It's Canadian Thanksgiving and while my mom's turkey, mashed potato and all the fixings dinner is on the brain, so too is the need to give thanks for a couple of amazing people.
My life is pretty simple; I have a 9-5 job, after which I come home to make dinner for us or run off to the studio to teach. B and I hang out, watch TV, think about house projects and yard projects. I read, I study, I play with the dogs. Weekends mostly consist of catching up on things like groceries, housework, meal plans, maybe a dinner out at one of our favourite restaurants or at a friend's. Sometimes pure laziness ensues and we spend a day doing a whole lot of not very much, drinking lots of coffee.
And then there's Sunday evening; my favourite night of the week. Almost every Sunday evening you will find us at my parents house. They live a 10 minute walk away. Some would say that's too close; I wouldn't have it any other way. At this time of year, there's football, the rest of the year hockey so a good portion of Sunday evenings is spent yelling at the TV (we unfortunately don't root for the superstar teams of the leagues...but that's another story). Dinner is always delightful, the conversation wildly varied and often colourful. Dad and I live for debating (something to do with both of us being opinionated Aquarians no doubt) while mom and B shake their heads and retreat to their iphones or another room until we've exhausted all arguments. And when all is said and done, we head home and get ready for another work week.
Not glamorous and it's pretty simple, but it's a life filled with things and people to be grateful for. More than anything, I'm grateful for my amazing parents; parents who have taught me to recognize the great things and people in life; to be thankful for 15 minutes with someone, when I would have liked an afternoon; to not sweat the small stuff (not quite there yet); to not make life about money; to take risks (yes dad, small ones that are not life threatening); to have compassion; to be patient (still have a LOT of work to do here); and quite simply to just enjoy the ride that life is.
Mom and Dad - you're awesome. Everyone who knows you knows it and you should too. I love you.
I'll be over to mash potatoes in a few hours.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Saturday, October 5, 2013
saying no and slowing down
Gents, I'm not leaving you out but this one is targeted mainly at the ladies - and only because I hear it from them most often.
Are you always saying yes? Yes, I'll take on that project, yes I'll work a few extra hours, yes I'd love to help you with that, yes I'll... fill in the blank right? "Yes" coupled with "I need to" as in - I need to do the laundry/make dinner/workout/get the kids to soccer/clean the kitchen and the list goes on again.
And at some point we find ourselves either flat on our ass, sick and totally exhausted or crying in a heap because we're completely overwhelmed. Because our bodies and minds have said "enough is enough".
We want to be the perfect mom/wife/employee/student/friend who magically balances work, home, family, personal time, hobbies, etc and looks great doing it. And saying no makes us feel like we'll be disappointing someone.
All of this takes a toll on our health as I discovered this past week. I've been going, going, going since the spring and in the process let my healthy eating habits and my regular workouts slide. I mean there were new street food carts just outside my office building and they were sooooo awesome - hello shrimp po' boy sandwiches (did I mention I have a sensitivity to wheat....?) And outside of work, instead of working out, I was working on the website or helping with fundraisers for the pool project.
I travelled to San Francisco last week for a fabulous conference for work; I flew home on Friday and by the time B picked me up at the airport, I felt it - that scratchiness in the back of my throat.
By Sunday I was sick as a dog and a week later, I'm still fighting it. Still coughing, wheezing and I've barely been out of the house for an entire week. In one word - miserable. I missed out on spending time with visiting relatives, teaching my classes, being back at work, beautiful fall runs, walks with B and the dogs. An entire week.
And so, as I start to feel better, I also start to realize nobody is judging me for how much laundry is sitting & waiting to be done; how well I plan meals; or how regularly I workout - I am the only one judging me. Friends and family may be disappointed that I can't help them with something; but that is their sentiment to own, not mine to be fearful of.
And so begins the practice of saying yes ONLY because I am passionate about something and have the time to dedicate to it (and do it well). I will fight the need to say yes out of fear of disappointing or out of a sense of obligation.
