem. When you change your mindset to know that it is something you NEED to do you will make the time and do it.
So fit it into your day. Squeeze out some time. Make room for endorphins and sweat and mental health and muscles. You will NEVER regret it. JUST DO IT!
I wish I could wrap it up and give it to all of you. I hope that everyone, at some point in their life, receives it. I am not sure how to even label it but it is one of the greatest gifts I have ever received. Admittedly I was blessed with it long before my cancer diagnosis and although that journey re-affimed it and made it stronger it was extremely helpful in my fight. I am talking about gratitude and a positive attitude. I wholeheartedly believe that life is based 100% on how we choose to look at it. I don't care what circumstances have transpired in your life, or how tragic the events, life can always be looked at with gratitude and positivity and the positivity comes from the gratitude.
I have one particular friend who I have seen change into a new person. He started a gratitude journal. 5 things that you are thankful for every day. He told me there were days when it was extremely hard to think of 5 things but he would not go to bed until he had those 5. He is a different man and is excited to share his transformation with others.
I drive my daughter to school everyday and lately she has been complaining about it. "I don't want to go" she would say or "it is only Tuesday". We sat down and made a list of all of the things that she is learning that go beyond the academics. How to deal with peer pressure and talk to adults. How to be assertive and have a good self image regardless of the mean things people say to you. I want to wave a magic wand over her and have it magically be better but that is not how it works. Her "gift" will come someday but it will have to come from inside her.
You may be stuck in a job you don't like, or a relationship that is rocky. You might struggle physically on a daily basis or feel lonely. Regardless of your situation I can guarantee that if you change your perspective your life will change.
At least I have a job, security, a pay check.....I will give it my best.
I fell in love with this person for a reason.... I will give them my best.
My foot might hurt but the rest of me feels good..... I will focus on that.
Feeling lonely? Come to the EDGE. We can fix that one for you.
I don't know about you but sugar is a bit like crack cocaine don't you think? I mean I have never done crack but I would guess that you can't just do a little bit of crack. Same with sugar - who really stops after one bite?
I don't usually share my diet (boring!) but thought I would share just a little something. I have been sugar free for about a week now. Not COMPLETELY sugar free. I eat fruit and veggies that have "sugar" in them but no added sugar. No desserts, or sweetened yogurt, or drinks... you get the idea. Here is what I have noticed. I feel so much better. I have more energy and a more consistent mood throughout the day. I am not as hungry and my skin is starting to look better. Most of all I have noticed that in the last few days I don't crave sugar like I used to. I guess I have been going through detox and am now on the other side of it. I like how I feel. I am going to try and continue on this "sugar-free" journey. I am not big on a whole bunch of restrictions - it just makes me want things more - but this is definitely doable. Who wants to join me?
I have been thinking a lot lately about what the EDGE really is. What business are we really in? The obvious answer is fitness or health but I don't think that is truly what we are providing. I think we are in the business of making people feel good. Simply that. Feel good emotionally, spiritually, mentally and physically. When you walk in the door I hope you feel good emotionally - I hope you are greeted by name with a sincere smile by someone who looks you in the eyes and really does care about your answer when they ask "how are you?" I hope while you are here you feel peace and comfort that goes beyond a surface level. I hope the positivity and love the EDGE was built on comes streaming into every sweaty pore and you walk away feeling refreshed and energized. I want the challenges that come with each class - following the moves, creating a mind/body connection, feeling the beat of the music - bring you mental clarity and help you focus and become sharper in other areas of your life. Lastly, I wish for you to physically feel great! I want you to notice one day that those aches and pains you perhaps had before are now gone and you just feel good being in your skin.
How could we be in any better business? We are so blessed to be able to provide something that everyone needs and desires and we do so with love in our hearts for you. As we grow I want to keep that integrity that we have built. I never want the EDGE to become "just another gym". We are special - and the reason we are special is because of all of you. Thank you for being an inspiration to others, motivation to others, a friend to others, and sharing your time with others. Suzanne and I know that life knocks you down sometimes. It always will.... that is life. When it does you have to brush yourself off and get up and keep going. The EDGE is a great place to safely do that. Sometimes the last thing you want to do is the first thing you need. The next time you are feeling crummy and want to just hide on the couch, take a breath and get yourself here. All you have to do is walk through the door and we will take care of the rest. We will help you feel better...... we might even help you feel GOOD.
