Blood bank

Is this song not everything?

Happy Monday to all! I considered a longer update, but this pretty much spells my happiness.

Jam of the day: Bon Iver “Blood Bank”

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Take a deep breath

Hello and happy Monday!

So in addition to working on my goals, I have been trying to work on my meditation practice as of late. About a month ago I took an honest look at my anxiety and realized that while I have been doing well, I had been slacking with my number one tool. Meditation is key to my anxiety and pain management, so I take my dedication (or lack of) quite seriously.

I’ve found a great class back in Pittsburgh, but it’s at a wonky time and not near where I am staying right now (this will change when I move). Meditating in a class environment has always come more easily to me than doing it on my own, and I have usually considered class and essential supplement to my daily practice. However, that is just not possible right now so I have had to work a bit harder. I embrace this challenge – I am lucky to even have a class to go to and I know it. Time for baby bird to spread her wings.

So to help me get re-focused on the daily, I have been reverting back to the cornerstone of meditation (and yoga!): the breath! So simple, but something I take for granted. I notice that when I am holding a lot of anxiety, I am also holding my breath. Girl needs oxygen!

So every day, I have been taking a few minutes here and there to just sit and take deep breaths. It sounds so silly, and people have been telling me to do it for years, but I always think ‘I don’t have time to sit and take deep breaths’! Well, that’s silly too, and I’m making time. I’m also using some of the pranayama (breathing) techniques from my new yoga class as a little warm-up for my daily meditation practice (my favorite is alternate nostril breathing!). I find that when I start my practice this way, I am more motivated and my head is less likely to wander. This means I usually sit for longer too!

~

I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying summer. I also hope this post wasn’t too boring! I know it may have been for those who don’t groove on meditation, and that’s fine. However, the selfish-lady-pimp in me couldn’t resist another chance to extol the benefits of mindfulness practice! Grazie!

Jam of the day: Bob Dylan “Tangled Up In Blue”

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Goal check-in!

Since we are over half-way through the year (whoa, crazy to think about!), I wanted to check in on my 2012 goals. As a reminder to readers and to myself, these are not resolutions/promises of things I will change. Rather, they are intentions that are meant to be worked on and reflected upon. The outcome is what it is!

Here we go:

1. Open up. Overall, I would say not much has changed here as I am still a very private person. However, I can look at a few relationships and see that I have made some progress. In certain cases, I have really pushed myself to open up to people and I’ve been happy with the results. For example, I’ve been taking steps to have a closer relationship with my mom, which is really scary for me, but it has been going well. I have also been blessed with some wonderful blog-related friendships that have grown substantially this year and have recently resulted in some thoughtful, sharing phone conversations with these two ladies. I am so grateful for my relationships, and I am learning how much stronger relationships become by sharing more of myself and directly communicating my thoughts and feelings to others. I’m becoming much less self-conscious about it!
2. Travel somewhere. Nope, hasn’t happened.
3. Explore the limits of my body. When I came up with this goal, I specifically meant trying to incorporate some form of exercise back into my life, since exercise has been shown to be deeply helpful for people with pain issues. For the past two years, I have engaged in daily stretching prescribed by a physical therapist as well as exercise for my mind via meditation, but nothing else. Three months ago, I began incorporating a weekly yoga class into the mix. It’s been a great supplement to my meditation, and it has (I think) allowed me to become a little stronger. The greatest part is, as long as I modify certain poses, I feel no pain during the practice. It gives me such a high! It is the one time during each week where I am able to escape from the pain and it is such a gift to me.
4. Trust that the future will be alright. I’m really glad that I am reading over these goals because I’m sucking at this one right now. Lots of catastrophizing and black-and-white thinking, as I am prone to do during times of transition. I’m confident I wrote this goal in anticipation of this time, so I am going to work on that.

I think I’m doing well for being only half-way through the year, and I like that I still have some things to work on. Good times!

How are you doing on any goals you set for yourself this year?

Jam of the day: Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes “Up From Below”

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