The Vision Board- It's done!!!

I have been working on the elements for this vision board for a few months now. It seems that for some reason there is always something getting in the way of the time to spend to even put it together. I am sure that many of you are wondering what the vision board is even for. Ever since 2004 when I started my weight loss journey, goals were very important so I wrote them down in a little notebook (still have it and still write in it sometimes) however, life is challenging and busy at times and it is easy to just not look in it. So the vision board is a way to have your goals, ambitions, and values out in a way that one can see those things that are most important everyday. It is believed that seeing your goals and visualizing yourself (the way you desire to be) helps things happen in your life.

I realize that just looking at this board is not going to make things happen. I still have to get out there and work at my goals! However, being conscious of these things at all times does make it easier when hard choices come to play, when fear sets in or some other obstacle comes into play.

I have found that I am more on track with where I want to be and I am seeing some success happen already since finishing this board. Of course since taking this photo last week. I have already removed a typo, and thought of some things I would like to add as well. I guess it will be forever changing!

what are your goals and how do you see yourself achieving the things that you want from life?

Jumping off the Rollar Coaster of Life...

I can not express how busy life has been, the one thing that I can be very grateful for these days is that my self care habits have really made a difference. What do I mean, well eating and exercise of course. Along with good old healthy stress reduction methods(yoga and meditation, plus exercise) For the last few weeks, I have had to be put into a roll of taking care of everyone and carrying the load for my husband as well. This is no easy task for a family as busy as ours. I can only say that I did, maybe not so gracefully but I did it just the same. Perhaps the rollar coaster ride is stopping and normal life can resume (if there is such a thing as normal)

On top of it all, I finished a very challenging class, Physiology and Anatomy of the Digestive Process, I learned more than one would really ever imagine about intestinal function, balance and yes microbes (otherwise known as intestinal bugs, bacteria, microflora etc....) I have been ruined for life in eating fast without chewing my food fully and I guess that is just ok by me! I feel even better than I did before.

I just got off the phone with my sister and it's been awhile since we have really talked, I always feel so good after a conversation like this because so many people don't feel the way I do about food, or really get it, Denise does. How many people are excited to hear about what you are storing in your pantry and how you are preparing food, and how it makes you feel? I guess that is why I come here, because many of you (not that there are that many of you) feel the same way, and I need to connect with others out there.

In the mist of family chaos, I have managed to maintain healthy whole foods in my diet. Yeah! Not an easy task being I barely sat in my own house. I have tried many new recipes, most have been a total success. My favorite is a vegan corn and potato chowder. I will share that info soon as I really feel like everyone should try it at least once! I really can't stop thinking about it, and being that I have 70 lbs of potatoes I must use them up. Remember the pototoes we dug up with the scouts. Well they are SOOOO good I don't think I could ever buy another store potato again! I have made SO many recipes with them. Veganomicon is filled with little markers of recipes to try.

I haven't made it to the gym much, but I am happy to report that I am back on schedule this past week. My gym added indoor cycling and that is fabulous. I just love it. I am hoping in the next few weeks to regain my regular routine of school, gym, and cooking during the day and find myself having a good time with the family in the evenings. I have been knitting a yoga mat bag ,that will be felted, and I am really happy with how it is turning out. I am finishing up the strap now and I will post photos of it, before and after felting. I find knitting to be very mediative and relaxing and even if I am watching tv and such in the evenings, I feel that I am being productive as well.

What has everyone else been up too?

A Challenge To Myself

In the past few weeks I have been trying to get myself back on a schedule, time for family, time for self, including a more rigorous exercise schedule, and some crafting.. Really the blog should be called Cook, Study and Dream of Being Crafty! Ha... My blog address is fitncrafty, another ha fit!

One thing I am doing is beefing up my fitness program. I had a goal before leaving WA and moving the NY that I wanted to do a triathlon before turning 40, and unless cooking, cleaning and studying fit the bill, I missed out on that goal. I miss the training group I had in WA and have found no such group here. (please don't get the idea that I should start one, I am clueless about how to train for one) Perhaps that will still come in time. Maybe with increased training I will still finish that triatholon.

Another thing is to finish my produce bags (sewing) that I have been so slowly working on. I am almost there, at least with the gift ones. Then I just have to make a few for myself. Also, on the crafty side I am knitting yoga mat bag (that will be felted). I am not loving the color combo that is going on and I am afraid that I am going to have to FROG it (rip it out) bummer, what's a girl to? I can't see felting this beautiful yarn(brown sheep) and not liking it.. too much investment here.

The truth is I am avoiding reviewing my notes for my conference with my instructor tonight. Imagine that, I just really want to be done with that class (you know the research one that you all helped me do the nutrition study for) Research methods is just not my favorite topic.

So my challenge to myself is. Making it through my review tonight, finish my sewing and knitting, and run, and then run some more. Without neglecting my yoga practice and weights. I would like to force myself back into the pool to do some swimming (gotta get new goggles my current ones are leaking) I will report back on how things are going. I am hoping to feel accomplished with some things really soon!