What a great day New Year's Day is! Full of promise and opportunity! A chance for a fresh start - wipe the slate clean. How do you feel today? Ready to take on the world? Up for new challenges? Feeling motivated? I am sure many will say to themselves a sentence that starts with "this year I am going to.....". Why can't every day feel like this? Why don't we wake up every single morning thankful for the opportunity to start over and excited to do things better? No reason. This is my resolution and has been for a few years now. Take on life with vigor and appreciation - every day a new day. Every day a new chance to love, give, learn, grow, succeed, accomplish, experience and climb. We wish you a year of new beginnings and if you find yourself walking through our door we will be here to help you reach and strive toward a life of living on the EDGE.
Happy New Year!!
As joyful as this time of year can be for many it is also a very difficult time for some. I myself reflect on when I lost my Mom at age 23 five days before Thanksgiving. I was also diagnosed with cancer 3 years ago 4 days before Christmas. The holidays can be stressful remembering those that are no longer with us. Many people have financial burdens that are compounded this time of year and for those struggling with health and weight loss there are temptations around every corner. How do we manage? I am not a doctor or psychiatrist but I want to share with you how I stay positive, satisfied and at peace no matter where my life takes me or what time of year it is.
1) Be thankful. Easier said than done but when you find gratitude in even the smallest of things your life takes on new meaning. Once I stopped "asking" for more and started counting what I already had I felt "full" instead of "hungry" all of the time.
2) Forgive. Whatever wrongs others have done to you holding onto it only hurts you. When you feel the freedom that comes with forgiveness you will breathe easier.
3) Find satisfaction in yourself. This one is very difficult for me but when I remind myself that I was born exactly as I was suppose to be I can relax a little and learn to love those extra moles or lapses in memory. When we turn our "flaws" around and call them unique qualities we have a new perspective.
4) Practice giving. Whether it is the parking space everyone is after or the last cart at the grocery store the joy that comes from giving (especially random acts of kindness) is profound and pure.
5) Breathe. Grown ups need time outs too. Sometimes all it takes is a full 60 seconds to calm your breath down and slow your heartbeat. When we can get our physical bodies under control our minds don't go so crazy with the "what ifs" or the "I can'ts" or the "I don'ts". Are all of those things you are really stressed about life and death?
6) Find faith. Your faith may be different than mine but having faith in something larger than yourself ( Humanity, God etc) gives you something to hold onto. I have had multiple times in my life where I felt like I was free falling with nothing but a crash in sight. If I did not have faith to hold onto I surely would have splattered on the ground.
7) Exercise (of course). One of the BEST stress relievers. Instead of forgoing your workout to get the shopping done try to squeeze at least a few minutes in. It is ironic that the one thing that can really help relieve stress is also the one thing that we don't make time to do when we are stressed out.
Suzanne and I wish all of you a very enjoyable and peaceful Thanksgiving. We hope you find small things to be thankful for in your lives as well as large things. We are very thankful for each and every one of you and will count you in our blessings on Thanksgiving day.
Eleven years ago I moved to this area. I had a 3 year old boy and a baby girl on my hip at the time and was hoping this would be the place I would land for awhile. After the long search for the perfect house we finally moved in and I immediately got to know my next door neighbor - you might know her - her name is Suzanne;) We both had 3 year old sons and a bit in common and we hit it off right away.
One day she was telling me about her part time job as a fitness instructor and told me I should come check out her BodyPump class. I had never set foot in a gym. I was always so intimidated by them - "what if I can't do it?", "what if I am not wearing the right thing?", "what if I make a fool out of myself?". I mustered up the courage to go mostly to impress my new friend - I didn't want her to think I was a wimp.
My heart racing I did my very best to follow the choreography and have good form using these things called weights :) After one class I was hooked. Her teaching ability truly inspired me to push myself and I could not believe how FUN it was!
When I had a few classes under my belt I decided to venture even further into the unknown and try a class that Suzanne didn't teach. There was this dance class on Wednesday nights that sounded intriguing - I always enjoyed dancing at parties but I had never (ever) taken a single dance class in my entire life. "Oh well, lets try it. If I make a fool out of myself I don't have to go back". Two of my now mentors were the instructors of that class. I must admit the first class was challenging and I left feeling a little frustrated but found myself trying to remember the moves once I got home. I also found myself thinking about it all week so that when Wednesday rolled around again I was ready to give it another try. Somehow those instructors motivated me to try harder and kept me coming back for more. Eventually, I was going every week and loved that I could learn a whole dance routine.
Fast forward to today. After many certifications in different formats of fitness classes my love is truly dance. I have a deep appreciation for anyone who can dance and especially those who have helped me learn how to dance along the way. There is something so freeing and passionate about moving your body to inspirational music. I have now tried to follow in my mentors footsteps by creating a constantly moving, multiple style, fitness dance class - the Mash Up. Please come give it a try on Wednesday nights at 6:30. I want to share my passion with you and help you fall in love with dance as much as I have.
