Tag Archives: fitness

author, encouragement, Grief, Uncategorized, writing

Be Working Out to Work Things Out 

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It was snowing this morning when I woke up. 🌨

Large. 

Fluffy. 

Snowflakes.  ❄️

It was cold. 

I lifted my head off the warm pillow, put on my work out clothes and headed out the door. 

Gloves and toques on. 

(Sidenote: sending love to Joan and Christina this morning💜) 

And then I ran.  

On the road, around the trails, under the ski lift.  

I ran to work things out this Thanksgiving weekend. 🍗

I work out as much for my body as for my mind. 

I have encountered grief many times in my life through friendships lost, moving, injuries, and the loss of my beautiful mama. 

I have watched people journey through grief during the process of divorce, their children aging, losing a job, gaining weight, not getting a contract and even not meeting a business goal.  

Grief is a daily journey.  It is a daily gift to take us to a deeper place as human beings. 

Awake.  

Feeling. 

Beings. 

In this grief that I have felt and witnessed through others, I see that we have FOUR choices, daily, sometimes moment by moment choices: 

1. First, we can numb ourselves with an outside substances or activity.  I tried nightly alcoholic drinks for awhile after my mom died, my greatest grief journey, but this just numbed me even more, so now I rarely drink.  If what you are doing is not allowing you to feel, then consider taking a break from the substance or activity.  I take rest days now in my workout weeks, thank you Coach Garry.  This has helped me tremendously as I choose not to numb. The greatest gift we have is to feel.  

2. Create a life of busyness and be a human doing is a second choice that I had to ponder and overcome.   This perpetual busyness allows us to keep going, feeling productive, going through the motions, but not living as a human being.  This “get ‘r done” girl knows this one well. I now purposely take time throughout my day to pray, meditate and be. It is important to feel as we live with grief. 


3. A third choice would be putting our ‘stuff’ onto other people.   We need to be 100% owners of our grief journey.  No two peoples will look the same.  We can walk side-by-side momentarily with people, but we won’t always walk together for long.  The feelings and thoughts that grief unfolds is as unique as each individual person.  Be gentle with yourself.  Be gentle with others.   Anger showered towards other people is an energy suck.  Bless and release.  Thoughts about others journeys is pointless.  Bless and release.  Telling others how it will be is a lie.  No one knows what grief will unfold for people. Who knew I would become a triathlete author who loves loves loves helping people be their healthiest selves through a nutritional system I discovered one November day at boot camp? We can only share where we are coming from and then allow other grief journeyers choose what will fit for them.  

4. We have one more choice, that I see on this journey. Sit, lie, walk, workout and stand in our grief.  Feeling it deeply with gentleness. Allowing ourselves to go to a deeper emotional place in whatever ‘position’ helps you grieve.  

My laundry room is my sanctuary.  This is where I lie. A place where I can be alone and lie on the floor, feeling my emotions. I lay there yesterday, crying, feeling, thinking and shifting.  I reached out to a divine-inspired friend, shared my heart, felt, prayed and then shifted my state.  

This morning, I ran. I worked out to give my mind time to churn. Space to think about my mom who always created magical holiday memories.   Time to be in nature and allow myself to feel.  

And now I stand.  I am ready to celebrate this magical thanksgiving weekend with my boys.  I have proactively processed and know I can react to anything that comes my way. 


Numbing. 

Busyness. 

Owning. 

Feeling. 

Our grief. 

Our feelings. 

Our journeys. 

Walking alongside those fellow awake, heartfelt people.  

Keep going my beautiful friends. 

Working out to work things out.  

You are not alone.  

blogger, Boys, health & fitness, Holidays

Be on a Sunrise Ski 

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Two slender boards sliding through the powder.  

A Labrador retriever frolicking at the end of a leather leash.  

A happy mama taking time to be still while gliding through the snow.  

Be.  

Be still. 

Be still and. 

Be still and know. 

Be still and know I. 

Be still and know I am God. 

Be still and know I am.  

Be still and know I.  

Be still and know. 

Be still and. 

Be still. 

Be. 

Be you.  

Your strengths. 

Your gifts.  

Your talents. 

Be present.  

Be still within. 

Be enough.     

Side note:  I think this is one of the best parts of my early morning skiis, pajama-clad boys in the window.  

May you have many beautiful smiles to come home to during this Christmas season. 

 

finance, fun, health & fitness

Be Waiting not ONE single moment more…

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16 weeks ago I begin a challenge.

The basics were take “before” photos, “after” photos, write an essay when you are done and put some products of your choice into your body using the business that I partner with.

My choice.

No other rules.

No checklists.

No counting.

Just me, my dreams, my goals and making daily choices.

I uploaded a quote from Ann Voskamp onto my phone:  

 I made a decision to move my body every day, except on rest days.  I ate in moderation and I used the scale and measurements to monitor my process.

