Hello poppits! Greetings from a very hot Mississauga!
I've been noodling over this blog all day, wondering what brilliant bits of inspiration I can give to my small but loyal followers...and I'm coming up with nothing! So, I thought I'd give you an update on what I've been doing for the past week.
On the eating & exercise front, it's been a bit of a downer for me. I exercised Wednesday of last week, hard, by myself. Achieving my goal of an additional 30 skips for my workout (up to 360 now) and doing some weight work, squats and stretches. It was a great workout and I was quite proud of myself. I even did some ab crunches on the ball. Then I went to my workout with The Evil One Thursday and, just as I was tying my shoe, I threw out my back. Oie! So I walked out into the gym, bent over like a hunchback where I went through a series of stretches and some massage. That aching lasted for several days, unfortunately, so the rest of the weekend was a write off. On a positive note, the back is better now, but it made me realize I need to get back on track to take care of myself again.
The eating has been a challenge as well. Every day I start out with good intentions, but by the time evening rolls around, I have succumbed to my temptations. I need to figure this out as it's starting to get REALLY annoying. Not to mention I can't seem to shake off the weight I gained after Machu Picchu. Sooooooooo....here are my commitments to myself:
1) I will join a gym in the west end. I have one in mind, that's enroute to my job in Mississauga. My life has shifted from 3 days in Toronto to 3 days in Mississauga and it's time to start adjusting my ever-important work out routine. I commit to working out at least three times/week, including a workout with The Evil One.
2) I will get back to some of my old, good habits ... like ...
- not eating after 7:00
- eliminating grains
- fruit & yogurt once/day
- eliminating dairy
I'm looking forward to getting back to "normal". I kinda hate feeling crappy, truth be told. Crappy both physically and emotionally. Yeesh, how much weight does a girl have to lose before she can feel good about herself?!?
Werner asked me (again!) what are my triggers for eating. I really don't know. Actually, that's not true. I noodled this a bit and have actually tried to pay attention and, to be truthful, the question Werner should be asking is "What DOESN'T trigger me to eat?!?" Seriously...I eat when I'm happy, when I'm bummed, when I'm angry, when I'm bored, when I'm not bored, when I'm hungry, when I'm not hungry...get the picture?!?
It's kinda crazy, if you think about it. I mean, how long have I been at this losing weight thing? And why do I STILL hear chocolate brownies calling my name?!? It's getting old.
So, there you have it, poppits. Nothing inspirational, just glimpses into the never-ending saga that is my Journey to Good Health. Even through it all, I am still grateful for the weight I've lost...for the ability to continue exercising and better myself with each workout...for my amazing support network who love me regardless of my size or my mental state, which we all know changes like the wind!
I guess this struggling is all part of the journey, but I must admit that I'll be glad when it's over. Today The Evil One asked me if I could "visualize" myself at my optimal weight. To be truthful, I can't. But I can remember the great feeling of accomplishment after I've pushed myself one step further during the workout. Or the feeling of pride when I looked down at the conveyor belt in the grocery store upon seeing my healthy choices for that day. Those are the feelings I'm going for right now.
One step at a time, poppits, one step at a time...
(a)yt xox
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Pick your party, people!
Hi everyone! I hope you are keeping cool. Can it get any muggier?!? Yeesh!
This past week has been spent focusing on everything OTHER THAN eating properly and exercising regularly... not a good thing, poppits!
As you know, I've been feeling out of sorts since my return from Peru. I just can't seem to get anything right. I know this because I'm staring at a dusty, disorganized mess that is my condo, contemplating what else I can put into my mouth...even after eating a nice, healthy salad for dinner. I'm in trouble, once again!
As I think back on this challenging time, I realize I've run the spectrum of emotions...
... SAD that the trip is over
... CONFUSED about "what's next?" with me and my eating and exercise goals
... HAPPY that my work contracts have started
... RELIEVED that I can start digging myself out of the hole of debt
... THANKFUL that I have a great support network of people who are positive, loving and generous
... FRUSTRATED that I can't seem to get my weight loss "mojo" back
... TICKED OFF at myself that I continue to expend mountainous emotional energy on mole hill issues.
When I originally sat down to type this blog, I was going to invite you to my "pity party" while I droned on about how horrible the transition back to reality has been and how I just can't seem to feel good about myself. I was going to recommend that you B.Y.O.T (Bring Your Own Tissues) because, clearly, I am too self-absorbed to think of tissues for anyone else. Um, does this sound like a party YOU want to go to?!?
Fortunately for all concerned, I've given myself a mental head smack and said "SNAP OUT OF IT!!" This particular pity party has been canceled.
Instead, I'd like to invite you to another party. THIS party has...
... music you can dance to even if you have two left feet and no rhythm
... yummy tasting drinks that give you a slight buzz but do not lead you down the path of embarrassment
... food that tantalizes your taste buds without plumping your hips
... conversation that stimulates your brain, your heart and your soul
... people that make you laugh, make you think and make you want to never leave their side.
