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gratitude

Bowl Full of Lemons

July 11, 2012 by gracefulfitness 3 Comments

Most people who know me would use words like “grounded”, “calm”, or “low-key” to describe my personality.  I would have to agree with them….mostly.

Yesterday I was more like a big ball of anxiety and frustration.

I was feeling overwhelmed by what I “needed” to accomplish and underwhelmed with own ability to get it done.

I am far from a perfectionist but yesterday I realized just what high expectations I place on myself sometimes.  Not unrealistically high but the kind of high that creates a bit of panic if I fall short.

Around the holidays last year I thought a lot about, and wrote about, compassion.  My mind was focused on cultivating compassion towards others and I gave little thought towards self-compassion.  Self-compassion is a tricky thing for me to wrap my brain around.  In many ways I am gentle and kind to myself and rarely let negative self-talk take over my inner dialogue.  On the other hand, when I think of self-compassion a little part of me wants to scream that that is just my inner apathy wanting to be let off the hook.

Like most things in life it comes down to balance.

How can we find the balance between self-compassion, self-critique, and just plain apathy?

It helps to start by acknowledging that like most things in life, achieving this balance is an active, not static, practice.  Balance is rarely passive.  Stand on a tightrope, how passive do you feel?  Most likely every cell in your body is on high alert with the goal of keeping you upright.

One of the challenges this presents is that there isn’t one right answer.  Some days balance comes quick and easy, other days I stumble to stand up! At different times in my life I will need to draw on tried and true techniques from the past as well as find new tools to apply to each unique situation.

What’s in my toolbox today?  Gratitude.

Too blessed to be stressed so I’m making lemonade!

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Posted in: Blogging Tagged: compassion, gratitude

August Goals

August 1, 2011 by gracefulfitness 5 Comments

Awwww, August.  The real deal of Summertime.

In the intense heat and sticky humidity of these Summer days (and nights!)  I sometimes forget that I love summer.  I love summer dresses and green trees.  I love outdoor concerts and rendevousing at patio bars.  I love crisp white wine and iced nettle tea.  I love submerging in woodland swimming holes and fresh-from-the-vine tomatoes.  I even love sweat-soaked, 90* summer runs.

It’s become a ritual/habit/practice for me on the first of the month to look at my exercise over the previous month and set goals/guidelines for the coming month.  July was an active month!  Full of hiking and Pilates, running and strength training.  But wait!  What happened to yoga?!   Hmmm, seems to be taking a little summer vacay from my life for the past few weeks.

My main goal for August is to get back on the mat.  Usually I set a number of workouts per week, like 2-4 yoga sessions.  This month my yoga goal is to practice “regularly”.

With three weeks to go until the Crazy Captain Thurmond Challenge, it’s time to get serious about running long distances UPhill in the middle of the day.  The running plan for August is 2-4 per with some longer distances (6-7 milers) and hill training for the next two weeks.  Yesterday I ran/walked a sweaty, slow, and hilly 6.5 miles and it made me really excited for this event!

Strength training and Pilates remain pretty steady lately.  I am happy with my 3 strength workouts and 2 Pilates workouts per week and plan to continue with that schedule.

Teaching updates!  Cville readers; I am teaching 7pm mat Pilates at the Downtown ACAC starting tonight, and a Vinyasa yoga class and a Modern dance class (two separate classes) at Dance Explosion on Tuesdays starting after Labor Day.  E-mail me, gracefulfitness at live dot com, for more info!

What are your August exercise goals?  How do you plan to challenge yourself or change your routine this month?

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Posted in: goals, workouts, yoga Tagged: Captain Thurmond Challenge, goals, gratitude, running, yoga, yoga mat
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I am Faith Levine, a movement instructor, home gardener, mountain biker, hiker, pickle maker, closet poet, and best of friend to some of the most amazing women in the world.

I’d love to hear from you,
gracefulfitness@live.com

Header photo: Meredith Coe

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Hi, I'm Faith! New? Check out I Am for my story, I Cook for recipes, and I Move for some motivation to get moving! I'd love to hear from you, e-mail me gracefulfitness@live.com
Header photo: Meredith Coe

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