Tough it out Tuesday: BE STILL 9/10/13

As athletes we tend to prize achievement, getting ahead and accomplishing the next goal. The thrill of victory and the sense of accomplishment are powerful experiences that for many are unmatched by anything else. I find though, that, over time, in the perpetual quest for the next success there can be an emptiness. A place that only stillness can fill. This space for me is a sense of coming home. A sense of being one with oneself and one's purpose here. A sense of quiet calm that exudes love when it is tapped into. It takes just as much courage, patiences, and tenacity to go into this space as it does to train for and complete any ironman. The training is different but it is no less difficult. In this case, it is not a matter of one or the other. Both can be accomplished simultaneously. One must have the willingness and courage though to go within and sit thorough the silence to truly begin to tap into and fill one's emptiness.

If you are ready, set a timer for 5 to 10 min, sit quietly and breathe.. in the nose and out the nose. Allowing your breathing to become your only focus of attention. As your mind wanders, notice without  judgement and gently bring your focus back to your breathing. Notice what you are feeling in your body. Allowing the sensations to just arise and unfold. Continue to return to your breathing and release your thoughts. This is a the practice of coming home and taming the mind. Be patient with yourself, as with anything, time, consistency and focused attention here is key.

Can you see it? Forward Moving Friday 9/6/13

Can you see what it is that you want to achieve? Meaning, in your mind's eye, how clear is your picture of your end result? Taking time to imagine, sense and feel what it will be like when you reach your destination can make the difference between actually actualizing your goal and it becoming yet another dismissed wish.

When something really matters to you, don't skip the imaging step. Having a clear picture in your mind of your outcome can help you to stay focused when the going gets rough and all hope feels like it is gone.

The goal isn't to delude yourself, but rather, work as an anchoring mechanism for where to point your energy. In our day to day lives it is so easy to get distracted from our bigger endeavors that if we don't take the time to really see where we want to be we can and will get lost in the minutia.

So to keep moving FORWARD on this here Friday, take the time if you haven't already to truly paint that picture for yourself of what it will be like when you reach your destination. Take in all the sights, sounds and colors, see who is around you, smell the aromas that fill the air... detail it with all of your senses and then breathe it in. Give it a name and visit it daily for at least the next week to keep it vibrant in your mind.

If you are more of the artsy type, draw it out, make a collage or picture map of it and keep it somewhere you can look at it daily.

After all, "some things have to be believed to be seen."
~ Ralph Hodgson

Keep your dreams alive my friends... and then make them happen!

Heidi

Mindfulness Monday: Body Awareness 9/2/13

It's Labor Day! Hope you are all getting a break for the typical work week to enjoy all the things that matter to you most.

Today's Mindfulness Monday tip has to do with brining our awareness to our body sensations. Last week we brought our attention to our thoughts and today I am encouraging you to bring your focus of attention to your bodies. This type of attention, much like with our thoughts, is one of an observer's mind. We notice with a sense of detached awareness, without judgement or criticism or even an attempt to change. We simply notice.

Take a few minutes today to sit quietly. You can be really structured with it and set a timer for as little as a minute or up to 20 minutes for this exercise. If you choose not to be so structured that works too. Just simply center, close your eyes, attend to your breathing and bring your attention to the rising and falling of your chest. Notice what this physically feels like. Notice your heart beat and the texture of your breathing. Is it strained or labored? Is it calm and fluid? Just simply notice, again without judgement or desire to change. From Your breathing bring your focus to other areas of your body. Your hands... notice your hands. Are they tense or relaxed? Hot or cold? Just notice. Then move your attention to your shoulders, neck and jaw. What do you notice here? All the while, continue your breathing, in your nose and out your nose, keeping the in-breath and out-breath equal in length and once again, noticing the rising and falling of your chest. Continue this process through other parts of the body as well. Back, abdomen, hips, legs feet, face.

In this process of noticing and allowing, invite yourself to release what ever you are ready to let go of. Continue to notice your breathing, in the nose and out the nose. Letting go of old energy with the out-breath and taking in new energy with the in-breath.

At times the body will not want to let go of noticed tensions. This is ok. Tension is not always bad. Remember that the process is one of noticing and allowing not one of changing. As we notice in this way, we allow our bodies to naturally take care of themselves. When you think about a butterfly and it's transformational process remember, it is not one that is manipulated or control but one of natural unfolding. Trust. Just trust in the process.

