Ladies and Gentlemen, Love Yourself

There have been days when I have had to convince myself to go for what would seem to many a 'meager walk'. Today, I rejoice in my body's ability to go for a bike ride and follow that immediately with a run of two big dogs.  Perhaps my body had the ability to repeat this type of training/torture?! sooner than now, but not without significant pain or, plausibly, incurring an abundance of mental hurdles.

Even today, as I drove home from work, I was tempted to skip the workout, eat ice cream, and watch some Netflix.  Who would know besides me?

I credit much of my recent successes {no matter how small!} to my growing knowledge and practice in the wellness coaching field. Every single day . . .EVERY day . . . one of my clients, patients, or fellow coaches inspires me in a way that has been encouraging me to challenge the limits I put on myself.  Blessed is she who finds and pursues her passion and calling. (Of course, blessed is he who does all of that, too!) My life becomes richer each day as I practice nuggets of ancient wisdom relating to self care.  My perspective broadens as I draw on the experiences and stories of clients to challenge myself in some way - be it to dust off blogger and write a long-overdue post, or take 5 minutes to sit in quiet and focus on breathing.

And goll darnit anyway, I am going to be competing in a long course triathlon.  I may very well be the only woman in the 'athena' class; I may be the last one to cross the finish line; I may have a lot of work to do on the form of all of the events :-)  But I am learning to be grateful for the body I have been given and I am not going to worry so much about what I look like in the wetsuit or how my legs compare to the other runners.

I am a TRIATHLETE.  And I am going to run (and swim and bike) and finish the race. Hebrews 12:1

A couple interesting pieces:
13 Ways French Women Treat Themselves Right

'Plus' Sized Model Made Peace with Her Body

Beautiful Bodies

*Please forgive me, this post was meant to be published in February!

Here I am, keeping up on my (writing) goal for 2014 - are you?!  Taking time to write is helpful to slow down my brain and maybe offer some insight (perhaps some education?)  Taking time to read books 'for fun' and not just for knowledge helps me relax. 

Another one of my goals is to be sure that I am using my new 'fitbit' to track physical activity and nutrition.  As I've mentioned before, even health coaches, personal trainers, and wellness professionals sometimes struggle with the same issues that we coach and train others to overcome.  

Yep. A year ago, I was training for a half marathon, sleeping on a consistent schedule, and new to a couple of neat work opportunities. Since then, I encountered many of the same hurdles that I encourage and coach others through: Long-lasting injuries, negative work environment, poor relationship and dramatic breakup, financial burden, living relocation x2, false accusations/unsubstantiated claims and threats, worked hard to lose extra weight and gained it back. . .and I am not at all where I thought I would be.

BUT WHO WANTS TO FOCUS ON THE NEGATIVE?! No way! Use those stinky experiences to propel me forward, that's what I want to do.  Next goal:

Focus on what I want for 2014 (and beyond) including
being honesty, truly, deeply, everlastingly grateful for what my body and mind can and does do for me and for others every single day. 

Ultimately, we must remember that we are created for a greater purpose. ALL of us are given the responsibility to take care of ourselves as best we can: Mind, Body, and Spirit.  

My body has been fearfully and wonderfully made.

My mind is a powerful, creative resource and blessing.  

Psalm 139 provides this reminder.  

If any of us needs a visual reminder of how amazing the human body is (women, specifically), check out this article and accompanying photography: Beautiful Body Project

We all have a reason to smile, no matter the circumstances. For crying out loud, Job was singing praises when he had everything taken from him; Nelson Mandela continued to his compassionate crusade while imprisoned for years. 

Time for an attitude adjustment. And it will take daily practice. :-) For the month of January, I have been writing on a small calendar what I am thankful for each day. Simple, short little blips of happiness and gratitude.  In February, I will focus my gratitude more specifically toward . . . something. Stay tuned!

And smile :) 

Why THAT name?

I have had  inquiries about the name of my website (domain name) - and I thought taking a moment to explain the choice of the business name (Dynamic Wellness, LLC) and the importance of our awareness, education, and care of Mind, Body, and Spirit. 

Dynamic: "change, activity, progress"

Wellness: "optimal health, mind body and spirit" :-) 

Mind	Body	Spirit
A human mind arguably comprises both quantifiable brain ‘matter’ and the breadth of energy exchange and subsequent physiologic reactions.  How a person interprets information from the environment coupled with current brain chemistry sets in motion a chain reaction within the body.   What the mind believes the body receives; part of believing connects with experiences and education – another part of believing connects with the human spirit, an element of you that will not be ignored!	Your physical human body operates in much the same way as a machine: Proper fuel must be put in in order to do work; essential parts within must be functioning sufficiently in order to utilize the fuel.  Maintenance needs to be given regularly to prevent breakdown; when something does not feel or sound quite right, special tending may be needed. Controlled by a combination of the brain and both the conscious and subconscious mind, the physiology of your being may have as much to do with your thought patterns and spirit as with nutrition, rest, and physical activity.	Whether explained by quantum physics as a particular ‘energy field’ or by philosophy as an unquantifiable aspect of human being, your spirit arises from the physical body, the conceptual mind, and a component of faith.   Although the human spirit defies the human brain’s capability to define, we believe that the ‘spirit’ element of you requires attention and training, as well!

Life is a matter of balance.