Try it with me and let me know how you've managed to feel better about saying no and in turn, how you've managed to slow down, even if it's only a little!
Sunday, September 8, 2013
success!
It's been a year in the making, but the recreation association I've been volunteering for - the HUB - opened the pool to the public yesterday!
It was awesome and worth every moment spent working on it! Lots of kids, parents and seniors were able to splash around for the first time in years. Swimming lessons start soon and I have to admit - I am stoked about getting back in the water on a regular basis.
And now that it's a little quieter, at least for a while, time to get back to working on some of my stuff. More yoga practice, more teaching this fall, some studying (which has taken a major backseat), a little more writing and some work around the house.
It was a great feeling yesterday, knowing that I was able to contribute to something so special in our community and that people will get to enjoy for a long time to come.
It was awesome and worth every moment spent working on it! Lots of kids, parents and seniors were able to splash around for the first time in years. Swimming lessons start soon and I have to admit - I am stoked about getting back in the water on a regular basis.
And now that it's a little quieter, at least for a while, time to get back to working on some of my stuff. More yoga practice, more teaching this fall, some studying (which has taken a major backseat), a little more writing and some work around the house.
It was a great feeling yesterday, knowing that I was able to contribute to something so special in our community and that people will get to enjoy for a long time to come.
 |
| That's me, hanging out (read: working) at the pool one evening this past week before opening day. The mural was painted by a local artist years ago and has held up remarkably well. People are thrilled we were able to preserve it. |
Sunday, August 18, 2013
the joy of volunteering
Over the last year, I've had the opportunity to be involved in an amazing project - the creation of a community-based recreation association. It's the brain-child of a dear friend whose dedication and belief in making fitness and movement available to everyone is unmatched.
It started out with a visit to a local facility that was closed by the province and then purchased by a local construction family. Their objective is to convert it into a community within a community and they're doing just that. It's called The Gallipeau Centre and with over 800,000 square feet of buildings on more than 350 acres, it's a sight to behold. A beautiful location just outside of town with mature trees and lots of greenspace. Included on the site was a pool, gymnasium and numerous classrooms all in one area of the facility (starts to sound like a cool rec facility no?) The catch? The facility had been closed for a few years and the pool out of commission.
Over the last year, we participated in the Aviva Community Fund in which we won $99,000.00 to refurbish the pool, got access to some grant funding and have enjoyed the generosity of members of the community who have donated their time, money and expertise. The result is a virtually brand new pool that will be opening in 3 weeks offering swimming lessons, public swimming, aquafit and the like.
The last year has involved significant time and effort from many of us; it has meant missed family dinners, time away from home at meetings or weekend events and festivals to tell people our story, countless hours working on a website, logo competitions, managing a facebook page and conducting interview. There are days I've been exhausted and didn't even want to think about it.
Yesterday I had the pleasure of spending the day signing kids up for swimming lessons, adults for aquafit memberships and families for swim memberships. It was one of the best days I've had all year. It reminds me how important this is for the residents of our community and the surrounding communities who don't have access to this kind of facility today. But they will. In 3 weeks. And that makes me exceedingly happy.
This has occupied countless hours of my time outside of my day job and teaching. Now multiply that by about 10 - volunteers who run a regular Tuesday night BBQ to fundraise, board members scraping, patching and readying change rooms for paint, doing all the media interviews, working with contractors and the list goes on. All of it done by volunteers.
If you want to learn more about us, check us out - we're called The Hub and our members affectionately known as Hubsters.
From this Hubster to everyone who has supported and continues to support us - thank you. Without volunteers, this never would have happened.
It started out with a visit to a local facility that was closed by the province and then purchased by a local construction family. Their objective is to convert it into a community within a community and they're doing just that. It's called The Gallipeau Centre and with over 800,000 square feet of buildings on more than 350 acres, it's a sight to behold. A beautiful location just outside of town with mature trees and lots of greenspace. Included on the site was a pool, gymnasium and numerous classrooms all in one area of the facility (starts to sound like a cool rec facility no?) The catch? The facility had been closed for a few years and the pool out of commission.
