Life is messy

I recently saw the movie Definitely Maybe. Without telling you about the whole movie, the gist is that a father shares with his daughter his dating history and how he met her mother. To say the least, his life was complicated with a series of women woven in and out. I suspect that if each of us shared from beginning to end about our life, it would indeed be a complicated, messy tale.

And, I think that is okay. Through our decisions, good and bad, we learn and grow. When we get it right, we reinforce patterns and behaviors that are beneficial. When we blow it, we discover what we DON'T want in our life and what we SHOULD'NT do. Both are important as we strive to become more mature, giving of life and love to this world.

So, don't be ashamed if your life isn't perfect. No one's is, and we should just accept the fact, embrace it and learn from it.

Take it easy

Everyone seems to be sick right now with one of the many bugs going around. I could tell today that I was fighting it and certainly didn't want it. I still taught my spin class but backed off and did an easier program...one of endurance rather than pushing the limits. It was just right for me today.

Exercising moderately or lightly when you are fighting something or have a touch of a cold can help you sweat out the toxins and beat the bug. You can actually get over something quicker. However, the caveat here is if you are running a temperature, then don't workout. Period. Your body is working overtime to fight and needs its energy to do so. When you have a temperature, the best thing to do is rest and drink lots of fluids. I know it can be discouraging to get off the fitness path you've tried so hard to stay on, but you'll benefit in the long run by not making yourself worse. By taking it easy for a day or so, you can curtail your sickness. If you push when you shouldn't, you could get the full-blown, nasty bug for a longer period of time.

So as the song says, "Take it easy..."

Letting Go

One of my favorite songs right now is by Richard Marx where he sings about not having the courage to fly, but he always had wings. One line in particular states, "I was so busy to keep holding on when I should have been letting go." It's pretty powerful in the song...he finally lets go and allows what God has placed inside of him to come out...and he soars.

I don't know about you, but I often find myself at crossroads in my life..."which way should I go," "what should I do..." and it is so easy to force or make something happen by our own might. Sure, we need to participate and be active in our lives, but I also believe certain situations require us to stop pushing, to let go and let God.

This is the slow route, of course. Our instant-gratification society is impatient, wanting immediate answers and results. As I use to tell my peers in corporate America who wanted answers from me when I was on my way to the rest room "Sure, I'll give you an answer if you MUST have it right now, but it may not be the right one."

Letting go can be scary yet absolutely freeing at the same time. Give it a try some time...

Is it me?

John Tesh was discussing the concept of "sports fans" the other night on his radio program. He had examples of people painting their bodies and standing on tables shouting at the top of their lungs, rooting for "their team." Apparently, psychologists have determined that people consider their team their family. When their team wins, they win. They have transfered their feelings to a sports team, and if that team loses, they feel as if they have lost.

I admit, I am not a sports fan. In fact, all of my life, I have preferred PLAYING the sport rather than watching it. Personally, I think too many people waste too much time sitting on the sidelines watching other people live life when they should be out IN it. I can appreciate the social element of watching a game, but I think it has completely gotten out of hand. These teams are not our families and should not be more important.

Is it me or as a society have we lost sight of what really matters? We seem to worship these athletes, yet we under pay teachers who are shaping our future. We idolize these sports and the players, buying all the gear to look the part when real-life families are falling apart. Aren't there more important things to give our heart and soul to? Don't get me wrong, it's all entertainment. But, it shouldn't be at the expense of what really matters. I'm a person who strives for balance. What do you think?

Chunk down your goals

I had a good run today and was able to sprint up a portion of a hill that, not too long ago, I couldn't run up without stopping. It reminded me that the best way to reach our goals is to chunk them down into small, obtainable pieces.

At first, my goal was to simply run up the hill without stopping. When I was able to do that, I then decided to pick up the pace. Now, I'm attempting to sprint up it...a small piece at a time.

Have any big goals for 2008? Chunk them down into pieces so that you can see progress and small victories, which will keep you encouraged and motivated towards the end goal. One step at a time gets us there.

Take the good with the bad

We headed up to Mammoth Mountain to ski this past weekend, and the snow was amazing. They got seven feet (yes feet) of snow while we were there. The problem: we couldn't see our own hands and feet! The winds were so strong and the snow so heavy that visibility was non existent.

I found myself grumbling as I skied on pure, heavenly snow because I couldn't see where in the world I was going. At times, we didn't know if we were even heading down hill or off towards a cliff! I began to think, as I have been known to do occasionally, about life. Why is it that we expect all the good things but don't want the bad? When it comes to fantastic powder, wicked storms are what bring the wonderful white stuff. Without the storm, we don't have the enjoyable skiing.

So, I tucked my head down, gritted my teeth and skied some incredible snow...for a while anyway. It was darn-right cold out. I accepted the good with the bad. Life is the same way, if we would only quit fighting it and accept it. And when we do get one of those drop-dead gorgeous, sunny and warm ski days with miraculous snow, we should sing praises of thanksgiving for it is truly a blessed gift!