(I’m) Reckless
Posted: May 7, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: Addiction, blogging, crossfit, exercise, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, hope, intensity, jogging, kettlebell, kindness, life, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, pain, paleo, passion, perspective, pilates, running, simplicity, social media, technology, trail running, walking, whole foods, WOD, yoga 10 Comments »In this world of numbness and information overload, the ability to feel, my boy, is a rare gift indeed-
You scowl at your running partner(s) for running with headphones in. You can faintly hear ’1901′ blasting from their ears. They are insistently checking their GPS watch, every ten steps, although 10 miles later during a quick stop to refuel? Out comes a magenta hued insta-message to let the world know you just slammed a gel pack. Don’t they realize how much it annoys you? The anger on your face is plain as day …
Remember when placing an emergency call meant stepping into a phone booth? Today’s electronic do-dad’s and wireless communications gadgets have made it possible for us to handle emergencies in near real-time, help us to find and reconnect with long-lost friends and the best part: Fantasy Sports. Although all of this “convenience” we have at our finger tips comes at a steep price. The incursion of technology into our lives both at home and while out for an evening run, means less down time and we become ungrounded from our true spirit (tomorrows post). FaceTube and iThings rip into and tear apart relationships and thwart leisure pursuits. I often lament about leisure/life balance, oddly the term “Balance” seems to be a thing of the past.
What in the world is the meaning of balance anymore?
Steeping back from the running story, we as families are feeling this pain at home as well. Social experiment for the day: Engage a teenager in an eye to eye conversation. Let me know how that works out for you. Today’s teens have booth feet, wading chest deep in a technology sinkhole, sad.
Notes:
Know what? It’s rather easy to blame social media and technology, I should know, I am rather adept at it. Over the past fortnight I have been thinking about this issue ad nauseam, what “balance” truly means, the mixed blessing and danger of technology and many other things (NHL Playoffs). Even though social media and technology have placed the world at our feet, the 24/7 access impedes our spiritual health and quality of life.
Ask yourself today: Has the convenience been worth it?
I’m Above
Posted: May 6, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: blogging, exercise, fitness, happiness, health, hipster, hope, intensity, jogging, kettlebell, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, paleo, passion, Secrets, Top Secret, trail running, whole foods, WOD, writing, yoga 8 Comments »Happiness is only real when shared-
Today’s blog post is all about you and your Top Secret. Your personal Top Secret may never have been told to another person before. It may be too personal or deeply haunting, digging up old thoughts and feelings. Feel free to share your Top Secret in the comments below.
Notes:
You may be surprised that your closely guarded secret is shared with many other people around the world!
I’ll start: Yoga and meditation are brilliant and if more dudes would surrender to their, inner bad ass self? Well, this would not be much of a secret then would it?
Know your Enemy
Posted: April 29, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: blogging, crossfit, exercise, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, gluten free, happiness, Healing arts, health, hipster, hope, intensity, jogging, kettlebell, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, paleo, passion, pilates, running, trail running, walking, whole foods, WOD, yoga 8 Comments »Our wounds are often the openings into the best and most beautiful part of us-
Today, I ask you to consider a rather different, more personal formula for recreating a healthy and happy life: Embracing the Arts (painting, drawing, prose, poetry, writing etc.).
Embracing the Arts does not entail you picking out a new foam roller to soothe your aching body after a recent run, cancelling another doctors appointment to have your knee locked at, bending and twisting in yoga class beyond your limits in order to express your inner beauty. Embracing the Arts does require you to reclaim your innate curiosity about your own body and its limitations.
Embrace the Arts to reduce the violence we are hopelessly addicted to. Yes, I believe writing or even taking the time to commit to memory a poem you enjoy, is infinitely better than a “recovery run, shake, workout – whatever“. A slight change in perspective, attitude and focus will make a drastic change in your life …
Notes:
We as a culture need to focus on and discover true beauty in nature, to help us heal, smile and generally: Be somewhat tolerable to hang out with.
Be well today and please take care.
My Moment
Posted: April 22, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: Awareness, blogging, crossfit, Earth Day, exercise, fitness, free range, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, hope, jogging, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, minimalism, motivation, natural, paleo, passion, pilates, running, simplicity, strength, trail running, walking, whole foods, WOD, yoga 6 Comments »Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans-
Often at times we focus primarily on our bodies, the results or the lack there of is: We often neglect our mind.
We have often spoke about one way to relax your body and mind: Consistent meditation practice. A quiet mind is a powerful mind, especially so during the last few miles of a local race or a few extra push ups before you leave the gym. Extraneous thoughts that amass during the day will reduce our focus. When we can calm our minds through meditation? The body becomes free, energized and your true ability lies at your fingertips.
Feel free to insert your chosen mediation practice within the quotes: “…“
Learning how to sit quietly, without actually “doing” anything other than focusing on your breath is vitally important. Learn to appreciate the “present moment,” because it will after all … vanish in a few seconds.
Notes:
An expanding awareness of our strengths (quiet, focused mind) and vulnerabilities (neglecting our bodies and ignoring pain) helps each of us to endure difficult times with more equanimity. It becomes a pleasure to stand your ground during tricky situations with a calm mind, not out of stubborn pride. Pride breaks each of us over time.
Happy Earth Day and please be well today!
Salute Your Solution
Posted: April 19, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: Awareness, blogging, Boston, Boston Marathon, crossfit, exercise, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, gluten free, growth, happiness, health, hipster, jogging, kettlebell, kindness, Knowledge, life, love, lululemon, marathon, Meaning, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, paleo, passion, pilates, Pleasure, purpose, running, trail running, walking, whole foods, WOD, yoga 10 Comments »What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies-
The great discovery in life as we age (age not to be confused with mature …) is how much better, more fulfilling life becomes.
We spend much of our youth searching for “something” in the clouds of insecurity, trying to figure out exactly how to live. As turbulent time passes we gather slowly, more about our aims and preferences. Comparing ourselves to others diminishes, we know where our heart lies and our flight path is marked moving forward.
The search for meaning carries on throughout our entire life, although as we age, the deeper spiritual questions we have become more urgent and become more clear to us. The daily petty concerns that surround us are recede to their rightful place – unnoticed and forgotten. The wide-ranging emotions all of us have experienced this week, awakens our spiritual domain and delicately shows us what really matters in life.
The radiance we witness in the “older folk” comes from smiling and being more alive. We stop hurrying to every fleeting meeting we have scheduled, slowing down we develop attentiveness that adds an entire new flavour, richness to our daily experiences.
