In the Bleak Midwinter?

Ever have those days where EVERYTHING is a struggle? Even the simplest things like putting on your make up, doing the dishes.....that turns into forgetting to pack your lunch or a snack, your gym clothes, your bank card. I could go on. I have been having one of those days, well to be honest it is more like one of those months. 

So today I embark on the path out of the darkness....back to feeling good, healthy, strong.

How? Glad you asked. 

1.) Start small.Pick one thing you can commit to. Waking up at the same time every day, making your bed, drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day. Make it small, make it fit your lifestyle, and do it!

I commit to drinking 2 litres of water a day 

2.) Be kind to your self. Look back at all the things you have accomplished in the last ten years, five years, year, 6 months. Start recording the things you accomplish everyday.

Today I:

folded laundry

baked cookies, muffins and squares,

kept my children fed, warm and safe

worked on my presentation

practiced, my horn

practiced yoga

While some of these things we do everyday don't seem like much, when you write them down and REALLY look at them you will be amazed at how good it can make you feel. When you feel good you get MORE good.  

3.) Do five acts of kindness everyday. Leave quarters in the grocery carts at the grocery store, Tell someone they look nice today, offer to watch a new mom's baby so she can have a nap.

Sound do-able? 

Since I started this post two days ago, things have been looking up. My strength is back! (I did two hot yoga classes yesterday and felt AMAZING after each) , I am drinking LOTS of water, lots more veggies and doing my best to be kind. (ACTUALLY someone gave me their cart at No Frills on Friday, so I made sure I filled up the others before I left )

How do you "Break the Bleak" ?

Endings and Beginnings

For the last 25 days, I have been participating in a 30 day challenge at my local Yoga Studio, Moksha Yoga Peterborough. I have to say it hasn't really been a challenge in many ways because, honestly if I could I would practice there everyday. Unfortunately, that is not always possible for me because I live 30 minutes away, and always have too many balls in the air.

Regardless this was challenging to me, but not for the reasons I thought it would be. It was not physically challenging, I paced myself, listened to my body, drank LOTS of water.

It was very hard to  accept that I was not going be able to practice at the studio everyday. I'm not sure I am quite over that one. Like I said, if I could I would be there everyday.

It was hard to practice at home on the days when I could not make it in. I have three young kids 9, 5 and 3. Needless to say a 90 minute Ashtanga practice and a five year old do not mix. Though I am pleased I got through some of it.

I felt awful if I planned to practice and I didn't.
This weekend I was away for work. I checked the local studios for class times, googled mapped it even had a lovely friend to come with me on one day. When I arrived things rapidly changed when I realized just HOW far away the studio was, and that the class would have me arriving for my meeting right on the nose. Not something I am comfy with.

So I did manage to practice in the fitness centre at the hotel, sustaining a slight yoga injury (carpet burns on my feet-left my mat home) But I did it.

So coming to the end of the challenge is the best part of all. Reflecting on the journey so far, I am armed with the knowledge that I DON'T have to be in the studio everyday, I CAN practice at home. And that despite your best intentions, some days just don't go as planned. Looking forward to getting in to the studio this week for about five more classes before the end of the challenge which will put me at 26 out of 30 days. That is amazing. The craziest thing of all is that I thought in the beginning that I would not be satisfied if I didn't do 30-30. But you know what?  I am.

Would you consider doing a 30 day challenge of any kind? Have you? I would love to hear your experiences. If not? Why not?

Today I started another 21 Day Meditation Challenge. Care to join me? Check out https://www.chopracentermeditation.com/Bestsellers/LandingPage.aspx?BookId=172
for details its free and its a great way to see see what meditation is all about.

It's been Tu Lang.

I couldn't resist.

 Sorry it has been so long since my last post. Fall is a busy time for many of us, getting back into routine, sending the kids off to school and for me returning to my own personal path.

My current path is seeking balance in all aspects of my life.  Should be simple right? Not so much.

There are a lot of things I am passionate about: My family, my friends, yoga, meditation, food and nutrition, cooking, creating, helping people, reading, and playing and teaching music.

I am so grateful that my life is filled with so much love, laughter challenge and joy. It is all around me. Being able to dip my feet into so many pools is what creates balance in my life. It is also what can spin me into a hundred different directions, so that one of the many "balls" I am juggling inevitably falls to the ground.

But I always manage to pick it up eventually. So here I am back to the blog. Some things are going to change. I am going to post more often, and I am going to post about everything I am passionate about. Not just about creating balance, but showing people how it really IS possible to do it all. All it takes is a little planning, a little "tula" and a lot of passion and love for what you do.

What do you love? How do you express that love? How do you share it with others?

Can't wait to hear from you.