| DAY 13 MISSION: FIERCE IS A CHOICE |
One of my close friends always says, "Love is a choice." I used to be confused by this. "You can't help who you love," I'd say...and he would just smile and say, "think more deeply about that."
One day, in the midst of my frustration, I realized: it's attraction that is often not a choice--it's a chemical reaction. Love, however, in the way that you maintain a loving space and craft a relationship full of care and support for, and with someone, is. It's a choice you make all the time, every day. Just like your decision to love yourself, lose excess weight, or anything else you want to nurture for the long term.
Do you really want to get exasperated with your Beloved partner because they didn't do something you wanted them to do, or because they aren't perfect? Or, instead, do you want to forgive them as you would like to be forgiven for yours, bring up your needs with respect and act from total gratitude for their presence and all the things they do offer to you?
There is no one answer here--but the point is that every step of the way, it's your choice. Even if your partner chooses to leave the relationship, you don't have to withdraw love or close off your heart. You can continue to love them, and support them to move along their new path with grace. Isn't that true love, after all?
When you make a commitment to weight loss, to better health, to add yoga to your week or any other lifestyle shift, you can bet your bottom dollar that lots of other alternate choices--the chocolate birthday cake at the office, the siren call of parking your keester in front of the the TV instead of getting on your mat, and many others--will come up again and again. The question to ask yourself is, "which choice is the one I really need to participate in, in order to be balanced, and reach my ultimate goals?" Then do that. The instant gratification you'll get if you eat a large amount of that office cake is nothing compared to the high you'll get when you look and feel your best, and are walking down the street with a radiant confidence. My choices these days aren't polar: I like to have my cake, and eat it too. So I'd likely savor two bites of that birthday dessert, enjoy the heck out of it, then stop, drink soda w/real sugar...and still get to my yoga practice later that night.
HEALTH TIP: CHOICE
This might be a hard request to follow, but try not to come down on yourself for slipping up or eating something off the meal plan...even that aforementioned cake. Note to self: you are human, not a robot. If, while you embark on this journey of choice, you happen to pop a cupcake in your mouth once in a while, well then, lick the frosting off your fingers and enjoy! Nothing should dim your flame, not even dessert. In fact, eating guilt is not a good idea. So, if you're going to choose something to go from plate to mouth, then own it, rock it, and get back on track the next time. Past is past, and you have another meal coming up soon where you get to choose a healthier option!
TODAY'S RECIPE:
This one is a gift to all of our taste buds from my friend Caroline Dupont! Now you can have your sweet diversion, and your whole foods too.
Chocolate Mousse Pie
Crust:
This might be a hard request to follow, but try not to come down on yourself for slipping up or eating something off the meal plan...even that aforementioned cake. Note to self: you are human, not a robot. If, while you embark on this journey of choice, you happen to pop a cupcake in your mouth once in a while, well then, lick the frosting off your fingers and enjoy! Nothing should dim your flame, not even dessert. In fact, eating guilt is not a good idea. So, if you're going to choose something to go from plate to mouth, then own it, rock it, and get back on track the next time. Past is past, and you have another meal coming up soon where you get to choose a healthier option!
TODAY'S RECIPE:
This one is a gift to all of our taste buds from my friend Caroline Dupont! Now you can have your sweet diversion, and your whole foods too.
Chocolate Mousse Pie
Crust:
Filling:
Topping:
Grind almonds in a food processor, and then add dates and mix until texture is uniform. Add a little honey or maple syrup until mixture sticks together. Press into an 8-inch round pie pan.
Cut avocado in half, remove pit and scoop flesh into a food processor. Add dates, cocoa powder and sweetener and blend until completely smooth. Taste and add more sweetener if desired.
Pour filling into prepared curst and refrigerate at least a couple of hours. Serve with fresh berries, mashing a little with fork to form a chunky sauce, adding a little agave if desired. Slice and serve!
TODAY'S YOGA TIP:
Yoga poses are a microcosm of life. Every time you're in one, you're learning how to be in your moment with high quality
...if you choose it.
Once again, there are a million ways to think, and act in each posture. Usually I see my students come onto the mat, start out gangbusters with full attention, and approaching every move with great alignment.
As the class goes on, things start to fall apart. Once it gets tough to maintain their physical strength, the mind starts to lose focus once it's gone beyond the attention span it's used to, and discomfort rises, it's game over. Or, as I like to invite them to do, make it 'game on' instead!
When the body and the will wavers is when the good fight begins, between defaulting to the same old ineffective habits, and building 'integrity endurance' on all levels. I see students trying to get away with poor alignment or scattered attention, just because they don't feel like doing the work to move to the next level of strength, flexibility, mental focus--of transformation. They could do it, they just choose not to.
Remember--if you do the same old thing, you'll get the same old results.
Today, when you feel yourself faltering on any level, press pause, take a moment to regroup in Child's Pose, and gather your fierce factor so you can press mindfully through to the next place you might not have gotten to had you listened to that first 'give-it-up' voice. I'm not asking you to push wildly past your limits, only to increase them by a few more breaths. If you usually make it to minute 8 in the Fat-Blaster video, for example, it's not fierce to push to minute 17 if it's killing you. Instead, aim for completing one more minute with quality. Conversely, If you can do the whole video easily, challenge yourself to do it twice. This extra oomph moment, whatever it looks like for you, will train you to maintain your center in all your relationships, even if you feel like giving up and acting out of balance.
Wherever you find yourself waning, re-light the fire of transformation underneath your own booty, and chip away a little bit more. You will find that all that extra effort adds up, fast.
TODAY'S HOMEWORK:
Today ask yourself where you have gotten away from choosing in favor of your preferred life's creation? How can you move back into that state where you keep your eye on the proverbial ball, no matter what anyone else around you chooses--to cultivate and enjoy your own healing and open heartedness? Not in spite of other people...but because this is who you need to be, right now, no matter what. All the tools you need to do this are already right in front of you. Just look around, and inside. And don't worry--the best possible outcome is assured for you and all those involved when you remember to hold fast to your ultimate decision to Do You to the best of your ability...right now.
TODAY'S POSITIVE AFFIRMATION:
No comments:
Post a Comment