The past six months have been rewarding in that I rode my longest ride ever with 160 miles, and in addition, ran my fastest 10K and half marathon. However, with all the intensity that comes with training, by the time November arrived I was feeling ready to slow down a bit. The weather was turning cold, my skin was becoming dry and red, and my mind was all over the place. I quickly decided to change gears and focus on yoga and meditation for 30 days. I knew this might be very challenging for me as I enjoy exercising intensely and pushing myself... but I took it on anyway.
For the past year, I have included a bit of yoga into my normal workout training, usually only practicing a day or two each week, and sometimes not at all. This new idea of practicing daily seemed crazy to me, but I quickly discovered it was just what I needed. And along my journey, I found my new favorite teacher... Fiji McAlpine. I'm being totally honest when I tell you that this woman has changed my life. I use her free videos online to practice right in my own home. I've found that I prefer it this way because I don't have to go anywhere, as I mentioned it's free, and I enjoy the quiet at home to feel more relaxed not being surrounded by other classmates. Fiji's words, instructions and flow are so beautifully challenging that I truly feel blessed and moved by the end of each practice. No matter how the practice went, I feel grateful for my strength, my dedication, and my abilities. This is what yoga is all about!
Now that my 30 Day Challenge has come to an end, I still plan on doing my Fiji yoga 2-3 times per week as a normal addition to whatever new training sessions I take on. It provides me with a much better balanced body and mind. I can admit that I need this desperately. Sometimes even health coaches need to work on balancing all the components of a busy life! For every person, life is a journey. Challenges will forever be presenting themselves to us and we need to find the best ways to conquer and balance out those bumps in the road.
Change Your Mind. Find Your Balance. Love Your Life.