Thursday, August 5, 2010
A lovely woman called my house the other night to tell me that she enjoyed reading my article about my husband the garlic farmer. Normally when someone compliments me I blow it off and put myself down or quickly change the topic. I am trying not to do that anymore, especially when it comes to doing this writing. When I decided to try and contribute to the Weekender each week I was filled with doubt, worry and lots of fear. My mind worked hard to convince me that I had nothing to say, and that I wasn't a good writer and that no one would be interested in what I had to say. And yet, I have found myself enjoying this process of challenging myself: trying something new and being a beginner in a very public way. It is good for me to expand in new directions.
I often meet people who tell me that they can't do yoga because they aren't flexible, or they can't do a zumba class because they aren't coordinated, or they can't do a pilates class because they aren't strong enough, or they think they aren't a "group exercise person." Our minds can take us on all kinds of trips that are just not true. If we always listen to those messages we will become couch potatoes... and in the long run that just doesn't serve us.
Our bodies are meant to move whether it is walking, playing baseball, dancing, skiing, running, swimming etc. Fall is a time when people want to get back into routines and for some it is a time to sign up for a fitness class and for others it is a time to organize a group of their own. We are very lucky in this community to have many qualified and experienced teachers who offer a range of possibilities as well as many different groups of people who get together to do their activity. It all starts by saying yes and getting yourself connected to a class or a group.
And saying yes might mean doing the activity for 5 minutes a day in the beginning, and then increasing from there. My goal when I started to write was 200 words an article. Who knows, by saying to writing these articles - maybe some day I'll write a book!
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