Heidi

Happy Labor Day my friends.

It's Forward Moving Friday.. "How" are you moving FORWARD today?

It's Forward Moving Friday again... what do you have planned for the weekend that will bring you one step closer to your #1 goal? 

If you're not quite sure yet, try this on for size. Maybe this weekend instead of focusing just on the "what" of your goal, focus on the "how". By this I mean the process or quality with which you accomplish your task.

As an example, as many of you know, cycling is my passion and I spend many hours and many days in the saddle. Each day has a specific task that guides me towards my specific goals. And the goals are all very concrete and measurable. The irony though, to me, is that it is the process, state of mind, and "how" of how I approach each workout that truly bring in the results. If I go out on my bike with my head in the tank, thinking about how tired I am or how hard the workout is going to be, what do you think the workout is going to be like? ... well.. umm... HARD.. and probably slow.. and probably not to fun. It is important to consider the "how" when approaching both things that we love and things that maybe we don't love so much. If we can approach all things with an open mind and a little bit of loving energy we are more likely to find success, experience joy and positively impact those around us.

So regardless if you goal is focused on your training, relationship, personal life or work notice "how" you are approaching the task at hand. If you don't like "how" you are approaching the moment, then take a moment, pause, breathe and ask yourself, "how do I want to be approaching this task?" When the answer surfaces, take heed and move into the next moment.

Hope you enjoy the process =]

Heidi

aRticulate it THURSDAY: It's all about YOU!

aRticulate it Thursdays are all about linguistics. How can we use language and our awareness of it, to get our messages heard, as well as communicate understanding to the ones we hold close?

Today's tip is to play a mindfulness game with ourselves. I know, sounds weird. Hear me out though. So the mindfulness practice is to make the word "you" our focus, just like we would with our breathing in a sitting meditation. Throughout the day, observe the use of the word "you" in our interactions with others. Make it your task to notice how the word is used and how often.

(This is what happens when we use the word "you" without ownership of your own stuff too much =] )

Often times, when the word "you" is used in interpersonal communication we are deflecting our own personal experience and pointing the finger at another. As in, "You really shouldn't do that." This can be translated to: "I don't like what you are doing, would you be willing to stop?" Notice the change in the communication? The word "you" is still used but the context is different and instead of making a demand, the dislike is owned, and then a request for change is made.

We also use the word "you" to show approval and congratulations. Which, yes, is way cool... yet for some, the "You did an amazing job!" can also mean, "Oh man, if I don't do it that way again, then I must be a real screw up!" I know, crazy, but these things happen in our minds and if we acknowledge that fact, then through mindful awareness, we can work to be sure our words send the message that we fully intend. In this case, a simple, "WOW!" could go along way. The recipient might respond, "Wow! What?"... and you could say, "I was pretty impressed with that performance!" Again, here, there is ownership for the impression instead of projection or judgement.

So for now, the task is to just be a watchful observer of how the word, "you" shows up in your life today. I find it to be a pretty fun practice myself. Hope "you" do as well. =]

GROWTHspring to Offer Daily Inspirational Tips on Facebook

I have decided to spice things up on my GROWTHspring Counseling and Coaching Facebook page. I will be bringing you a themed daily tip or story that I hope will give you some food for thought to carry with you throughout your days. Below is my preliminary outline of what I hope to be offering. Feedback is always welcome and if you ever have a question of a more personal nature, don’t hesitate to message me directly.

Mindfulness Mondays: Mondays I will bring you tips and ideas on how to bring mindful awareness to your training and every day living. These skills will focus on breathing, presence, emotional awareness, easing distress, accepting reality and much more.

Tough it out Tuesdays: On Tuesdays I will bring you stories and quotes about mental toughness, emotional endurance and what it takes to keep a tight mind in times of distress. Tuesdays are a great day to share your personal stories as well. Each of us has a story of how we have persevered through difficult times and when we share them, we move out of isolation and into the realm of connection. This my friends is what healing is all about.

WE POWER Wednesdays: Wednesdays will be the day when I bring you ideas on how to keep the WE alive in your relationships. I see this as being a pretty fun day.. I hope to share ways to deepen your relationships as well as maybe spice things up a bit too!  

aRticulate it Thursdays: Thursdays will be the day to kick start your communication know-how. Knowing how to speak to your listener as well as clearly express your feelings and needs are essential skills for living well.