I have been a major recipient of incredible generosity throughout my life. I have also been incredibly blessed with amazing family and friends. When Suzanne and I opened The EDGE we wanted to use the business to give back to our community - not only by providing a fun and affordable way for people to gather and be healthy but also by contributing to local charities. Last year we had a lot of fun coming up with ideas for how to raise money for causes we cared about and things that have touched our lives. We raised money for the Pismo Beach Fire Department, American Cancer Society, Lucile Packard Children's Heart Center at Stanford, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the Society of African American Engineers at Cal Poly.
Our Edge community is incredibly generous. You have helped us to make a difference and we have come together on a united front for many things but on top of the financial giving we have seen so much more. You offer each other encouragement. You take a few extra minutes to check in with someone who might be new or feeling a bit intimidated. You let us know how your classes are going and encourage us on your way out. You trust us with stories from your lives and let us in. I can't tell you how many times I have found "anonymous" angels who have put new paper towels in the bathroom or turned off the fans etc. We are a family and it really shows.
On October 27th we will be walking with our Edge team - team knowlEDGE - at the second annual 5k Making Strides for Breast Cancer walk in downtown SLO. The EDGE will be leading everyone in a warm up before the walk starts and then we get to enjoy a beautiful stroll through downtown neighborhoods. All of the money raised will go to help local people with breast cancer. We would love to raise more money and have more people on our team than last year. If you feel called to do so think about signing up for the walk. There is no fee for entering and no minimum fundraising requirement. We will be closed the day of the walk so this is a fabulous way to get your workout in - not to mention you know we are going to have a blast! If you have never done a walk I challenge you to try this one - you wont regret it! Thank you for being all that you are - YOU are our greatest gift at the EDGE!
As we approach the first full year of being in business I have been reflecting on all of the challenges, milestones and people we have experienced along the way. The things we have learned and the growth we have experienced as women business owners has been surprising, exhausting (at times) but most of all rewarding. Many things we thought would happen didn't and many other things that we were not expecting did happen. We knew that we would meet amazing, determined, dedicated, accepting and positive people. "If you build it they will come" right? This was the atmosphere we were going for and boy did you deliver! Our EDGE family could not be built any better - there is not a bad apple in the bunch! You have all so inspired us and we learn so much from you on a daily basis. Some of you we see regularly and others come in spurts but every time you walk through the door you bring the sunshine with you. Most of the time just walking through the door is the hardest part. We love watching how you connect with others in the studio and have made friends. We love to watch you challenge yourselves but most of all we love watching you grow stronger.
I have always been the kind of person who likes to do things on my own. I want to know I can do things without any ones help. That is pride I guess, and too much of it. I have always wanted to own my own business. My father had his own business and from a young age I wanted to do the same thing. After being a fitness instructor for several years the idea of opening my own studio would roll around in my head often but I never really had the courage to jump. Suzanne had been having the same thoughts too. We were not sure what owning this business together would do to our friendship - it was a big risk. What if we didn't operate the same way? Was it worth risking our friendship and the friendships of our families over? The answer came back yes. I am so happy that I did NOT do this on my own. If I had I would have nobody to share the joy with. Suzanne has always been an incredible friend - with me through thick and thin when the floor was about to drop out. She reads me, knows me and understands me. I would not have wanted to be on this adventure with anyone else. I love her more and more as we move through this chapter of our lives together.
What I am trying to say is that life is worth sharing. Milestones and goals and successes are worth sharing. Challenges and failures are worth sharing too. As you move toward your fitness goals find someone you can share the ride with - it makes it so much more enjoyable. Besides, you will always have someone there in case you fall:)
I love you EDGE family! Thank you for a great first year and I hope it is one of many!
I think exercise is very much an addiction - a good addiction - but still an addiction. Once you start enjoying exercise your body starts to crave it - just like any other drug. Things start to happen when you don't get it - you become grouchy, short tempered, aggravated - just like any other drug. The difference with exercise is that it is hard to become addicted to it. It takes awhile. Sometimes months. It can be a long uphill battle to obtain the desire to exercise. It usually starts out as something you have to do or need to do but eventually the crave starts to kick in. Eventually you start to see how much better you feel - you notice that you have more energy and need less sleep. Your brain works better - you are sharper and have a better memory. You are kinder and have more patience. A nice little side benefit of exercising is that you tend to eat healthier once you start to notice the physical effects of exercise.
