Earth Day Asheville, Illness, and more!

It is always a little bit funny to write a health blog when I am sick at home. Well, these things happen, and I think it is the universe telling me to slow down... so far down that I am in bed all day. This might also be called "running yourself into the ground." Lesson learned (for now). A neighbor commented today about how fast I walk my dog. "The city still thrives within my bones," I told him. But I think the message is clear about my pace. I quicken it when I am nervous or stressed. As the end of the semester rolls around, and my decision to stay in Asheville to complete an internship with WNC Magazine takes root, I notice my fear of being alone. I notice that when I am not with my boyfriend, I feel like I need to do EVERYTHING humanly possible... working out, finishing schoolwork, getting work done, taking on more jobs, taking care of siva (my dog), going to soccer, spending time in the sun... yes the list goes on.

But Saturday afternoon was so much fun. I spent the day in Asheville with some of my closest friends (and probably half of my college) at Earth Day downtown Asheville. It felt like summer was really starting. The festivals, the excitement, the dancing. It was all lovely. Monday was a reality check as my illness started to swell (2 hours of playing soccer in ice cold rain will do that) and my end of semester course work became real as my to do list grew. I tried to do so much yesterday and then BAM stuck in bed.

As my best friend who lives in Hawaii says, "Keep paddlin through the waves." True that.

You are a real Winner!

Today I woke up in San Diego. So lovely! The weather is gorgeous, and I am more than grateful to have a week off from school to attend the Art and Science of Health Promotion Conference. Spending time with my brothers (and their wonderful partners) proves to be an inspiring and healing experience. Funny how that is, when I think about all those years of bickering as young'uns. We've grown closer over the years, though I never thought it would happen when I was 13.
I've been thinking about wisdom with age and experience. We think we know how the world works when we are 16. I remember believing it to be about competition. I had to be better and prettier than anyone else. It was a losing battle. But every girl I knew was competing, and every girl thought she was losing. How can we win in a society that is so damn judgmental? This is when my feet step onto my mat. Letting go of that competitive streak (that is sometimes beneficial in certain situations) helps relieve the stress that builds when we are constantly comparing ourselves to other people. Being with family, with my brothers who have known me for all my 24 years, helps me to accept who I am today. Especially because they have seen me through my many phases. And they love me through it all.

Tip of the Week: Take a moment to notice where you are competitive in your life. Clothing? Being thin? Strength? Intelligence? Then take a deep breath to acknowledge that, and perhaps make a commitment for the next hour to not be like that.

Oceanic Pulse

A few weeks off the radar... hello again! It sure has been an interesting few weeks. A trip to Florida promised sun, ocean, gin and tonics, and reading Chelsea Handler on the beach. It also caused a major fault line between one of my best friends and me. This situation proves difficult, and it is one that we all face one way or another. The old, "I made a mistake I am so sorry please forgive me", which is followed by a long...wait...to see if our friendship will endure past this situation. All you can really do is try to make a change in your own life, to be a better person, to learn from what happened and stand up tall even when you feel like crumpling in a corner (shaking your head at yourself). Yes, well this was me. However, time heals. Whether we heal together and come out of this as a dynamic duo or we heal separately and part ways is up to the test of time.

The ocean proved promising that as the waves crash another one will rise. Some are bigger than others. Some can pummel you to the ground. But they are all just waves.

Also, thank goodness for mothers. They are always there when you need them.

"You wait
You wait
You wait for summer,
Then you wait for rain
You wait
You wait
You wait for darkness then you wait for day"- Built to Spill

Tip of the Week: Meditation by focusing on a candle flame. Pinpointing your awareness on creation rids the rest of the dramas in life. At least for a moment.

Finding Balance with a Chair

Sometimes an hour can make a year feel worthwhile.
Today I taught yoga to a few guys who have suffered traumatic brain injury. Their movement was extremely limited, but we were not practicing yoga to perfect the crow pose, or bind in side angle. We did chair yoga, and it felt like the most pure yoga I've done in a while. They were there to make their bodies and minds feel better. I was touched by how humble these people were. They survived an accident but came out a different type of person. Yet they were still pushing through, still eating breakfast and watching sunsets. They were so grateful that I spent the hour teaching them yoga. They especially enjoyed the 3 part breath. The Positive Psychology class joined us for the session, and it was incredible to watch the discussion afterwards. Everyone was pretty much saying the same thing. They felt better. They did not realize how much stress they were carrying. I felt as if a piece of my purpose in life was fulfilled.