Does this sound like YOUR kind of party?!? I know I wouldn't want to leave! Sooooo, how do we get there?
Acceptance of and pride in who you are. Other people love & accept us just as we are, why can't we do the same with ourselves? Hmmmm.....
OK poppits, I'm closing the door on my pity party and I am about to walk into my new party. I can hear Kool & The Gang's song "Celebrate" wrapping up in the background. I smell the aroma of different, decadent foods. I see a bar with cocktail shakers and colorful bottles. Everyone inside is smiling or laughing and several people have their arms outstretched ready to greet me. As I get closer to the door, KC & The Sunshine Band comes on, and I KNOW I am ready to shake, shake, shake my booty. Who's walking in with me?!?
Here's wishing you the ability to see yourself through the eyes of a loved one.
(a)yt xox
This past week has been spent focusing on everything OTHER THAN eating properly and exercising regularly... not a good thing, poppits!
As you know, I've been feeling out of sorts since my return from Peru. I just can't seem to get anything right. I know this because I'm staring at a dusty, disorganized mess that is my condo, contemplating what else I can put into my mouth...even after eating a nice, healthy salad for dinner. I'm in trouble, once again!
As I think back on this challenging time, I realize I've run the spectrum of emotions...
... SAD that the trip is over
... CONFUSED about "what's next?" with me and my eating and exercise goals
... HAPPY that my work contracts have started
... RELIEVED that I can start digging myself out of the hole of debt
... THANKFUL that I have a great support network of people who are positive, loving and generous
... FRUSTRATED that I can't seem to get my weight loss "mojo" back
... TICKED OFF at myself that I continue to expend mountainous emotional energy on mole hill issues.
When I originally sat down to type this blog, I was going to invite you to my "pity party" while I droned on about how horrible the transition back to reality has been and how I just can't seem to feel good about myself. I was going to recommend that you B.Y.O.T (Bring Your Own Tissues) because, clearly, I am too self-absorbed to think of tissues for anyone else. Um, does this sound like a party YOU want to go to?!?
Fortunately for all concerned, I've given myself a mental head smack and said "SNAP OUT OF IT!!" This particular pity party has been canceled.
Instead, I'd like to invite you to another party. THIS party has...
... music you can dance to even if you have two left feet and no rhythm
... yummy tasting drinks that give you a slight buzz but do not lead you down the path of embarrassment
... food that tantalizes your taste buds without plumping your hips
... conversation that stimulates your brain, your heart and your soul
... people that make you laugh, make you think and make you want to never leave their side.
Does this sound like YOUR kind of party?!? I know I wouldn't want to leave! Sooooo, how do we get there?
Acceptance of and pride in who you are. Other people love & accept us just as we are, why can't we do the same with ourselves? Hmmmm.....
OK poppits, I'm closing the door on my pity party and I am about to walk into my new party. I can hear Kool & The Gang's song "Celebrate" wrapping up in the background. I smell the aroma of different, decadent foods. I see a bar with cocktail shakers and colorful bottles. Everyone inside is smiling or laughing and several people have their arms outstretched ready to greet me. As I get closer to the door, KC & The Sunshine Band comes on, and I KNOW I am ready to shake, shake, shake my booty. Who's walking in with me?!?
Here's wishing you the ability to see yourself through the eyes of a loved one.
(a)yt xox
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Hurts so good...
I'm doing one of my favourite things, as you all know. I'm sitting at a Starbucks location. This time it's in the heart of the financial district in downtown Toronto. I'm waiting for some of my Adler peeps to show up for our monthly "Coaches' Corner" get together. It's 15 minutes past the starting point and I have a feeling that I'm going to be this month's only participant. This is not a bad thing as it gives me a chance to write this note.
I attended the funeral of my Aunt Elsie yesterday. Although a sad occasion when anyone leaves this world, this time it was a blessing. Aunt Elsie, normally full of life with quick wit and a GREAT laugh, spent the last few months in alot of pain. It's good that she's no longer suffering. Now it's the family that will have to deal with their pain...
When I think of my memories of Aunt Elsie, I am always reminded of a woman who supported me with my weight loss journey. I remember sitting beside her one day while she was playing cards. I never liked PLAYING cards, but I enjoyed the bantering and trash-talking that always happened during a card game. For the record, Aunt Elsie could keep up with the best of them in terms of trash talking.
ANYWAY....
I was a teenager and was quite self-conscious of my weight. Aunt Elsie turned to me in between card hands and said "You losing weight, honey? You look good! I mean that. Listen honey, do yourself a favour and lose the weight while you're young. It gets really hard when you get old like me." On that day, Aunt Elsie was the only person who a) noticed and b) said anything about my effort to lose weight. It made me love her to bits!
