"I have trouble sleeping. I think it's stress," a friend of a friend told me. I rattled off my go-to suggestions in an effort to help. Exercise. Meditation. Lay down on the floor with your legs up against the wall for 20 minutes (a yoga teacher I know swears by this). She gave me a nod and a rueful half-smile, conveyed the usual sequence of feelings; agreement, because she already knew the answers, guilt for not doing what she knew will help, and shame that she probably still won't. Her … [Read more...]
How to keep a negative mindset from ruining positive results
It's infuriating how easily negative thoughts can take over if you let them. I can do a phenomenal job of making them feel at home. Once those roots are planted, you almost feel like a traitor if you try to kick them out. Of course, we all know that that's not a good thing, but when you're stuck in the mire of worry, anxiety, self-flagellation or any variety of negative emotion when life doesn't to go your way, sometimes it's difficult to see clearly. We all have to take our punches, but … [Read more...]
How to Conquer the Inconvenience of a Good Habit
The gym is an awful, awful place. Not because I hate going, but it's February and the new-resolutioners have been in season for weeks. Now don't get me wrong, I'm no hater. I was new once. And I wish each and every person success with their fitness. But you and I both know that soon, only a fraction will stick around. They will have found their groove, time in their schedule and good gym manners. Maybe one day, we'll even become friends. I applaud this tenacious bunch. Making … [Read more...]
How a 20/20/20 Routine Changed My Mornings
This is a guest post by Scott Gardiner, and a testament to how small changes can add up to make a big difference. Enjoy! I used to wake up in the mornings like a lion with a thorn in his paw. I would creak and groan out of bed like I was much older than I actually was, and I dreaded the morning. I'm still not a huge fan of the alarm ringing in the morning, but some things have changed. My morning routine use to be: Wake up at the last minute possible Shuffle off to see my son … [Read more...]