Thank you to everyone who supported me, accepted my new “routines”, joined me on the journey and coached me along the way.  This is life changing stuff…

Pour into myself.

Pour out to others.

One relationship.

One day.

One beautiful imperfect life.

Me!

  How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. —Anne Frank

encouragement, Family, health & fitness, life

Be Hitting the Targets I Set!

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One of the best hockey players in the world, Wayne Gretzky, was once quoted as saying: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take!”

Before I wasn’t even in the game.

I was working very hard.

Going no where.

I was floating.

Listening to all the chatter around me.

Now, I am listening to the still inner voice inside of ME.

In my life right now I am taking a TON of shots.

Saying “yes” to new opportunities.

Being open to the possibilities.

Allowing myself to feel deeply and go deeper still.

This week, I was on the phone with M, someone that I have known for almost ten years… She is twenty-something and she is a FORCE.

I was sharing with M my last sixteen week journey of setting goals and achieving them.

Here is a photo of this first journey:

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Now after a very fun sixteen weeks of achieving many goals, I was in a quandary. Weight loss is no longer one of my MAJOR goals.  Hmmmmm… Now what?  I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with this second challenge and I expressed my ‘unknowing’ to friend/business partner.

Later in the day, she send me her ideas via text.   My ‘unknowing’ brought out a ‘knowledge’ in her that profoundly helped me and spurred me on.  Isn’t it awesome that she even thought of having “party tricks” as a goal!!

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Here is what I came up with because of her awesome inspiration:

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And here is me getting started to see where I am at: (It wasn’t pretty!)

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4 push-ups (the last one was with VERY shaky arms)

No chin-ups (I could barely hang there for 2 seconds)

And NOW I am off moving towards the targets that I set for myself.

The ULTIMATE goal is to be the healthiest ME and live the most energetic, positive-infused days of my life with my brood of boys, family and incredible circle of friends.

author, blogger, life, musings, poetry, psychology, writing

Be a Tour Guide not a Travel Agent

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I have a daily choice to make on how I want to live my life.

My life.

Impacting others.

My choice.

On how others impact me.

I have made the decision that I am going to live the rest of my days as a TOUR GUIDE.

I will be a leader.

I will speak clearly and kindly.

I will explore new places with excitement.

I will be show love and forgiveness to those on this journey with me.

I will try all sorts of new food.

I will jump into new activities.

I will not sit in my desk as a travel agent, but I will lead the tour!

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Today, I unveil my new website www.beenough.me.

I will be your tour guide on this journey into being “enough”!

Here I am with my boys:

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I am taking 100% responsibility for MY LIFE.

I am going to neither blame nor complain.

I will continue to LOVE deeply those placed around me.

I will listen.

I will ask.

I will be overflowing with gratitude that my basic needs of food, clothing and housing are completely met.

I am going to live my dream and create a clear vision for my family.

I will allow my path to wander.

I will believe.

I will know that what others think of me is none of my business.

I will set goals and create small daily tasks for myself.

I will look for others who have done what I am going to do.

I will link arms with those who inspire, encourage and love me as I am.

I AM releasing the BRAKES.

Here we go….

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Boys, health & fitness

Be Having Fat

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I had to share this quote that I came across a few months ago. It has greatly encouraged me as I have set some health goals to ‘be able to keep up to my boys.” This has meant that I want to shed a few pounds. Have you felt ten pounds of butter?

Ten more pounds to be light (and unfortunately I can’t get this in a bottle like my hair colour!) and running alongside my boys.

May this quote encourage you on your journey.

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One unconscious belief.

Shattered.

One conscious thought.

Replaced.

One mouthful.

At a time.

One workout.

Every day.

Let’s go TEAM LIGHT!

Goals, health & fitness

Be a Boot Camper

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I am in a season of beginnings.  

Living daily with loss.

A time of rebirth.

Renewal. 

Playing on the teeter-totter, bars and with rubber balls.

I am going to boot camp with Krista King! 

Where’s Joanna? I am the lady in blue!  

IMG_4353 IMG_4352 Thank you Krista for taking and sharing these pictures.   IMG_4358IMG_4351IMG_4355   IMG_4357

A new KCity friend invited me to go to boot camp with her back in April.

I was intrigued because it was outside either at a beach or in a park.  I had heard through the grapevine that the instructor, Krista King, was a pilates-trained instructor with a heart for health and exercise.  

When I first tried boot camp, I would describe my body as a marshmallow.   After packing, moving, loving my mom through cancer, watching her die and living through profound grief, I had gained a momentous forty pounds on my six foot frame.  I was embarrassed at what I had allowed my athletic body to go through.   I was in the obese section for my height.

The first day of boot camp, I didn’t know if I would be able to run.  I knew that I couldn’t do a sit-up.  I wondered how sore I would be. 