Throughout my years of roller-coaster weights, Aunt Elsie would always tell me "you look good, honey", regardless of how big or small I was. I knew she meant it and was (and still am) grateful for her kind words and observations. I tip my hat, my laptop and my Venti Decaf Americano to you, Aunt Elsie! You will be missed by many, whose lives you probably didn't even realize you touched.
Before Aunt Elsie died, I was speaking with her son (my cousin) about her status. He was spending alot of time with Aunt Elsie and Uncle Pete, taking care of her and their business. He kept talking about her pain and the suffering she endured. I could tell he was in pain watching her. It reminded me of the pain I'd experienced in my life, and got me thinking about the different kinds of pain we all suffer...and how to cope.
Below are a couple of tips I've used to help me get through some harrowing, pain-filled days in my life:
#1 - TALK IT THROUGH
My cousin, Mansour, normally a happy-easy-to-smile kinda guy was really down. I could feel his angst over Skype. By the end of our conversation, he seemed to perk up and even laugh out loud on a few occasions. His pain was managed by a simple conversation - one where he was able to talk about his challenges and then let them go temporarily. For me, I felt overwhelmed by his pain so I had to figure out a way to put my anxiety aside and focus on him. This was a challenge to me, but something worthwhile for me to learn. I was so happy to see Mansour's BIG smile return to his face by the end of the conversation. I will always be grateful for my support network. During times when you're in pain, talk it through. If you're not a talker, like me, journal or write down your experience and what you're feeling. I know it sounds "touchy feely", but believe me, it will provide relief. During those dark times, ya gotta grab that relief whenever you can.
#2 - TAKE TIME FOR YOU
In 2009, I blogged about the challenges I faced when I was dealing with a crappy work environment on top of the rapid decline of my mom. May to October 2009 were dark months for me. One of the few things that kept me going were my weekly workouts with The Evil One. Although they weren't the most pleasurable (as you will recall!), they were 100% focused on me - on my improvement and good health. Those one hour sessions were my refuge from the challenges I experienced at work and the pain of watching my mother suffer. When you're constantly focused on others, it's really important to take care of yourself. For me, the physical exercise was great. Whatever you choose, pick something you enjoy and is 100% focused on you. It may feel a bit decadent, but YOU ARE WORTH IT!
#3 - LET IT GO
Sometimes people feel pain for a long period of time... Somebody said something to hurt you... You keep revisiting a part of your past that was difficult...you said or did something to someone that you regret (that's my favourite!)... Do any of these sound familiar?!? I'm notorious for re-living past moments of pain, especially when I've caused it to someone else. Sometimes it's difficult to move past it. I get that - believe me! When you keep re-living things that cause you pain, ask yourself the question "For how long do I need to suffer?" Honestly, what's the point? If you can't change the past, then what can you learn from it to help you move on? Do yourself a favour - forgive yourself and/or forgive others. It will save you alot of unnecessary angst!
Of course, these "pearls of wisdom" are from my own point of view and offer no psychological back up. Just me and my experience. I am interested in other perspectives, so if you'd like to share your thoughts on how you deal with pain, feel free to comment on the blog or send me an email. I'm always curious about you, poppits!
Well, it's official. I am the only person at Coaches' Corner this month! Time to pack up and head to see Despicable Me with niece Jennifer and nephew Craig - can't wait!
Wishing you pain-free moments forever!
(a)yt xox
I attended the funeral of my Aunt Elsie yesterday. Although a sad occasion when anyone leaves this world, this time it was a blessing. Aunt Elsie, normally full of life with quick wit and a GREAT laugh, spent the last few months in alot of pain. It's good that she's no longer suffering. Now it's the family that will have to deal with their pain...
When I think of my memories of Aunt Elsie, I am always reminded of a woman who supported me with my weight loss journey. I remember sitting beside her one day while she was playing cards. I never liked PLAYING cards, but I enjoyed the bantering and trash-talking that always happened during a card game. For the record, Aunt Elsie could keep up with the best of them in terms of trash talking.
ANYWAY....
I was a teenager and was quite self-conscious of my weight. Aunt Elsie turned to me in between card hands and said "You losing weight, honey? You look good! I mean that. Listen honey, do yourself a favour and lose the weight while you're young. It gets really hard when you get old like me." On that day, Aunt Elsie was the only person who a) noticed and b) said anything about my effort to lose weight. It made me love her to bits!
Throughout my years of roller-coaster weights, Aunt Elsie would always tell me "you look good, honey", regardless of how big or small I was. I knew she meant it and was (and still am) grateful for her kind words and observations. I tip my hat, my laptop and my Venti Decaf Americano to you, Aunt Elsie! You will be missed by many, whose lives you probably didn't even realize you touched.