Over the last year, we participated in the Aviva Community Fund in which we won $99,000.00 to refurbish the pool, got access to some grant funding and have enjoyed the generosity of members of the community who have donated their time, money and expertise. The result is a virtually brand new pool that will be opening in 3 weeks offering swimming lessons, public swimming, aquafit and the like.
The last year has involved significant time and effort from many of us; it has meant missed family dinners, time away from home at meetings or weekend events and festivals to tell people our story, countless hours working on a website, logo competitions, managing a facebook page and conducting interview. There are days I've been exhausted and didn't even want to think about it.
Yesterday I had the pleasure of spending the day signing kids up for swimming lessons, adults for aquafit memberships and families for swim memberships. It was one of the best days I've had all year. It reminds me how important this is for the residents of our community and the surrounding communities who don't have access to this kind of facility today. But they will. In 3 weeks. And that makes me exceedingly happy.
This has occupied countless hours of my time outside of my day job and teaching. Now multiply that by about 10 - volunteers who run a regular Tuesday night BBQ to fundraise, board members scraping, patching and readying change rooms for paint, doing all the media interviews, working with contractors and the list goes on. All of it done by volunteers.
If you want to learn more about us, check us out - we're called The Hub and our members affectionately known as Hubsters.
From this Hubster to everyone who has supported and continues to support us - thank you. Without volunteers, this never would have happened.
Saturday, August 10, 2013
yay for vacation time!
Ah, just settling back in after a few days out of town. Took a week off and headed to New York City for a few days. It was my parents first visit to the Big Apple. I think they liked it!
Vacation time is something to be treasured. Not just because it's "vacation" but moreso because it gives a chance to take time away from work to spend time with family and decompress. It's well documented that a great deal of vacation time goes unused. In some cases, vacation time is taken but people work anyways, answering emails and phone calls. The impact? We start to feel stressed and overwhelmed because we never have a break. That can lead to illness, feeling unhappy - none of it good.
Does this mean that work is bad? NO! Work can be enjoyable, productive, enriching and offer an opportunity to contribute meaningfully. BUT, we can do all of those things more effectively and efficiently when we've had time away. We also tend to enjoy work more when we've had some time away. Time away gives us perspective, time to look at things differently, maybe even find a creative way of solving that problem that's been nagging at you! The absence of time away can lead to increased stress, frustration, lack of creativity and worst of all - the potential to no longer enjoy the work that we do.
Vacations don't have to be lavish, expensive jaunts around the countryside or world. They can be at home, with little day trips here and there to explore a local countryside, doing a project around the house that you've wanted to, or just sitting and reading the books that we haven't gotten to. Vacation time is whatever you choose it to be.
So use those vacation days and enjoy your time off! Put down the blackberry, turn it off, leave it behind. It's good for your health and your happiness.
Vacation time is something to be treasured. Not just because it's "vacation" but moreso because it gives a chance to take time away from work to spend time with family and decompress. It's well documented that a great deal of vacation time goes unused. In some cases, vacation time is taken but people work anyways, answering emails and phone calls. The impact? We start to feel stressed and overwhelmed because we never have a break. That can lead to illness, feeling unhappy - none of it good.
Does this mean that work is bad? NO! Work can be enjoyable, productive, enriching and offer an opportunity to contribute meaningfully. BUT, we can do all of those things more effectively and efficiently when we've had time away. We also tend to enjoy work more when we've had some time away. Time away gives us perspective, time to look at things differently, maybe even find a creative way of solving that problem that's been nagging at you! The absence of time away can lead to increased stress, frustration, lack of creativity and worst of all - the potential to no longer enjoy the work that we do.
Vacations don't have to be lavish, expensive jaunts around the countryside or world. They can be at home, with little day trips here and there to explore a local countryside, doing a project around the house that you've wanted to, or just sitting and reading the books that we haven't gotten to. Vacation time is whatever you choose it to be.
