How to Get What You Want.

How do you get what you want? How do you get inspiration? How does it happen?

One of my professors had a great quote today and it impacted me. Although I’ve been anxious about the idea about achieving my fitness goals for the year, I can get there.

“It takes work. It’s not about willing a physical thing to ahppen. You have to do the work to make it happen. It’s all about the work. It’s not about just inspiration to get you there. It’s about work.”

DAMN that’ll work. Later that day, one of my classmates said something too that I thought was a great story.

“There are two children in a tree with two parents from a far. One parent yells ‘hold on’ and the other yells ‘don’t fall.’ The child who falls is the one who was told “Don’t fall.” So, focus on what to do and not what you’re not supposed to do cause you’ll end up doing whatever is on your mind.’

Damn… that’ll work too.

Does Slow & Steady ACTUALLY Win the Race

Not that I’ve spent much time reflecting on this particular life adage, but I’ve thought about it. I’ve thought about it when I’m studying for something, I think about it when I’m making plans or planning an event, and of course I think about it as I continue my quest to become healthier, stronger, and leaner. Does slow and steady actually win the race? Does taking the time to handle something slowly, or  in little smaller parts, or gradually make everything workout…. ‘better’ in the end.

Luckily, I’ve been far too busy as of late to really be frustrated by overthinking and overanalyzing whether or not the ‘take it slow approach is for me. As a consequence, the theory of it got put into practice with much reduced effort and stress. I inadvertently benefited from the slow & steady approach And I think I’m winning. There are the more vain things I enjoy, ie clothes fitting better and such. And then there are the more ‘big deal’ things that I really I’m glad I’ve had the time to be able to put into practice ie, MUCH MUCH healthier eating. You know, the things that TAKE TIME to learn, that take time to be ingrained before they become habitual acts of daily living. I’m not saying it’s perfect science, but something’s clicked.

Not that this whole theory is a competition, but Aesop had it right.

I like the slow & steady approach. It is great. And I like that.

Top 8 Reasons to Watch the World Cup

Well into the World Cup, fans across the globe are congregating in bars and pubs, dining rooms and dens, in chat rooms and on Facebook to discuss who is going to win and who is worth watching. The slightly Olympian feel to it couldn’t be more palpable… in some of the circles of friends in which I travel.

Don’t have a reason to watch?

Well, start watching the World Cup because everything on those fields looks like THIS:

Let’s celebrate ….this blessing. Ha!

BOOTCAMP WORKOUTS = Check!

I’ve finished. I kicked major ass. It kicked my ass majorly. I recommend everyone taking one bootcamp class once a year. Heck maybe twice so things don’t get rusty. I had a great time. So hopefully I don’t forget this amazing feeling.

1. I am much stronger
2. I am a runner (go figure)
3. Sweat can be a good thing
4. Hydrate.
5. Proper form is key
6. It a little something before a workout.
7. Recoop and start over again.
8. I was amazing. Had a great time. And would totes do it again.

I just hope I can keep it up afterwards. I CAN kick my ass as hard by myself. I CAN. I CAN. I CAN. I Will.

Daily Pick Me UP

Inspiration, is soooo key. If there’s something you want to achieve/attain please find models to emulate and reinvigorate yourself with their struggles and their successes. It will become the impetus for you to keep moving. G’Luck.

The Best Thing To Do With Your Money.

Spend your money if you gots it honey. Otherwise it will get really lonely and bored in your bank account, existing but never existing as anything other than numbers brought to life only by the technology of a computer screen, the net, and a modem.

and that’s the word.

Conflict of Interest

The mission of ‘The Body Manifesto’ has changed over the past few months, but ultimately, the heart of the focus remains the same: loving everything about yourself, flaws included. This too means that you should put the needs of others/naysayers/etc as second and push yours to the forefront, especially if you are used to taking second fiddle to the needs of your friends, family, children, loved one, boss, etc. You have to put yourself first. I still think this is true.