Before Aunt Elsie died, I was speaking with her son (my cousin) about her status. He was spending alot of time with Aunt Elsie and Uncle Pete, taking care of her and their business. He kept talking about her pain and the suffering she endured. I could tell he was in pain watching her. It reminded me of the pain I'd experienced in my life, and got me thinking about the different kinds of pain we all suffer...and how to cope.
Below are a couple of tips I've used to help me get through some harrowing, pain-filled days in my life:
#1 - TALK IT THROUGH
My cousin, Mansour, normally a happy-easy-to-smile kinda guy was really down. I could feel his angst over Skype. By the end of our conversation, he seemed to perk up and even laugh out loud on a few occasions. His pain was managed by a simple conversation - one where he was able to talk about his challenges and then let them go temporarily. For me, I felt overwhelmed by his pain so I had to figure out a way to put my anxiety aside and focus on him. This was a challenge to me, but something worthwhile for me to learn. I was so happy to see Mansour's BIG smile return to his face by the end of the conversation. I will always be grateful for my support network. During times when you're in pain, talk it through. If you're not a talker, like me, journal or write down your experience and what you're feeling. I know it sounds "touchy feely", but believe me, it will provide relief. During those dark times, ya gotta grab that relief whenever you can.
#2 - TAKE TIME FOR YOU
In 2009, I blogged about the challenges I faced when I was dealing with a crappy work environment on top of the rapid decline of my mom. May to October 2009 were dark months for me. One of the few things that kept me going were my weekly workouts with The Evil One. Although they weren't the most pleasurable (as you will recall!), they were 100% focused on me - on my improvement and good health. Those one hour sessions were my refuge from the challenges I experienced at work and the pain of watching my mother suffer. When you're constantly focused on others, it's really important to take care of yourself. For me, the physical exercise was great. Whatever you choose, pick something you enjoy and is 100% focused on you. It may feel a bit decadent, but YOU ARE WORTH IT!
#3 - LET IT GO
Sometimes people feel pain for a long period of time... Somebody said something to hurt you... You keep revisiting a part of your past that was difficult...you said or did something to someone that you regret (that's my favourite!)... Do any of these sound familiar?!? I'm notorious for re-living past moments of pain, especially when I've caused it to someone else. Sometimes it's difficult to move past it. I get that - believe me! When you keep re-living things that cause you pain, ask yourself the question "For how long do I need to suffer?" Honestly, what's the point? If you can't change the past, then what can you learn from it to help you move on? Do yourself a favour - forgive yourself and/or forgive others. It will save you alot of unnecessary angst!
Of course, these "pearls of wisdom" are from my own point of view and offer no psychological back up. Just me and my experience. I am interested in other perspectives, so if you'd like to share your thoughts on how you deal with pain, feel free to comment on the blog or send me an email. I'm always curious about you, poppits!
Well, it's official. I am the only person at Coaches' Corner this month! Time to pack up and head to see Despicable Me with niece Jennifer and nephew Craig - can't wait!
Wishing you pain-free moments forever!
(a)yt xox
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
The joy of relaxation...
Greetings poppits! I'm sitting in a Starbucks where I've been staring at spreadsheets and Word documents for the past 2 hours.
It's break time and I can't think of a better way to spend this time then with you!
As you know, I've taken on a few contracts recently, in addition to reconnecting with my existing clients. This adds up to a certain "busyness" about my days now. I'm not complaining, don't get me wrong. As a matter of fact, I thank my lucky stars at least 5 times a day for enabling me to have creative and fulfilling work each day. What it's meant for me is that I'm not taking time out to just enjoy myself...like now. I miss hangin' in a Starbucks, people watching where I see and hear...
- a pimply-faced kid snorting out loud at the instant messages he's receiving on Facebook. He looks like he's having his own private party online. I wonder how I can get invited to that party...
- the "like, TOTALLY, loud group of, like high-energy-high-pony-tailed" young females that just entered. They are, like, really, um, like LOUD? But man! They are having fun!
- the ginger molasses cookies in the display case calling my name...LOUDLY...
- the guy with his arms and calves covered in tattoos, with the funky hair style and the awesomely sculpted facial hair...and I mean "sculpted"! Seriously, I bet it would take him at least an hour to shave every morning. Actually, he probably thinks of it more as "managing his image" vs. shaving!
- incredibly high energy staff. Honestly, I think they may have ingested too much caffeine. It'll be interesting to see the caffeine crash in a couple of hours!
Ah, it's good to be back in this space...
Today I had lunch with some of the Inca chicks. It was great to reconnect with them. They're all so awesome! One of the ladies will be retiring at the end of the month and we were talking about what she wanted to do. Her response? "I just want to entertain and invite people over for a BBQ all the time"...how awesome is that?!? Now she's got retirement in perspective! I'm sure she'll figure out how she wants to approach and structure her next phase of life. As a matter of fact, I've been hired to coach her through the process. But for now, all she wants to do is enjoy her free time and recuperate from the years of being on the never-ending treadmill of work.
