How Healthy Are You?

This can be a tough question to answer. Mainly because at least once a week we are bombarded with news stories and social media posts about the hottest sure fire way to achieve “the best body ever!” But is health really all about looks? Well, not in my experience. Growing up as a strong athlete, I was certainly never thin, but it didn’t matter, I could play. I could play well. After an injury I became very nervous that without my sport my size was no longer “acceptable”, so when my college career was over I fought hard to keep thin so I would fit into the standard definition of “healthy.”  Well my drive to attain optimal fitness only led me to a depleted body, which while thin, was far from healthy.  I spent way too much time beating myself up for “ruining everything.” Luckily, I had the support I needed to kick my competitive side into gear, get back on track, and really get healthy. It has been about two years since that time and I am well on my way.  Ups and downs for sure, but it’s only the first inning! The most important step in reaching the level of health I was seeking was redefining what it means to be healthy.

            The answers were not in any magazine waiting to be purchased at the checkout counter. There was no magic food, pill, diet or fast that would bring real, lasting health.  The real key to health is becoming a good listener. The human body is an amazing machine telling you exactly what it needs; all we need to do is respond. While this sounds simple, it is one of the most difficult things to do. What our body needs is so often drowned out by emotions, distractions, and trying very hard to live by the “should do” rules.  Well all the “shoulds” can get hard to juggle, so I say lets drop those and start discovering authentic health. Approaching everything from a competitor’s mindset, being healthy, like any other goal, is easily achieved with the right team. Think of your mind, body and spirit as a health team.  All three must work together, communicate and contribute in order to reach the dream!   Unlike a diet plan, or recipe, this approach cannot be implemented instantaneously. It takes a bit of practice, patience and perseverance. Even though, my recipes are often food related, I thought I would provide a new type of health recipe to kick-start a real health plan!

MIND BODY SPIRIT HEALTH

1.     Take deep breaths several times a day to clear your head and check in- think microwave mediation (Mind)

2.     Prepare and eat real food on a daily basis - it can be as simple as oatmeal and granola in the morning or easy stir fry for dinner!  (Body) 

3.     Exercise daily, even short walks count! (Body/Spirit)

4.     Engage a personal passion every day – do something you love that is just for you! (Spirit)

It sounds simple, but getting all of these while trying to make deadlines, finish projects, make appointments, tackle to-do lists and make sure everyone else is taken care of if no easy feat.  But as Mahatma Gandhi once said, 

“I should love to satisfy all, if I possibly can;
but in trying to satisfy all, I may be able to satisfy none …”

In order to satisfy all that matter, we must first satisfy ourselves.  To be truly satisfied and able to live in our full expression, optimal health of mind, body and spirit are essential. Test the recipe above and see what kind of difference it makes in your Monday!

Old Habits Die Hard

Ever feel frustrated by the disconnect between what you know is good for you, what you know you should be doing or not doing and what you actually do? I experience this dissonance regularly and it can be exhausting! Even though my weekend yoga retreat led to a calmer start to the week, the everyday curveballs that make life interesting quickly cut though my Zen cloud and I found myself falling right back into old habits.  Rushing to my email immediately upon waking up, spending excessive amounts of time ‘planning’ my day to fit absolutely everything possible and accomplish all my to do’s.  Even though it was easy to revert back to my ‘overdrive’ default, something was different. I was aware. I was aware that I was up to my old tricks and that I preferred how I felt when my mind was clam.  I tried very hard to employ my microwave meditation practice to see if I could reign in the crazy, but the stillness from Monday was elusive.

So since that didn't work I decided to use my microwave to make some breakfast! Delicious oatmeal meal with almond butter, granola and banana! Perfect for a cold morning. I guess some old habits aren’t so bad!