So use those vacation days and enjoy your time off! Put down the blackberry, turn it off, leave it behind. It's good for your health and your happiness.
Saturday, August 3, 2013
when did pant size become a marker of health?
By today's standard, the 21 year old college me would be viewed as healthy. PFFT!!! Not so much. My diet consisted of ramen noodles (a lot of them), chocolate croissants from a pastry shop at the school, pizza, burgers and oh yeah, hot dogs from the street cart after a night at the bar (read: beer and cocktails) with girlfriends. I worked out maybe 5 times a year. But I wore a size 5, so all good right?!
Like it or not, that's the message women and girls are bombarded with today - size matters. Size 10 is generally considered large and the insinuation is that = unhealthy. (It would seem I am doomed).
When did this happen? I honestly don't remember it. When was it that pant size became an indicator of how healthy a person is? And why the hell is it seemingly acceptable to judge people on that basis? Slim = healthy and fit. Size 10+ = not healthy, not fit.
I am not skinny; I likely never will be again (I was 20 for God's sake). Am I strong? Yep. Have a lot of muscle? Yep. Do I eat well? Yep. Exercise regularly? Yep. High blood pressure? No. High blood sugar? No. Heart disease? No again.
But I'm in the large category. Pity the size 16. And bigger than that? Well, you're just a lost cause.
Pay attention - that's the message women and girls are getting. You are a lost cause and you don't belong. There's a reason people with weight concerns steer clear of gyms, studios or go for walks at night when it's dark. Because they hear and society tells them you are a lost cause and you don't belong. They hear it and see it in the looks they get; in the remarks made quietly when you think they can't hear you; when they can't buy a simple pair of workout pants because they aren't available in plus sizes; when you sneer at their food choices (an occasional ice cream treat doesn't get a 2nd glance if you're slim, but God help you if you're overweight, even if the rest of your week is spent eating kale and drinking lemon water). In a million little ways, the same message gets conveyed over and over again.
So let's stop. Please stop. Change the message and stop judging. It starts with each of us. Don't judge. Don't assume. Be helpful. Be compassionate. Be kind.
I will never forget the story of a friend. A family medical emergency was her wake-up call. At the time, she weighed almost 250 pounds - at just over 5 feet tall, she was obese. She decided it was time to get healthy. She bought a gym membership. She showed up, got on the treadmill and someone laughed at her. She cried. She didn't know how the machine worked. Someone else took the opportunity to talk to her, to help her and offer her support. It was thanks only to the person who helped her that she stayed. She still wanted to run out of there every day. But she stayed. And she changed her life.
That's what each of us can do. We can help change someone's life.
Like it or not, that's the message women and girls are bombarded with today - size matters. Size 10 is generally considered large and the insinuation is that = unhealthy. (It would seem I am doomed).
When did this happen? I honestly don't remember it. When was it that pant size became an indicator of how healthy a person is? And why the hell is it seemingly acceptable to judge people on that basis? Slim = healthy and fit. Size 10+ = not healthy, not fit.
I am not skinny; I likely never will be again (I was 20 for God's sake). Am I strong? Yep. Have a lot of muscle? Yep. Do I eat well? Yep. Exercise regularly? Yep. High blood pressure? No. High blood sugar? No. Heart disease? No again.
But I'm in the large category. Pity the size 16. And bigger than that? Well, you're just a lost cause.
Pay attention - that's the message women and girls are getting. You are a lost cause and you don't belong. There's a reason people with weight concerns steer clear of gyms, studios or go for walks at night when it's dark. Because they hear and society tells them you are a lost cause and you don't belong. They hear it and see it in the looks they get; in the remarks made quietly when you think they can't hear you; when they can't buy a simple pair of workout pants because they aren't available in plus sizes; when you sneer at their food choices (an occasional ice cream treat doesn't get a 2nd glance if you're slim, but God help you if you're overweight, even if the rest of your week is spent eating kale and drinking lemon water). In a million little ways, the same message gets conveyed over and over again.