Lemme ask you something, poppits. If you were facing retirement in three weeks, what would you do? Then lemme ask you something else...what's keeping you from doing it now?!?
Wishing you all the chillaxin' time that you can bear!!
(a)yt xox
It's break time and I can't think of a better way to spend this time then with you!
As you know, I've taken on a few contracts recently, in addition to reconnecting with my existing clients. This adds up to a certain "busyness" about my days now. I'm not complaining, don't get me wrong. As a matter of fact, I thank my lucky stars at least 5 times a day for enabling me to have creative and fulfilling work each day. What it's meant for me is that I'm not taking time out to just enjoy myself...like now. I miss hangin' in a Starbucks, people watching where I see and hear...
- a pimply-faced kid snorting out loud at the instant messages he's receiving on Facebook. He looks like he's having his own private party online. I wonder how I can get invited to that party...
- the "like, TOTALLY, loud group of, like high-energy-high-pony-tailed" young females that just entered. They are, like, really, um, like LOUD? But man! They are having fun!
- the ginger molasses cookies in the display case calling my name...LOUDLY...
- the guy with his arms and calves covered in tattoos, with the funky hair style and the awesomely sculpted facial hair...and I mean "sculpted"! Seriously, I bet it would take him at least an hour to shave every morning. Actually, he probably thinks of it more as "managing his image" vs. shaving!
- incredibly high energy staff. Honestly, I think they may have ingested too much caffeine. It'll be interesting to see the caffeine crash in a couple of hours!
Ah, it's good to be back in this space...
Today I had lunch with some of the Inca chicks. It was great to reconnect with them. They're all so awesome! One of the ladies will be retiring at the end of the month and we were talking about what she wanted to do. Her response? "I just want to entertain and invite people over for a BBQ all the time"...how awesome is that?!? Now she's got retirement in perspective! I'm sure she'll figure out how she wants to approach and structure her next phase of life. As a matter of fact, I've been hired to coach her through the process. But for now, all she wants to do is enjoy her free time and recuperate from the years of being on the never-ending treadmill of work.
Lemme ask you something, poppits. If you were facing retirement in three weeks, what would you do? Then lemme ask you something else...what's keeping you from doing it now?!?
Wishing you all the chillaxin' time that you can bear!!
(a)yt xox
Saturday, July 3, 2010
"Count your blessings instead of sheep"
Today I got a text message from a rock star client, who was reading my blog while on vacation. She quoted words from my "Mountains vs. Mole Hills" blog. That little text started this whole flood of reminders of all the great things I've got going on in my life. Really, it was quite an amazing response! It started with me thinking about this client and how much I enjoyed getting to know her...then made me think about how much I like coaching ... and ended with me looking in the mirror and saying "How awesome is my life?!?"
Hello poppits, and Happy Canada Day weekend! I hope you're enjoying the awesome weather.
It seems that, lately, I've been encountering people who have so much negativity going on in their lives they can't seem to see anything positive...anywhere! I also know what it's like to be so down that it's hard to see past anything else. I really feel for them. It's challenging to try and pull yourself out. For me, I try to take it one step at a time. Or rather, one blessing at a time....
When I was growing up, my dad & I had a tradition where we'd watch the movie, White Christmas, ever year...regardless of when it came on the TV! It was a great experience and an awesome memory to share with my dad. There was a scene with Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney. Bing rassles up some sandwiches, a pint of buttermilk and a piano and sings this little ditty to a fretful Rosemary...
If you're worried and you can't sleep
just count your blessings instead of sheep
and you'll fall asleep counting your blessings...
Corny, I know, but a good message.
Taking a step back to examine all the good things in your life is a good exercise to practice. However, it's hard to do when you're stressed out and can't see past your large bills...or your unfulfilling job...or your crappy relationship...or your freaked out family ... or the numbers on the scale that don't seem to go down...or (insert your stress point here)....
Whatever it is that's keeping you down, take the yt challenge to change your headspace...
- look yourself in the eyes (while standing in front of the mirror..duh!) and challenge yourself to find THREE positive things in your life
- then think of TWO more
- then think of TWO more
- keep going until you've run out of time or you really can't think of any more.
Then, take a mental check...how are you feeling now? A little more optimistic? Are you smiling..even just a little bit? Do you feel like things are a little more manageable?
If you don't feel a little more optimistic, let me know. We'll work on it together. But trust me...just try it once! What have you got to lose?!?
Wishing you positive thoughts and a really great suntan!
(a)yt xox
Hello poppits, and Happy Canada Day weekend! I hope you're enjoying the awesome weather.
It seems that, lately, I've been encountering people who have so much negativity going on in their lives they can't seem to see anything positive...anywhere! I also know what it's like to be so down that it's hard to see past anything else. I really feel for them. It's challenging to try and pull yourself out. For me, I try to take it one step at a time. Or rather, one blessing at a time....