Love spoons that talk :) 

But I was not ready to give up on finding a way to maintain my peace of mind. I decided to take a different approach. Breaking old habits can be hard. In fact, it can be one of the most difficult things to do! So instead of trying to break old habits, I am going to make new ones. I have always been better at addition that subtraction anyway! I wanted a new habit that would foster the notion of leading with heart instead of head or ego.   Like learning any new skill, I needed to consult some experts or coaches to help! I was inspired last weekend at our Cape May Yoga retreat and so deiced to employ one of the presenter's techniques.   This morning, after a few deep breaths, focusing on making space for today, I flipped through the pages of book that offers mini mantras for living a life with heart - to see what the ‘universe’ had to tell me.  The page that opened simply read:

“I am willing to release the need for this condition.”  

Now if that is not universal alignment, what is!? Sure some may say it is mere coincidence, but what fun is that?!  So I took another deep breath and released my negative patterns and habits, and let go of my resistance to doing so. The idea of 'resistance to doing so' was an interesting concept. Why is it that I resist being more protective of free time or down time? What is it about having time to relax that makes me so uncomfortable? What is it that makes us hold on so tightly to patterns or habits that interfere with our health?

Well, instead of wasting energy figuring it out, I let it go, let it pass like a cloud.  So with a little help from the words of Louise Hay, I was able to make space for today, by letting go of my resistance.  As always, it is all about self talk, what we tell ourselves about ourselves (right Dad?).  I am done trying to break old habits. Instead, I am excited to make new ones! A new habit that cultivates positive thoughts. When you think good things good things will happen. It’s science!

What negative thoughts or patterns can you let go of?

Making Space For Today

It has been a while. Several months since I have written and I am so thankful to have had an experience that brought me back, that helped me rediscover my voice…in more ways than one! Last weekend I attended a yoga retreat in Cape May with my grandmother, aunt and mom.  The experience is only a few days old and I don’t think I have fully processed it yet. So many things were shared and discussed and brought to light. I am still sorting and waiting for the dust to settle. But the experience as a whole was nothing short of transformative.  The retreat was not fancy or plush or or tucked away in an idyllic mountain range. The simplicity and relevance of the people, the practice and environment was incredibly humbling. 

Cape May Yoga Retreat Sunset

Buffalo "Chicken"

While there were many ideas that the different meditations and workshops cultivated and surfaced, it is a unique mantra that continues to resonate.  After returning to a busy city on Super Bowl Sunday, with a to do list a mile long that had piled up from the weekend and a jam-packed week ahead, I had concerns that my natural tendency to shift into overdrive would rob the peace and contentment I had obtained.   And then, all of the sudden, I simply decided it wouldn’t. It was like the first time you realize that you actually have learned how to ride your bike and you’re not going to fall off. That moment when you have finally figured it out. When I returned home Sunday, I had no sense of panic or urgency. I slowly unpacked and invited a friend over to make some delicious buffalo “chicken” bites and YUUMM (heart center) cookies. Both of those recipes are outrageously good so certainly more to come on those later J But the feeling that was swelling inside was not one of urgency but of love and I wanted to share it. My emails could wait until tomorrow. I wanted to enjoy the now, the moment, before it was over.

YUMM..Heart Center Cookies ;) Thanks Mom!

The current focal point of the weekend that is lucid is the ability to remain and live in the moment and allow for the possibility of now. Yoga is now. When I woke up on Monday morning, I felt not need to jump back into my old routine of flipping on the news to see what I had “missed.” Instead, I stayed the course of the retreat and practiced ”microwave” mediation. Our retreat meditation leader used this term and it just seemed so relevant:  quick, easy and effective.  I took several deep breaths, stretched and allowed my breath to offer a direction for the day. As I took deep breaths I felt as though I was creating space in my body, space for today. Creating space for today and the opportunities and blessings it could bring and how I could be an actor of love and light. Letting yesterday and tomorrow flow out with every exhale.

Just another day in Rittenhouse Park!

Every deep inhale was more space and energy for today, just today. Yesterday, despite a pretty unruly snow storm I was able to live my life with ease and with an open heart. It was a great day. So this morning I did the same. I made space with several deep inhales and let go with every exhale.  Which led me back to a real passion, writing. So happy I made space.  I cannot predict what today will hold, but I do know I will live with ease and with an open heart. 

What can you make space for today?