Project Dress for Success

Did you know that you get to make the rules for your own life? Yes, those rules should come from an alignment with who you are and what you are about. (I am called to this life and role and my faith in Jesus is the undergirding of my everything.)

For me success changes from day to day. Today dressing for success involved putting on my workout clothes and getting down to business (move my body.) This is something I get to do and choose to do to bio hack my bad attitude.

My life today involves 3-4 sick babies/toddler/preschoolers (one of which escaped her crib like a ninja at 4 am — her latest feat in a long list of parkour exercises she performs daily.) What more can I do? Fetal position? Head in the sand? Pint of ice cream? Nope, none of these will help me ‘feel’ better.

I still have to be a wife, mother, friend, daughter, human. So I am going to play with my latest toys (heavier kettlebells — hello 50lbs! (*pssst… you are kicking my butt mister.)

How do you overcome a rough start to the day? Let’s learn from one another.

Project Posture

Recently I was in a small virtual group intensive training to become a personal trainer. One exercise we did with one another was assess one another’s physiques.

There were two particular syndromes we were watching for related to possible muscle overuse, weakness or injury. As it turns out, I have both. Jackpot!

While this could feel like defeat to some, this is an opportunity for me to be proactive in how I progress in my personal personal training. “To thine own self be true.” (Hamlet, William Shakespeare)

Nope, not recommending a level of selfishness or self focus that becomes all encompassing. I am saying my truth at this point in time is that I am not perfect. At any given point in time, I will not be perfect. This is not permission not to do something. It is information by which I can form a plan of action. In other words, it is a call to action.

May we all, as we receive glimpses of truth; (whether it comes from the TRUTH of the Bible (my favourite source of wisdom), a well meaning friend or family member or from a simple moment of introspection …answer the call.

Marco. Polo.

Don’t give up. Regroup and keep going. Day by day, moment by moment this will look differently .. but one tiny action is still a step forward.

Posture can change.

This is me assessing my own posture. Shoulders forward (nope, not ideal), butt tucked, also not optimal for lower back health and the posterior muscle groups. (Pun intended😜)

Project Skip Leap

I spent way too long last summer trying to talk myself into jumping off our boat into the lake. When did I become the fearful one? How can I be paralyzed in some ways and so free in others?

In fitness I have learned about muscular hyper mobility as well as impingements. How can one body be so free in some ways and literally/stuck/ frozen/limited in either strength or mobility in others?

I love the word ‘undergird’ .. mostly because it makes me think of girdles .. and I think ‘girdle’ is a funny word. In order to find freedom in my mind and body I have had to go to the core. The root of who I am. The core of my being. The part the girdle holds in place. 😜

My days are not my own right now. My life is not my own for this very busy season. But that doesn’t make me less ‘me.’ If anything, I am more ‘me’ because everything else has been stripped away. It has been stripped away by a pandemic, trauma and loss, our life stage with all of our children and the fact we are aging. Mid life crisis anyone??!

Life is full. Life is crazy. Life can be chaotic. It can be stressful. It is definitely tiring. But our core, the core of our family, of our ‘us’-ness is still consistent.

My core is strong, dysfunctional in some ways but stable in others. But as the plumb line of my life slowly aligns with truth and heals, I know that things will feel better and I will get better at the ‘more’ of life.

Fear doesn’t get to define me. I will not be held back by my body, toxic thoughts, toxic relationships or poor habits. These are things I can control. These are things we all have power over.

What method do you use to find your alignment in your life, your plumb line?

Project SPROINGY

Sometimes I choose to do some things because they are fun. As of January 1, 2022, a lot of people are trying to change their bodies, mindsets, habits and more.

We lay out our ‘resolutions’ and plan using SMART goals. (specific, measurable, attainable, rad, terrific?) — ok, I may have forgotten what the letters stand for.. (R-realistic, T-timely.) Seeing as I forgot when New Year’s Eve was this year and also don’t know what day of the week it is, perhaps SMART goals aren’t for me.

Instead, I am choosing to sprinkle in a bit of play. Not just play with my kids but play for the sake of playing. My form of play currently involves skipping, jumping, dancing, hopping, leaping and crawling. Imagine ‘playing’ and accidentally reaping the benefit of forming a regular practice of body movement. And that regular movement subsequently makes you stronger, leaner, more limber and more importantly releases all of those happy happy hormones that make each day feel just a bit more manageable because of a over abundant sense of well being.

How do you play? How could you incorporate play into your life? You may not want to leap around like I do but maybe you do want to climb up a snowy hillside and slide down on a piece of cardboard. The sky is the limit where our minds and bodies are concerned when we set out with a joyful mindset.

I would love for you to engage with me by brainstorming on what play looks like for you. (This is beyond exercise people! This is embracing your inner child and remembering how to have fun!)

Project Mini Me

I have come to accept the thought that even a smaller version of me is still worth pursuing.

I am supposed to be in a 5 day intensive training to become a personal trainer starting today.

If you have been following my life at all, you are aware that we have been walking through extreme hardship, grief and a glimmer of hope coming our way. I have pushed this goal of becoming a personal trainer to 2022 when I can give myself and the course the attention required to be successful.

Today is December 1 and I asked myself what is something I can do that moves me towards my goal. Then I asked, what is my goal anyway?? This morning I lovingly adjusted my expectations and did a mini workout. I have decided that this month I will give a sneak peek of some of what I offer and provide some fun mini workouts on my website. I will share that later.

A smaller version of myself is still the pursuit of wellness with a large dose of grace. If you find yourself weary, overwhelmed, making choices that don’t honour your body and who you are meant to be in this season then maybe you would like to join me. Stay tuned.

This is me in the wee hours of the morning, in my pyjamas with an infant strapped on my chest. If I can do this so can you. Let’s do this!

Project Van Gogh Knees

My Fall plans got waylaid. As I find myself in a season of waiting, there is a nervous energy about me. Nervous energy usually results in some kind of need for focus. How do you harness nervous energy? Beats me… which results in things like ‘Van Gogh’s knees.’

I am once again working on my fitness endeavors and this is next to impossible as I have the sweetest little newborn baby boy (is 2 mos still considered newborn?!?) who pretty much insists on being attached to my body all day, every day. But, I am not easily deterred. Baby on me or no, I will learn this!

The mom brain that recently allowed me to mail off the key to our community mailbox parcel compartment instead of actually opening the box is the same brain pursuing this quest. Difficulty level 100…no 1,000… no… 10,000,000!

So, if in the next little while you find yourself wanting to participate in the above mentioned class, do brace yourself for the best verbal cues of your life — and by ‘best’ I mean Van Gogh’s knees. You’re welcome.