Huge Realizations

Well this journey has not been easy. For some reason I had it in my mind that 20 minutes of daily conscious movement would be easy. No problem to get in 12, 13, or even 14 days, but so far my max consecutive days remains under a week.

It is so easy to not make time for yourself. We make all sorts of commitments for meetings, doctor appointments, coffee dates with friends, phone calls to parents, and we usually follow through with our plans. Why is it so difficult to break plans with another person yet it is so easy to break plans with yourself.

There were many times when I had made a date with myself to hit the gym, dance, or take a yoga class and many of those times I was stood up .... by myself!!! I know I am not the only one who does this. In fact, I think I would be correct in thinking that many of us do this. Our culture encourages a fast pace life full of schedules with agendas that do not include time for ourselves. Come to think of it, do we truly honor and respect a person when they take time for themselves or do we see them as selfish and proceed pour layers of guilt upon them???

For years I have not honored myself. I have not schedule the time to take care of me. When I did I would often change my mind and decided to watch TV or surf the internet instead. Loving yourself is just like being in a relationship. It takes patience, compassion, forgiveness, strength, courage, and work! I'm not sure I have ever truly loved myself. I know this sounds so dreary and depressing but I truly can't remember a day when I have not criticized myself in one way or another ... usually pertaining to my body. WoW! I would be overwhelmed counting every time I was uncomfortable in my own skin, feeling insecure about my arms, my hair, my belly. Because of this I have closed myself off to so many opportunities to shine! I have avoided so many situations just to hide my body, including sex!!

This is heavy stuff man! I don't want to carry this anymore. I want to make the time to love myself. I want to commit to the plans I make with myself and take the time honor my body. How would the world be different if we all truly loved ourselves? Think of how easy it would be to love each other.

20 minutes everyday is challenging, but after all of this deep reflection it sure seems to me that it is worth it!

Day 1-5 and back to Zero

So I started over last Saturday after finding no time on Friday to get sweaty.

Saturday, Sunday - SKI SKI SKI

Monday - Snowshoe

Tuesday, Wednesday SKI SKI SKI

I love getting my physical activity outdoors and away from the confines of the gym. It feels good to have my feet on the earth ... or in these cases my skis and snowshoes. However, I still found myself craving the intensity of a work out that I can achieve at the gym and after a full day of skiing I still found myself in the gym by the afternoon.

I have not worked out in the past 3 days. I think it is part alcohol related and part emotional influences. It's very challenging to pull myself off the couch when I am feeling hung over or sad. I'm going to try to start over again today at day 1. Some people say that working out makes you feel better. We will see, but for now it's Day Zero.

Made it to Day 6 ... starting over tomorrow

I can't remember what I did on Day 4 but I know that I spun poi on Day 5 and rode my bike on Day 6.

But today is Sunday, and we sprung forward one hour and I am feeling the change. So I am allowing myself a day of adjustment and I will start again tomorrow.

I guess the nice thing about this journey so far is that I can always start again tomorrow.

Day 2 and 3 .... Very Sweaty

Flatirons Athletic Club

1 hour each day

Cardio to the Max!

I have been going through a lot of resistance in my life lately and I think I took it all out at the gym these past two days. Tuesday I hit the treadmill, rowing machine and eliptical. It was easy to do because the gym was playing the biggest loser on every TV screen. It's hard not to be motivated when you see people twice your size busting their ass.

Wednesday I went to a ski conditioning class ... squats squats and more squats!!!

day 2 ...Planet motion

Alchemy of Movement

1 hour

Sweat Sweat Sweat

Basically I spent this evening in a tribal dance intoxication. It was great. There is no better way to work out than when you forget you are working out and surrender to the music!

Day 1 Walking and Yoga.

It was beautiful outside today so I spent it walking with my girlfriend. It was a great way to get some movement and catch up with my friend.

Later that day I found the energy to also attend a 90 minute yoga class. It pretty much kicked my butt at times but overall I felt very accomplished by the end of it.

Day 7 .... I'm not sure this really counts.

I went out Friday night in to Saturday morning. Yes, I was dancing my ass off at 1:00 am on Saturday but I am not sure this really counts as my conscious, sweaty movement. Maybe I should make a disclaimer that the movement can not be alcohol induced.

So I'll be starting over at Day 1 because the rest of Saturday I spent recovering from the early morning dance party. It's OK though. I feel no disappointment.