I was pleasantly surprised.  I worked hard, but at my own pace.  I tried everything, but knew that there was no pressure to do so.  Krista King created an environment that was positive, athletically challenging for every body and it was fun to move my body in a variety of ways.  I had difficulty walking up stairs two days later, but it was well worth it and just reminded me to stretch.  

Now, three months later, I am fifteen pounds lighter and feeling like I can do anything.  I continue going to boot camp once or twice per week as well as riding my bike and doing Jillian Michaels DVD’s to help me recover and get ready for the next boot camp.    

Boot camp.

Butt kick.

Into gear,

Moving.

Shaking.

Energized.

Encouraged.

Inspired by the right instructor for me.

Finding my feet.

Firmly placed.

With God’s guidance.

 It is only the beginning.  

 

Boys, Family, health & fitness, Parenting, Uncategorized

Be Sharing Green Tea Hawaii Love

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My story with Green Tea Hawaii started even before I knew that Green Tea Hawaii existed. green tea logo In the summer of 2013, my mom was in profound pain. She had a distended stomach. We thought it was a bladder infection. It was cancer. She journeyed through six months with cancer, living in tremendous pain. We shared many moments shaving her head, watching the boys, cutting her toenails, living each moment. Very unexpectantly the cancer continued to multiply and mom became an angel in heaven on Boxing Day 2013.

Back in mid-October, Mom went to see a Physician at an Integrative Cancer Clinic that supports each patient’s emotional, physical and spiritual health. At this appointment, they doctor covered many topics from eating, exercise, supplements, meditation and encouraged mom on her overall cancer journey. One moment that made her laugh, was when he suggested that she drink ten cups of green tea per day. It has shown that drinking green tea slows down and even stops cancer cell’s from multiplying. My mom was barely eating nor drinking at this point, so the thought of drinking ten cups of green tea made us giggle. If I only knew…

Fast forward now to March, where our family had been given a great gift from a University friend and teammate, their house for ten days in Hawaii. We were also given free access to this amazing product that they own called Green Tea Hawaii. They had samples all over their kitchen counter and we helped ourselves.  Green Tea Hawaii changed our lives.

Everyone I know that has tried Green Tea Hawaii talks about the benefit of the extra energy. I now ride my bike at 6:00am, just because I want to and can. (And I ain’t no morning person!) I enjoy doing Jillian Michaels DVD’s in the afternoon and evenings because I have the energy to. Plus I still have lots left in me to be a present and loving mom to my three boys under seven. Before Green Tea Hawaii, I was struggling.

I love the L-theanine in the Green Tea Hawaii as it gives me a great sense of peace. The combination of the Noni and green tea is absolutely delicious. This is a sweet tea, but contains less than one gram of stevia and sugar. (One teaspoon of sugar is about four to five grams for those visual people.)

Hot or cold.

Shaken not stirred.

Mixed with about a cup of pure water

I have finally found my drink!

The health benefits of the Green Tea Hawaii take me back to the appointment with my mom. Each sleeve of the Green Tea Hawaii equal around 45 cups of Green Tea. Yup, you read that correctly. My mom could have drank just one sleeve and had more than the benefits of the 10 cups of tea that were recommended. satchet

 

The other benefit of Green Tea Hawaii is weight loss. This is an added bonus for me as I already love the health benefits of this product. If you take one sleeve fifteen minutes before breakfast and again before lunch, it revs up your metabolism. I am not entirely sure how this works, but as of today, I have lost fifteen pounds. But nothing compares to the taste, cancer fighting and energy that Green Tea Hawaii brings me.

My dad now uses Green Tea Hawaii to help with his arthritis from his hockey playing days. My husband doesn’t drink pop or energy drinks anymore and he has more energy than before. In one weekend, he planted twenty-two cedars and fifteen HUNDRED square feet of new grass. He had a Green Tea Hawaii in the afternoon and early evening which gave him what he needed to work hard. IMG_4165IMG_4172 Lastly, I have to tell you that after I discovered Green Tea Hawaii, I went to my Naturopathic Physician. Anything that I eat or drink on a daily basis, I like to check out with her. She looked at the ingredients and loved the product for me. She only cautioned the caffeine in Green Tea can disrupt your sleep cycle, so don’t have it after five o’clock in the evening. One sleeve of Green Tea Hawaii is the same amount of caffeine in one cup of Java. She loved the calming affect of the L-theanine as well as the health benefits of the high quality Green Tea from Japan and the Noni from the Polynesian Island. I am very excited and full of gratitude that I can share this product with anyone that would like to try it. Can you tell? IMG_4654IMG_4664
Off to ECity to learn more about Green Tea Hawaii.

Full of gratitude.

Full of energy.

Full of cancer fighting Green Tea.

Feeling the Hawaiian Noni love.

Sweet and cool on a hot day.

Warm and comforting on a cold day.

Healthy.

Green Tea Hawaii.

Love!

 

Sidenote: You can leave me a comment,  text or call me if you are interested in trying a sample.  I have had many people ask since this post.