I received this email from the day program coordinator this afternoon:

Hello Kate,

Thank you for investing yourself into today's Positive Psychology class.  When a yoga teacher can motivate and stimulate a full class of people to follow, that's impressive.  When the topic is yoga, and there's males in the class, the task is even more difficult.  I respect what you've accomplished.

Feel proud, and continue to invest your giftedness in teaching yoga.  The need is great as evidence by America's health statistics.

 Your presence is welcome here, please let us know what time(s) might work for you in the coming months?

Fulfillment

This past week has been incredibly stressful- several tests, quizzes, and papers due. It is easy to get caught up in what is expected of you and to feel the need to please others. This was my situation. Come Thursday, I was horribly unsettled about a test on Friday and could focus neither in the library nor in my office. I felt depleted, and could not concentrate. I tried several times to stay because I had philosophy class at 1 pm. I could not do it. I left school, and on the way home my friend invited me to a yoga class. My first thought is no, I need to study. My next thought was how much I need that class. The class was a slow, intelligently sequenced hatha class taught by Jeri, who I used to work for at South Asheville Yoga. The class was incredibly healing. The next 3 days I attended yoga and went hiking. I felt so much better. I did the best I could on my test, and that is all we can really ask of ourselves. Expectations seem to be constantly pressing down on our minds and bodies, and to be able to perform better we need to be our selves. The more relaxed you are, the better you perform. Jeri said during class, "We need to learn when to use our active self, and when to use our relaxed self. The yin and yang. There is a balance between the 2, and we are on our mat to find that."

After class on Friday one of my closest friends looked at me and said:

"Why do we ever question if we should go to yoga class or not? We feel better physically, mentally and emotionally. Who doesn't want that?"

Well put Diana.

Tip of the Week: Nurture and nourish how you see fit. Tap into who you are, and live that life.

Date Night

Definitely feel like we are back into the full swing of things. Winter break seems far away, and my busy schedule feels again familiar. When Friday comes around it is easy to want to break free, go crazy, let loose, have fun! We work so hard during the week that we love having a night when we do not have to set the alarm clock and we choose to spend the day any way we desire. However, sometimes we need a rejuvenation more than a party night.

This past Friday I had planned to go out in downtown Asheville with my friends for some beer, but around 6 pm I was exhausted and wanted a night to myself. Instead of going out drinking, I found myself in a Sivananda yoga class with Wes at the YMCA. I needed it more than I knew. I walked in, set up my mat, and immediately went to childs pose. I could breathe deepply again. The practice was relatively slow paced, but intelligently sequenced and guided by Wes' compassionate voice. A good teacher can sequence an interesting class, but a great teacher can guide and move the tone of the practice with the students. It was as though Wes tapped into our energy bank and guided our stressed energy from the week to release onto the mat until all that was left was our breath and body.

Happy and peaceful, I made my way to Rosetta's Kitchen for a Buddha bowl, Kombucha, and yes, a slice of their amazing chocolate peanut butter cake. I went home and watched a movie, ate my delicious food, and hung out with my husky pup. Sometimes we need this kind of a Friday evening (though if anyone had an outside snapshot of me it may have looked like I just broke up with my boyfriend or something). I was perfectly content, woke up Saturday morning rejuvenated happy and focused.

Tip of the Week: Spend a date night with yourself. Maybe Tuesday? Nurture.

My best friend who lives in Hawaii. When you can't spend a night with your bestie, be your own best friend

A Touch of Gray

Contemplation

Sometimes it feels like there is nothing to write because my routine sets in and I am doing the same thing every week. I work at these times, I teach at this location, I go to that class. It becomes a conundrum and the spark for inspiration can feel a bit dull. How do we keep our spirits up?  A few things that have worked for me this past week:

1) Sitting down with a cup of tea and a new book on a comfy couch.
2) Taking the dogs out for a run
3) Calling up an old friend
4) Listening to live music

Even those can feel out of reach to inspire creativity. Pushing through the day and doing what needs to get done, breathing through it all, getting your workout and healthy food in is sometimes all we can do to make it through. This weekend it was 60 degrees in Asheville, and I sat outside with my puppy and a book and it was a simple thing but completely fulfilling. At least for that hour. Mood swings can set in and we can fly from feeling content to discontent in a matter of moments. It is all part of living. We are here to experience the light, the dark, and the gray.

Tip of the Week: Set aside an hour to do something that makes you feel good and that the day has been successful in lifting your mood.