When I was growing up, my dad & I had a tradition where we'd watch the movie, White Christmas, ever year...regardless of when it came on the TV! It was a great experience and an awesome memory to share with my dad. There was a scene with Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney. Bing rassles up some sandwiches, a pint of buttermilk and a piano and sings this little ditty to a fretful Rosemary...
If you're worried and you can't sleep
just count your blessings instead of sheep
and you'll fall asleep counting your blessings...
Corny, I know, but a good message.
Taking a step back to examine all the good things in your life is a good exercise to practice. However, it's hard to do when you're stressed out and can't see past your large bills...or your unfulfilling job...or your crappy relationship...or your freaked out family ... or the numbers on the scale that don't seem to go down...or (insert your stress point here)....
Whatever it is that's keeping you down, take the yt challenge to change your headspace...
- look yourself in the eyes (while standing in front of the mirror..duh!) and challenge yourself to find THREE positive things in your life
- then think of TWO more
- then think of TWO more
- keep going until you've run out of time or you really can't think of any more.
Then, take a mental check...how are you feeling now? A little more optimistic? Are you smiling..even just a little bit? Do you feel like things are a little more manageable?
If you don't feel a little more optimistic, let me know. We'll work on it together. But trust me...just try it once! What have you got to lose?!?
Wishing you positive thoughts and a really great suntan!
(a)yt xox
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
The skinny on The Inca Trail
Hi again! I know, I know...twice in one night?!?
I thought I should do a quick de-brief on the rest of my trip, while the TV is still off! In a nutshell, it was the most amazing thing I've done to date. The Trail itself was incredibly beautiful and wickedly challenging.
I learned alot about myself while I was hiking. Things like:
- the only thing that saved me from my own evil, sabotaging thoughts was to count steps. Seriously! During the really difficult hiking parts (like, three of the four days!), I had all these thoughts that weighed me down. Inner Critic? Perhaps ... or just fear and exhaustion. Anyway, I learned that the best way to stay focused was to count my steps! I tie this back to when I was running all those steps before I left. Remember? I had to reach the goal of 2,000 steps so every time I ran them, I counted. Quite interesting!
- even stale, white bread can taste good when it's slathered with butter, jam or a Nutella-like mystery substance.
- a physical challenge like this has an amazing way of bonding a group of people. On the second day of the climb (called "The Sacrifice when we went from 9,300 ft to 10,100 ft), I hiked to the top of Dead Woman's Pass behind two folks. We were all struggling, physically and emotionally, to get to the top. The motivation for the three of us? Pinky swear commitments to stay with each other and the shouts of congratulations we heard as other people reached the top! For myself, those cheers were like an angel's chorus calling me above the clouds ... heavenly ...
- there is no graceful way to enter or exit a two-person pup tent. You either do it bum first, which is not a pleasant sight for the innocent folks walking by. Or, the other way is feet first, which means crawling out on your bum and getting dirty. By day 4, getting dirty didn't matter to me...nor did having hair that stuck to my head or smelly feet for that matter...just sayin'....
- I have set the standard of physical activity for my vacations. No longer will my vacations just be about vegging. I expect to have a good combination of physical challenge and relaxation. Camping without running water for 4 days, not so much...
There are so many other learnings to share, but I'm starting to feel the need to pop on the TV and mentally check out for the evening. I promise to provide snipets in my upcoming blogs. In the meantime, I've made a Picasso web album of the trip. Feel free to check it out! BTW, you may need to cut & paste the link into your browser to make it work.
http://picasaweb.google.com/114426312429469241773/TheIncaTrailMay2010#
(a) yt xox
I thought I should do a quick de-brief on the rest of my trip, while the TV is still off! In a nutshell, it was the most amazing thing I've done to date. The Trail itself was incredibly beautiful and wickedly challenging.
I learned alot about myself while I was hiking. Things like:
- the only thing that saved me from my own evil, sabotaging thoughts was to count steps. Seriously! During the really difficult hiking parts (like, three of the four days!), I had all these thoughts that weighed me down. Inner Critic? Perhaps ... or just fear and exhaustion. Anyway, I learned that the best way to stay focused was to count my steps! I tie this back to when I was running all those steps before I left. Remember? I had to reach the goal of 2,000 steps so every time I ran them, I counted. Quite interesting!
- even stale, white bread can taste good when it's slathered with butter, jam or a Nutella-like mystery substance.
- a physical challenge like this has an amazing way of bonding a group of people. On the second day of the climb (called "The Sacrifice when we went from 9,300 ft to 10,100 ft), I hiked to the top of Dead Woman's Pass behind two folks. We were all struggling, physically and emotionally, to get to the top. The motivation for the three of us? Pinky swear commitments to stay with each other and the shouts of congratulations we heard as other people reached the top! For myself, those cheers were like an angel's chorus calling me above the clouds ... heavenly ...