How about you all, what are you challenging yourself to accomplish???

More Yoga Ramblings! ~Yes again!

This is a few weeks in a row..... Today yoga as usual was an amazing experience. I can't say positive, but eye opening. Today we did an energy releasing move, I can't remember the name, However, I am just going to call it, Opening the Flood Gates! Teach came in today and I would have thought that she has been a fly on my wall, reading my email and my mind. (Haven't I said this before) She said that sometimes we just have to be with whatever it is we are feeling, we don't always practice yoga to feel good. Really?!?! ;) I managed to get through class and actually did feel pretty focused. Then, after class she gave us an article you can read here. This really hit home with me, because what I am experiencing right now in my life(and have for many many years). Then I got home and started reading Pema Chodron's article, my first instinct was to flee.. find something anything to make me feel better. However, as I read the article Pema wrote of allowing yourself to 'be' with whatever it is you are at the moment, so you see, I didn't dial up the nearest shopping website, or hit the kitchen or anything else. I sat in quite and allowed myself to feel the rush coming from the flood gates. Humm.. this I must say is much different than anything I have ever done before. My first instinct is to find something to avoid this 'uncomfortable hurt' and move on. For today, I just allowed it to be. I didn't fight it. I felt it (as Pema said 'feel the itch') it was not easy, it didn't feel good, but amazingly enough, I made it through, and I have lost nothing that I thought I would except a bit of the 'weight' (not on the scale I am sorry to say) I have been carrying for many, many years! I have had a realization that I don't 'need' anyone else to find peace with this sitituation, I just need to be with it, make it my friend instead of fighting it. Today I am merging with 'the flood gates' and perhaps I have reached a turning point. No dwelling, just being, me!

More Ramblings after Yoga Class

Don't you just love it when you go somewhere with one intention and then get something competely unexpected out of it? Have no idea what I am talking about? I just love Tuesday's. I have Zumba which I love and then after, I have yoga class. My Yoga instructor, brings so much more to class then just teaching asanas(poses), this is why I love it so much. I can and do yoga at home when time allows; however, my instructor always has something more profound to say... today it was letting go of being 'in control of the universe' her words may have been slightly different, the meaning the same to me. This has rang so true... first my daughter broke her arm on a trip two weekends ago, I have been extremely busy with school and there have been interesting developments in family as well. So once again, I have been practicing the art of letting go and letting the universe do it's job. I rolled out my mat for yoga, and my head was reeling. I was excited about getting my grades from my first assignments for school(I got 100%, sorry I had to add that in), family things, school projects, and my poor little brain just wouldn't stop thinking of everything all at once. I really couldn't imagine how in the world I was ever going to make it through that class. Then Yoga class began. My instructor started with the class and talked to us, about not ruling the universe. (this has been VERY apparant to me in the past two weeks) How do I just come to grip with the fact that I have already been experiencing this feeling of I have no control. So she told us that we were going to be focusing on forward and backward bends(I love the term used in the East, heart openers) It never ceases to amaze me just how focused I was able to become. My mind stopped for 45 min. I was able to turn inward without thinking about everything I had to do, dishes, kids, scouts, school work, doctor's appointments you know the drill, it felt so good to take that time to slow down. It felt so good to just stop and breathe deep and energize myself for another round of life. I love how I feel when the class is over, and I roll up my mat and can feel the difference in how relaxed my muscles are, and how the concentration on my breathing has brought me new vitality. I realize that everyone has their own 'yoga'. I would like to encourage everyone to pursue thier own 'yoga.'.. slow down, enjoy what life has to offer. Give purpose to why you work so hard and do so much.

Ramblings after Yoga Class

I had a great morning. Going to the gym has been tough with the kids out of school. However, I love my Tuesdays I get to go to Zumba and then Yoga. My yoga instructor said something at the beginning of class that really hit home and I wanted to share about it. She has been talking the past few classes about what we can bring to our yoga practice, instead of what do we get out of it. She says, "sometimes it's just our full focus for that hour, maybe something else". Then today, she tied it in with learning to put aside the 'chatter on the surface of our brains', at least for our practice. Not to forget these things that are on our minds, but to learn to set aside our thoughts and focus on now, what are we doing and what do we need to be doing in that moment. It's a great lesson as I find myself to be always thinking about what's next, instead of living for here and now. How is what I am doing right now benefiting me, or what can I appreciate about this very moment? Reminds me of people eating their junk food so fast they don't realize that it really doesn't taste good! (I just had to throw in the plug about nutrition!) When I finished final relaxation in yoga, I did feel a bit different. I wasn't feeling as harried as I was before. It wasn't until now that I started thinking about, writing a paper for school, what's for dinner and so on. As you see, I have plenty of things to be doing. For that hour, I was able to stop my brain chatter and enjoy my class. I feel better, more relaxed, and ready to face the rest of my day. So for today I am challenging myself, that whatever I am doing, to be there with it.