Change The Way You Think...Green Mountain and My Personal Struggle

 Today...I open my heart to you! 

"Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment I know this is the only moment.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Being Peace

It has taken me about one month to finally figure out what my New Year's Resolution will be for myself in the year 2012.  I believe Carina Round's song Down Slow speaks to me when she says," Slow Down."  I realize the song has nothing to do with that fact that my life needs to slow down but she says so many times throughout her song that I can't help but say it to myself.  Check it out for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IfepMQ8EDI

I want inner peace with myself...the kind I feel when I breath in mountain air.  When I lived in Austin I almost suffocated not having access to mountain air.  I've also heard this from people who grow up by the ocean.  They need that ocean feel, ocean air!  I want the calm. To live by this quote:


 "The past is gone, the future is not yet here, and if we do not go back to ourselves in the present moment, we cannot be in touch with life.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh

I was lucky enough to be a fitness intern at Green Mountain at Fox Run for four months back in 2007.  I absolutely loved working there.  In fact, I've often dreamed of having my own health and wellness spa for women in the mountains of Colorado (Please feel free to donate money for this :-) It truly is a lifestyle change and at the core of this change is not restriction...it is the belief that you are free to make choices.  You can make the choice to eat what you want without guilt...move your body in a way that feels good for you.  It teaches you to enjoy the present moment rather than putting your life on hold until you achieve a certain weight or look. And in my industry, it is very easy to get caught up in this. 

I found two things to be true in my life, when I stopped trying so hard to find love, I found it.  The same applied with food.  Once I stopped stressing out about achieving a certain look, or I stopped letting food dictate my life, I found out I was much happier and the weight just feel off.  I was reminded of this over Christmas this last year.  Did I eat my mom's chocolate cover pretzels...HECK YES!  Did I feel the need to shove as many as possible down my throat in fear that I wouldn't get any until next Christmas...NO.  I was very aware that I wanted junk and ate it when I felt the need but I never over did it.  I also didn't feel people were judging my every move.  I actually lost 3lbs over Christmas by eating what I wanted and keeping up with my exercise.  I stopped fearing things in my life, slowed it down and guess what, I found pleasure in the moment.  As soon as I started back up my crazy rat race routine of working two jobs, trying to maintain my house, not sleeping (I average 5 hrs. unless I drug myself then I get 7-8 because psh...that is a healthy way to live your life), I squeeze in my own exercise to make my mind feel better (not my body) even though my body is saying STOP YOU CRAZY WOMAN, you've already taught two classes today, then oh yeah when you are filled with high anxiety, that is a great time to shove food into your mouth without thinking all while my dog stares at me hoping I will take her for some exercise or drop whatever I am eating onto the floor.  I stopped myself this week and asked WHAT AM I DOING?  I preach health and fitness to friends, family, and anyone that will listen but how well have you slowed down and taken some time to really work on you?  Have you ever asked yourself that?  I've noticed I've been asking myself that for 3 years.  However, I haven't been able to give myself a direct answer of slow down...remember what Green Mountain taught you?  Why aren't you going back to what you learned and practice some in the moment self love on yourself?  You tend to give self love and be there for everyone else, your clients, the members at work, co-workers, friends...and yet lower on the list does seem to be your family and YOU.  Which makes me shake my head but say AH-HA at the same time.  Show yourself some self-compassion, stop judging yourself and looking at yourself through a shattered mirror!

One valuable lesson I learned at Green Mountain was to think of your health and wellness as a 3 legged stool.  The legs represent fitness, nutrition, and behavior.  If you focus on only one aspect of your life, your stool is unbalanced and wobbly.  One area that is often overlooked is our behavior.  Our minds dictate so much of our success.  This is something I struggle with everyday of my life.  I live in this rat race of go go go as many of us do but often I find I break down because I don't stop, slow down, and let myself feel; let myself be in a non-judgmental place. 
Yoga is great for calming the mind down but I hate it because my mind likes to run and I feel the best running.  Yet Seth asked me a great question a few months back, "What are you running from that you always feel the need to run."  I said the normal worries of life.  I often wished I enjoyed doing yoga because I notice something when I take it, my breathing changes.  I take deep fuller breathes.  The kind I take when I'm standing in the mountains.  It is quite amazing but I still hate it...just like many people hate running.  Yet, I have found doing Yoga Journal's 30 minute home videos to be easy enough for me to do without hating so much and they are free!!!  My goal of being calm is easy on the weekends but the real test comes to the practice during the week.  Feel free to let me know how you handle your own inner peace.  I'm open to ideas. 


For some additional reading:

http://www.fitwoman.com/support/fitbriefings/changing-thinking/