- there is no graceful way to enter or exit a two-person pup tent. You either do it bum first, which is not a pleasant sight for the innocent folks walking by. Or, the other way is feet first, which means crawling out on your bum and getting dirty. By day 4, getting dirty didn't matter to me...nor did having hair that stuck to my head or smelly feet for that matter...just sayin'....
- I have set the standard of physical activity for my vacations. No longer will my vacations just be about vegging. I expect to have a good combination of physical challenge and relaxation. Camping without running water for 4 days, not so much...
There are so many other learnings to share, but I'm starting to feel the need to pop on the TV and mentally check out for the evening. I promise to provide snipets in my upcoming blogs. In the meantime, I've made a Picasso web album of the trip. Feel free to check it out! BTW, you may need to cut & paste the link into your browser to make it work.
http://picasaweb.google.com/114426312429469241773/TheIncaTrailMay2010#
(a) yt xox
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Mountain or Mole Hill?
Well hallooooooooooooooooo! I'm back and happy to be here...again! What a ride it's been. Thank you for coming back. A special thanx to those of you who have, patiently, asked and waited for me to return.
A few weeks ago, a good friend of mine casually said that I make mountains out of mole hills. My first reaction was to freak out, get pissed off, then actually register what was said. I had a feeling that my initial reaction could've been a good example of me making a mountain out of a casual observation...hmmmm...the drama queen returns...
This innocent comment got me thinking about a whole bunch of things going on in my life, and how I had been approaching them. Admittedly, I was out of sorts when I returned from Peru, calling it my "post-Inca Trail Blues". While the trip was TOTALLY AMAZING, I experienced quite a let down. I understand this experience is "normal", however it really put me into a funk. Since I had been planning for this trip - physically, emotionally & financially - for close to a year, having it over left me without focus. I kept asking myself "what's next?"
... what goal do I have to work towards to get the last of my weight off?
... now that I'm back to "reality", what am I going to do to make money?
These were big questions for me and I started to feel overwhelmed and, yes, a bit depressed. Clearly I'd lost my drive and felt REALLY unfocused. I gained 14 lbs....yes, FOURTEEN... and stopped exercising regularly. I still had my weekly work outs with The Evil One, but didn't go into the gym beyond the one/week. And forget about working out at home...
So, here I was feeling blah...so blah that I couldn't even blog about it...when my friend made the statement about me making mountains out of mole hills. It got me thinking about my approach to things. He was right! Cases in point...
MOUNTAIN NUMBER 1 - HEALTH
- why did I need another "Machu Picchu-like" challenge to get the weight off? How about the goals of being healthy and looking good naked? I realized I just needed to take control of one thing at a time, setting small, achievable goals for myself. Considering I ate carbs-upon-carbs-with-a-hint-of-protein on The Trail, eliminating carbs would be a good first step to regaining control. It's amazing what happens when you stop eating grains! Oh, and lest I forget the accountability. So now, I weigh myself everyday and email a picture of the scale to The Evil One. I'm losing again and I feel much better now that I'm eating healthy.
- on the exercise front, I've committed to doing a workout at least two other times/week in my condo. You'll be happy to know that Werner never caved on his commitment to my torture. I returned to even more challenging routines. For example, today I had to SKIP during my workout! My first reaction was to worry about the visual of all my jiggly bits flying about in front of The Evil One while I jumped rope. I know he's evil but even I couldn't inflict that torture on him. Unphased by my drama, he suggested facing the window (vs. the mirror), overlooking the railroad tracks outside. Imagine the "mountain" view the GO Train riders caught as they were passing through...YOWZA!!
MOUNTAIN NUMBER 2 - WORK
- it's true that the "irons" I had in the fire before the trip didn't pan out upon my return. But I realized I was still capable of developing new leads and getting other work. I'm great at networking, so a few strategically placed emails and coffee meetings later, and I'm working with my good friends, Duane & Aubrey, doing some cool work with a great organization. I'm also going to deliver my Defining Your Unique Selling Proposition workshop again (Saturday, July 24 from 9:00 - noon...email me to sign up at yvonne@ymtStrategies.com). AND, I'm in the process of collaborating with a few, different friends to develop other really cool workshops.
MOUNTAIN NUMBER 3 - THE BLOG!!!
- I couldn't bring myself to blog... I was freaking out thinking I had to be inspirational when I wasn't feeling inspired...that I had to go into great details about my trip and speak about deep, meaningful life learnings...that people were expecting brilliance when I was feeling really mediocre (Really, Yvonne? Brilliance?!?)...blah, blah, blah...Reality check? IT'S JUST A FRIGGIN' BLOG!! I just needed to sit down, keep the TV and radio off and type from the heart.
