Gratitude

Through the month of November, I carried around a permanent marker and a piece of paper everywhere I went. I asked different people to write down what or who they were thankful for and then I took a photo.  It started out as a fun way to involve the community in the "Gratitude" month at my studio, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

It amazed me what came to people's minds.  They were grateful for the people in their lives, of course, but also for random acts of kindness, for nature, for getting away with something, for their daily routines, and the list went on and on.  I put the marker away and just started to ask everyone "What are you thankful for?"  People I had known for 10 years would be thankful for their childhood puppy that I didn't even knew had existe!  I learned so much about my friends, my clients, and strangers all from a question that I had never thought to ask before.

I encourage everyone to take even one day and ask people what they appreciate most in their lives.  You get to hear so many stories about weird uncles, loves of the past, pets, experiences, even sounds.  It gives you such a unique look into your friend's lives.  I know I am grateful for all the stories shared with me.  Here are a few of the highlights from the month...

 

Balance

September was a month to think and work towards balance at my Boulder, CO studio.  This focus reached its testing point with the raining and flooding that happened in the middle of the month.  Many people have lost not only their homes, but also the land their homes sat upon.  Whole communities have been broken apart and destroyed.  Others have suffered the greatest loss of losing family members and friends to the violent floods.

I cannot pretend to know the grief that these families and communities must feel.  For most of us the flood has become an inconvenience, a hitch in our giddy-ups.  For the people of Jamestown, Lyons, Estes Park, Four Mile Canyon, Longmont, Coal Creek Canyon, Boulder Canyon and the other communities impacted heavily by these floods, this is their life for the next year or two.

With every tragedy, night comes and the morning wins.  Time presses on and with it brings healing and hope.  The belief in balance, and the circle of life helps humanity overcome tragedy. The sight of seeing thousands of volunteers helping strangers and neighbors get to safety and save their homes and belongings.  The efficiency in which our emergency teams responded to save lives and give people a warm place to sleep.  The belief that the rains will stop, people will reach safety, and we will rebuild. This is the balance of life at its most tested state.  From chaos comes beauty, from devastation comes hope.

Balance has always been a major theme throughout my life.  I believe there is no good without the bad, no success without the failure, no love without the heartbreak.  During times of suffering and pain, I always remind myself that the unbreakable ebb and flow of life will bring me back around to happiness and great fortune.  I have seen such a generous response of love, caring, and giving come from this community in an attempt to bring the area back to a stable, balanced place.  It validates my belief in balance and my belief in the human spirit.

Boulder Flood Relief Groups

Boulder Flood Relief

Donate Boulder

Trying New Things

The gang getting ready to hit the water

This month at my studio, the trainers and I tried Stand Up Paddleboarding.  We started out early on a warm Friday morning.  Calm water and a beautiful sunrise greeted us as we headed to the shore to meet our guide.  With a few quick tips and some safety instruction, my team was headed to the water, board and paddle in hand.
Now, we're a strong bunch and we have good balance and great core control, yet one by one we got on the boards and were amazed at how uncoordinated we felt.  A little shaking in the legs, awkwardness as we tried our first stroke, fear to go to the deeper parts of the water.  It was amazing how this seemingly easy activity was challenging and humbling us.
Trying new things in life can be hard.  We usually approach them with fear, anxiety, and self-doubt.  Due to this, we try to avoid them or procrastinate until it is absolutely necessary to tackle them.  However, trying new things, whether we succeed or fail breathe life into our, well, lives.  New things inspire us to grow, to be courageous, to become better.  Without new challenges, without leaving our comfort zone, the body and mind become stale and unmotivated.
As the summer slips away and it is easy to get into a daily routine, remember to give yourself the gift of trying something new each day.  Try a new food or even a new way of preparing food.  Smile and wave at a stranger you may have not even noticed the day before.  Read a new book, try a new route to work, change your workout routine.  Challenge and change yourself everyday to keep yourself motivated and inspired.
The trainers and I eventually did travel to deeper water and the shaking in our legs subsided.  We became confident enough on our boards to try racing, headstands, and some yoga.  We left the water energized by the new skill we learned and the confidence we gained by overcoming our initial timidness.  Such a small change to our day, inspired us to go to the next horizon and become a better version of ourselves.

The Importance of Stretching

This week I was working with a new client in her 60's who was experiencing knee and low back pain.  The client rides her bike frequently and leads an active lifestyle so when she began to get pain she was shocked that it stayed with her for over a week.  She was frustrated that she had been consistent with exercise and yet she still wasn't strong.  I quickly let her know that it was not strength that was the issue, but her lack of mobility and range of motion.

I see this so often in my clients.  Motivated to improve their health and fitness through endurance activities like running, biking, walking, swimming, and dancing, they forget to care for their bodies with stretching, foam rolling, and massage.  Over time, the repetitious nature of these sports and activities start to take their toll on the body.  Joints become stiff, muscles break down, scar tissue builds up, and range of motion becomes limited.

This limited mobility can be a catalyst for many other breakdowns in the body.  It limits strength and power output by restricting the length a muscle can move and therefore how much of the muscle can be used.  Our bodies create compensation patterns to make up the difference in range of motion that can lead to pain and injury up and down the kinetic train.  The stress on tendons and ligaments increases as the muscles become less pliable and flexible leading to tendonitis and tears.

Luckily, there are simple ways to prevent and reverse limited mobility.  Look below to see the 3 most common:

Stretching

Stretching is the easiest and most convenient way to avoid injuries due to tightness and lack of flexibility.  Stretching can be done anywhere - on the living room floor, standing by a car, in a tent - and provides some of the best results.  Below are a few guidelines:

Guidelines

• Hold stretches for at least a minute, but can be held for longer.
• Make sure your back stays long and straight.  Don't try to gain more range by putting stress on your spine.
• Your muscles should be warm when you stretch.
• Add variety - don't repeat the same stretches every time.

Stretching Resources

Best Stretches for Biking

Best Stretches for Running

Everyday Stretch Routine

Foam Roller

The foam roller is a great way to stretch the connective tissue known as fascia.  Rolling can be like a self -massage if done correctly.  Rolling is the best thing you can do for tightness of your IT band, mid-back, and for knee pain.

Guidelines

• Roll slow.  Let your body sink onto the roller to get the full benefits.
• Be consistent.  The more you do it, the less it will hurt.
• Take your time.  Spend minutes not seconds rolling out your body.

Foam Roller Resources

Rolling The Legs

Rolling The Back

Massage

Getting a massage is the best!  It is also great for your body.  Having an experienced massage therapist target the tightness in your body is the most personalized way to gain range of motion.  It is usually the most expensive way as well.  Adding in a monthly massage will help limit your pain and decrease the chance of an injury.  Click below for links to find an experienced massage therapist.

Massage Resources

MFR/Massage Therapists

Massage Therapist Directory