Unfortunately, I’m at a crossroads where my instincts, my reactions to situations are being attacked by the desires of others, what THEY want me to do. Now, I learned a while ago that not everything is black and white. There’s a spectrum. But here’s my issue, and to anyone reading… please help me out.

When does respecting yourself, and thereby your needs and your opinions become selfish? Is selfish a bad thing? And WHY oh WHY do other people want the exclusive rights to how you behave?

Do You Have Any Bayer?

So, bootcamp started today and it was great. I killed… or I’m not in horrible shape; I can run for long periods of time.

But, I CAN feel my legs. Like I can really feel them. Like when I can feel them throbbing as I walk down the stairs. But that’s not actually what gave me a minor heart attack. What’s was actually scary:

I’m working with one of my students and at one point I turn and ask, “is your heart on the left or the right side of your chest?” She said the left. Problem? Well, YEAH! Several yawns had brought on sharp pains from the left side of chest. Now… we can just say it was some heartburn lol. But, I asked if she had aspirin anyway.

The commercials says it’ll save a life. Take your Bayer.

Manifest’s Mandates

You only have one body your entire life. Parts of it may become plastic, may be modified, may be usurped from other people, but you only have one vessel. Reward that sucka! Mine’s gotten me through some tough times and I still sometimes treat it like crap. You know, not moisturizing, not shaving, not showeri…. tough times is all I’m saying. So, how do I show my body that you love it. Well… let’s start with these three.

1. Traveling – visiting friends or going somewhere outside of your normal day-to-day locale is not only helpful but very necessary! It’s good to log out of my vortex and into another one. Helps me recharge and reconnect with the world another way, with my friends in another, with myself in another way and see the things that CAN be, a la, perspective. And as it specifically relates to friendships, long distance relationships of any kind, don’t really work unless you take the time to get some face-to-face time with that face that makes you want to go one more time, whatever that may be. At least once a year you’ve got to actually SEE your people. In a world of SKYPE and laptops for $300, you really don’t have THAT much of an excuse.
2. Shopping – spend your money if you gots it honey. Otherwise it will get really lonely and bored in your bank account, existing but never existing as anything other than numbers brought to life but the technology of a computer screen, the net, and a modem. Your relationships with your friends should be like your relationship with your money. You need to give it some face time, hold it, share it with others.
3. Playing/Laughing – If you are NOT a big kid, life sucks. You get all grown-up-y and forget to not take yourself so seriously. I’ve been told that I never grew up and I still act silly…. and yet those same people still talk to me all the time. I know what they’re doing. They’re absorbing my youthful essence and wise know-how. So go play. go laugh. go dance.

THREE-in-ONE  —-> take your friend out to the movies and pay! The End.

Pizza For Breakfast.

Only in America is it ok that I think french fries count as a ‘vegetable.’ But… at least I don’t think pizza is ok for breakfast. Okay I think it’s a suitable option if it’s lying around from the night before but I would never ORDER it at 9am. But that’s what you’ll see in the new television show recently on ABC titled “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution.” So far, I think it’s wonderful. It features this British chef, Jamie, who revolutionized the food system in UK school’s. He’s decided to come to American and start his food revolution. Yes, I’ve used that word 3 times. The show is great so far, in part because of his very real passion for the subject and his desire to teach others about healthy food that doesn’t taste like dirt. He’s greeted by the American typicals, you know the ‘who the fuck are you’ radio host - “We don’t just want to eat lettuce all the time”, and the ‘who do you think you are to criticize me’ cafeteria cooks. But I think he’s going to have a very real impact. I was already nervous about what would happen when I finished my first foray into Veganism but this show is definitely going to help. Not because of it’s scare tactics, but because of it’s desire to educate, especially the open-minded and those craving something different, something better.

Addendum

After watching the ENTIRE episode, I realize that I LOVE this show! Passion and dedication always trumps anything for me. most of the time. ha.