YEESH! I now GET what my friend was saying! I gotta tell ya, all this mountain climbing is mentally exhausting! And, at the end of the day, fixing my "problems" was simple:
1) get off my couch (exercise again)
2) shut my pie hole (eat the right foods)
3) be creative (network for contract work)
3) just type (for the love of God!)
Really poppits, I'm not trying to minimize your problems. Only you can separate the mountains from the mole hills. But do yourself a favour before you react: Ask yourself a simple question...
... what's the level of emotional energy this situation deserves?
It has certainly helped me to put things into better perspective. It also helps when you've got friends who care about you enough to tell you the truth. I care, poppit, just ask ...
(a)yt xox
A few weeks ago, a good friend of mine casually said that I make mountains out of mole hills. My first reaction was to freak out, get pissed off, then actually register what was said. I had a feeling that my initial reaction could've been a good example of me making a mountain out of a casual observation...hmmmm...the drama queen returns...
This innocent comment got me thinking about a whole bunch of things going on in my life, and how I had been approaching them. Admittedly, I was out of sorts when I returned from Peru, calling it my "post-Inca Trail Blues". While the trip was TOTALLY AMAZING, I experienced quite a let down. I understand this experience is "normal", however it really put me into a funk. Since I had been planning for this trip - physically, emotionally & financially - for close to a year, having it over left me without focus. I kept asking myself "what's next?"
... what goal do I have to work towards to get the last of my weight off?
... now that I'm back to "reality", what am I going to do to make money?
These were big questions for me and I started to feel overwhelmed and, yes, a bit depressed. Clearly I'd lost my drive and felt REALLY unfocused. I gained 14 lbs....yes, FOURTEEN... and stopped exercising regularly. I still had my weekly work outs with The Evil One, but didn't go into the gym beyond the one/week. And forget about working out at home...
So, here I was feeling blah...so blah that I couldn't even blog about it...when my friend made the statement about me making mountains out of mole hills. It got me thinking about my approach to things. He was right! Cases in point...
MOUNTAIN NUMBER 1 - HEALTH
- why did I need another "Machu Picchu-like" challenge to get the weight off? How about the goals of being healthy and looking good naked? I realized I just needed to take control of one thing at a time, setting small, achievable goals for myself. Considering I ate carbs-upon-carbs-with-a-hint-of-protein on The Trail, eliminating carbs would be a good first step to regaining control. It's amazing what happens when you stop eating grains! Oh, and lest I forget the accountability. So now, I weigh myself everyday and email a picture of the scale to The Evil One. I'm losing again and I feel much better now that I'm eating healthy.
- on the exercise front, I've committed to doing a workout at least two other times/week in my condo. You'll be happy to know that Werner never caved on his commitment to my torture. I returned to even more challenging routines. For example, today I had to SKIP during my workout! My first reaction was to worry about the visual of all my jiggly bits flying about in front of The Evil One while I jumped rope. I know he's evil but even I couldn't inflict that torture on him. Unphased by my drama, he suggested facing the window (vs. the mirror), overlooking the railroad tracks outside. Imagine the "mountain" view the GO Train riders caught as they were passing through...YOWZA!!
MOUNTAIN NUMBER 2 - WORK
- it's true that the "irons" I had in the fire before the trip didn't pan out upon my return. But I realized I was still capable of developing new leads and getting other work. I'm great at networking, so a few strategically placed emails and coffee meetings later, and I'm working with my good friends, Duane & Aubrey, doing some cool work with a great organization. I'm also going to deliver my Defining Your Unique Selling Proposition workshop again (Saturday, July 24 from 9:00 - noon...email me to sign up at yvonne@ymtStrategies.com). AND, I'm in the process of collaborating with a few, different friends to develop other really cool workshops.
MOUNTAIN NUMBER 3 - THE BLOG!!!
- I couldn't bring myself to blog... I was freaking out thinking I had to be inspirational when I wasn't feeling inspired...that I had to go into great details about my trip and speak about deep, meaningful life learnings...that people were expecting brilliance when I was feeling really mediocre (Really, Yvonne? Brilliance?!?)...blah, blah, blah...Reality check? IT'S JUST A FRIGGIN' BLOG!! I just needed to sit down, keep the TV and radio off and type from the heart.
YEESH! I now GET what my friend was saying! I gotta tell ya, all this mountain climbing is mentally exhausting! And, at the end of the day, fixing my "problems" was simple:
1) get off my couch (exercise again)
2) shut my pie hole (eat the right foods)
3) be creative (network for contract work)
3) just type (for the love of God!)
Really poppits, I'm not trying to minimize your problems. Only you can separate the mountains from the mole hills. But do yourself a favour before you react: Ask yourself a simple question...
... what's the level of emotional energy this situation deserves?
It has certainly helped me to put things into better perspective. It also helps when you've got friends who care about you enough to tell you the truth. I care, poppit, just ask ...
(a)yt xox
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