Dust in the wind, dude... (as Ted would say)

The unexamined workout, to paraphrase noted fitness guru, Socrates, is not worth doing.  We need some sense that what we are doing is working.  Here are some ways to tell:

We are sweaty at the end.

We were out of breath at least some of the time.

We are sore, but not so sore that we can’t function the next day.

Our brains got tired, too.

We stretched.

If we did all those things, we were on the right track.

Go Team!

When we work out, we have to remember that we are on our own team.  I’m not suggesting that we only work out in our own personal team jersey (although if that works, great!).  What I am saying is that we have to help ourselves succeed.

I work with a bunch of driven people.  It’s awesome.  They do amazing things!  But sometimes they fight themselves.  I want to see people push, but I also want to see them respect their bodies.  Getting mad at ourselves when we reach our limits does not help.

We need to approach exercise with openness and curiosity.  We need to observe how our bodies work without getting all judgy and paranoid.  Some days we will lift heavier things than other days.  Some days we can explore how we align ourselves with gentleness.  Some days we break through.

No matter what, the team does not do well with booing.  Root for the team!

Feeling Good

I got a massage last week.  It felt great.  And it was good for me.

A lot of the time, I think we focus on the things that are good for us that don’t feel great, like burpees, peas, and cleaning the bathroom.  Those things are important.  They need doing.  But there are plenty of things that are good for us that we can enjoy.  Here are some:

Massage (hey, like I said above!)

Baths

Naps

Cuddling

Playing outside

Fresh fruit

Long stretches

Laughter

What feels good and is good that we can do today?