So let's stop. Please stop. Change the message and stop judging. It starts with each of us. Don't judge. Don't assume. Be helpful. Be compassionate. Be kind.
I will never forget the story of a friend. A family medical emergency was her wake-up call. At the time, she weighed almost 250 pounds - at just over 5 feet tall, she was obese. She decided it was time to get healthy. She bought a gym membership. She showed up, got on the treadmill and someone laughed at her. She cried. She didn't know how the machine worked. Someone else took the opportunity to talk to her, to help her and offer her support. It was thanks only to the person who helped her that she stayed. She still wanted to run out of there every day. But she stayed. And she changed her life.
That's what each of us can do. We can help change someone's life.
Monday, July 22, 2013
half way through 2013 and...
I haven't forgotten the commitments I signed up for at the beginning of the year. Remember my poo-pooing of new year's resolutions?
If you don't remember, check it out here, but this is the abbreviated version:
1) eat better
2) leverage yoga as the learning tool it is
3) protect and spend time with family
So, how am I doing?
Pretty darn good I think.
1) There is far less junk food in my life. When I do eat it, I am quickly reminded why I avoid it (migraines = unpleasant). Our CSA is producing lots of awesome stuff and I'm eating more of the green stuff that shows up than I did last year (green smoothies are my current obsession)
2) So many great opportunities for me to learn from my fellow teachers, but even moreso from my students. I am no longer frightened by the prospect of who might show up to class and whether I will be able to help them through my class because I know I can modify, modify, modify. I'm learning to trust what I know, comfortable saying "I don't know" and learning more with every question that falls into the 2nd category (and there are lots of them!)
3) It's been a revolving door here since, well.... May. Family visiting us; we're traveling to visit family; weekends away with great friends; Bryan and I are planning out more house projects that we're going to attempt together (stay tuned to see how that works out); dogs are happy (especially now that it's not 45 degrees with the humidex - that would be 113F for my American friends); we're accompanying my parents for their first trip to NYC in 2 weeks - YAY!!!! The yard is a bit of a mess right now, but family BBQ's and time spent together is way more important (though the weeds are annoying me).
Anyways, just a quick realization for me today that the things that were important for me at the beginning of the year seem to still be the focus of my attention mid-year. It's also confirmed that just paying attention to those 3 little commitments - not in excruciating detail or obsessing over them to be "perfect" - has resulted in a REALLY enjoyable first half of the year.
Here's to the 2nd half - cheers!
- amy
If you don't remember, check it out here, but this is the abbreviated version:
1) eat better
2) leverage yoga as the learning tool it is
3) protect and spend time with family
So, how am I doing?
Pretty darn good I think.
1) There is far less junk food in my life. When I do eat it, I am quickly reminded why I avoid it (migraines = unpleasant). Our CSA is producing lots of awesome stuff and I'm eating more of the green stuff that shows up than I did last year (green smoothies are my current obsession)
2) So many great opportunities for me to learn from my fellow teachers, but even moreso from my students. I am no longer frightened by the prospect of who might show up to class and whether I will be able to help them through my class because I know I can modify, modify, modify. I'm learning to trust what I know, comfortable saying "I don't know" and learning more with every question that falls into the 2nd category (and there are lots of them!)
3) It's been a revolving door here since, well.... May. Family visiting us; we're traveling to visit family; weekends away with great friends; Bryan and I are planning out more house projects that we're going to attempt together (stay tuned to see how that works out); dogs are happy (especially now that it's not 45 degrees with the humidex - that would be 113F for my American friends); we're accompanying my parents for their first trip to NYC in 2 weeks - YAY!!!! The yard is a bit of a mess right now, but family BBQ's and time spent together is way more important (though the weeds are annoying me).
Anyways, just a quick realization for me today that the things that were important for me at the beginning of the year seem to still be the focus of my attention mid-year. It's also confirmed that just paying attention to those 3 little commitments - not in excruciating detail or obsessing over them to be "perfect" - has resulted in a REALLY enjoyable first half of the year.
Here's to the 2nd half - cheers!
- amy
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