As with anything in life it is important to find that perfect balance - your happy place. The point where you are exercising enough and still getting the rest your body needs. For most of us it is more than what we think. Suzanne and I exercise several hours every day 6 days a week. We rest on Sunday. By Monday we are ready to go again. If we end up taking more than a couple of days off we really start to feel it. Of course it has taken years for our bodies to really be comfortable with the amount of exercise. Listen to your body and don't be afraid to push yourself to the next level every once in awhile. When you reach that point where you think your are fully addicted you can join our EAAPOI group.... EXERCISE ADDICT AND PROUD OF IT!
Nothing like the present to face your fears! We have an opportunity for you to do just that on Saturday, March 24th. Suzanne and I will be teaching Zumba on stage at the Madonna Expo center for the Health and Fitness Expo from 12:15 - 12:45pm. We would love to have you on stage with us! We want people of all ages, body types and fitness levels to show everyone how easy Zumba is and how fun fitness can be! We will be doing routines that we have been doing for awhile now so if you have been coming to class you will be familiar with them. Please let us know if you are interested in being on our stage team! If that isn't your cup of tea come and join us on the ground to help others feel more comfortable as they follow us. We will have a VERY good expo special going on that weekend so be sure to stop by our booth if you can't make the Zumba class. Grab your inner performer and feel the thrill of butterflies in your stomach - you wont regret it!
You may have noticed that we now have a massage therapist renting out our back space in the building. Her name is Sarah. Sarah started coming to The Edge several months ago after her recent move from the bay area. She had built quite a clientele up there and was driving up every other week for 3 very long days of back to back massages. She sat in our parking lot after a class one day and had this feeling come over her that perhaps The Edge was a perfect place to set up shop on the central coast. Little did she know that that very week Suzanne and I were seriously talking about renting out the back room to help us make our increased rent that month. Suzanne and I are extremely careful about the people we have in our space. We have worked really hard to create a space of comfort and peace. The energy at The Edge is special - hopefully you can feel it when you walk in the door. We needed the perfect person to share our space with us. In walks Sarah asking if we have any space to rent and everything clicked right into place. She went to work creating a beautiful and serene oasis - the perfect place to completely relax.
Right away she offered us a massage so we would be familiar with her services. As many of you know we have been teaching every single class since our opening last July. We also have very busy family lives so it has been hard to "squeeze in" a massage. Yesterday, finally, we both made the time. I myself have only had a couple of massages my entire life. Suzanne has had quite a few. After yesterday I know that is going to change for me. Sarah made me feel so comfortable. I walked into her room as a customer and was transported immediately to a new place. The dim lighting, the soft music, the atmosphere was so inviting. The minute I laid down on that warm table I was in heaven. She went to work knowing exactly what I needed - the perfect pressure - focusing on all of my points of tension without me having to tell her. She was so quiet and effective. When it was over (so sad) I was a renewed person. I have never felt that good after a massage and Suzanne concurred. Lesson learned. We both needed to take the time, for ourselves and our families, to balance our bodies, refresh our minds, and renew our spirits. It is called massage "therapy" and now I know why. That was the best hour spent in a long time. I strongly recommend that you take some time and balance your workouts with a wonderful massage. I know I will be doing that on a regular basis from now on.
Sarah is offering our Edge clients an incredible introductory special - $50 for an hour and $75 for 90 minutes. This special will not last long so instead of putting off some me time because you can't "squeeze" it in give her a call and make some time for yourself. It will be completely worth it!
Something many of us strive for but few will achieve. What is perfection? Too many people spend their lives looking to find satisfaction in achieving "perfection". With the media and photoshop it is sometimes hard to not feel inferior when we look in the mirror. The "if only"s start to creep in. I have spent many hours and countless amounts of energy working toward that idea of perfection in my life. I even had a short stint with an eating disorder as a young adult that made me feel terrible but gave me the physical results I wanted. And why? For what? I am now 42 years old and know that I will never have a perfect body and honestly I wouldn't want one. I have a bit of a belly that is evidence of the birth of my two beautiful children. I have moles all over - a gift from my grandmother that will stick with me longer than any china would. I have many scars from my battle with breast cancer that I wear with pride knowing I fought hard and came out stronger on the other side. My wrinkles are a sign of a life well lived. What I see in the mirror might not look perfect to you but it is most certainly perfect to me. I have the freedom to work on other things in my life that are really important like health, community, relationships and spiritual growth. I hope when you look in the mirror you see the perfection that is you and the beauty of your uniqueness. I hope you strive for better health, strength and stamina not a size 0. Change your view and change your life:)
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!
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:)
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.
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.
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.