Forward Moving Fridays: Fridays will focus on setting goals and intentions but I also hope to use this day for us to share new and innovative forward moving tips on health, wellness, fitness and exploring the world around us. Feel free to share a new trail that you discovered or an up and coming event in the valley that you may think other would be interested in attending. After all, picking our heads up and taking the next step into a new moment of discovery is what experiencing life is all about!

Be sure to LIKE GROWTHspring Counseling and Coaching on Facebook to ensure you get your daily tips and inspirations!

All my best to you.

Til next time,

Heidi

FORWARD #2

I have been contemplating for some time now the contrast between being in the here and now and looking ahead to the next moment. Over the past few years I have worked diligently on practicing presence, being in the moment, accepting what is as it is, and allowing things to unfold before me. This practice has created considerable peace for me in many respects. Though, as of late, the word FORWARD keeps resonating in my mind.

At a race earlier this year, I caught myself being consumed by the present moment. In some respects I was pleased to have been so present, as at times in the past I have finished races and been like, “I don’t know what happened!”… almost like a moment of detachment or dissociation had occurred. This time though was different, I was there, fully there as I felt my legs begin to slow down despite my head yelling at them to, “Go! Go! Go!”  The next thing I knew, I was off the back. The pack had crested the hill and I was now chasing. At the time I felt I had given it all I had, but in retrospect I wonder,  “Did I really?” Not to be self critical, but in later examination of the course, I realized I was but a stones throw from the crest of the hill when this, what I like to call, “molasses moment” occurred. What would have happened if I had looked up?

This thought still crosses my mind today as I catch myself on my bike and in other situations in my life with my head down or consumed with the moment at hand. What would happen if I look up? I ask myself this often and when I do, I generally feel a physical shift in my body, a shifting of energy and a shifting of perspective. By lifting my head up I am giving myself the subtle reminder to take the next step FORWARD and move into the next moment.

Often times this little shift in perspective can make a volume of difference.  By picking our heads up, refocusing on our goal or target and taking the next step, we remind our bodies on a neurological level that there is more than the narrow focus of the moment at hand.

For now, personally, I have made it my practice to keep my eyes up and remember the word FORWARD both on and off the bike and, thus far, I am liking the results. So when my mind wanders to the things in life that I don’t like, the things that I would like to be different, the things I would like to change, I do my best to remember the word FORWARD, pick my head up and ask myself,  “If I don’t want this, what do I want? And what is one step I can take right now that will move me in that direction?”... then.. I DO IT!

As silly as it may seem, as one moment ends a new moment begins. This little truth has proved a priceless reminder to me and no doubt it may for you as well.

FORWARD my friends..

Until next time..

 

H

Little miracles..

Well.. I started writing this post as I walked out of my office and noticed the sense of gratitude that I felt for all that is in my life right now and then blogger lost my post. =] lol oh my..
So I have taken a deep breath and have begun again. (Note to self.. Take the picture before you write.)
As I sit here and take in all that surrounds me, the warmth of the sun, the fresh smell in the air, the brightness of the blue sky above me I can't help but be grateful for this life.
There are many things that aren't going as I would like them to in my life right now yet in moments like these I am filled w a sense of wonder, calm and appreciation for what is.
I encourage you all to take a moment to pause amongst your 'business' and take note of the little miracles around you.
Life does not always give us what we want and at times what it hands us may be quite devastating. Even in those moments though there is beauty in being able to accept what is and the feelings that go along w it. There is beauty in being able to fully embrace our sadness and our fears as much as there is beauty in being able to fully embrace our successes and triumphs. I encourage you to see the little miracles that exist in the experience of emotion itself. Imagine that.. How is it that our bodies are capable of such subtle and miraculous things?
Inside or out there are miracles all around us. In this moment I am choosing to embrace this life as it is unfolding before me. I am blessed.
As are you.
Peace my friends.

Post race blues...

So Ironman is over... another year of training has come to an end. So what now?


IM is an event, it's a race it's a day to exhibit to our friends and loved ones all we are capable of and all that we had been working on during those long runs and rides that they all thought we were so crazy for going on in the first place. For me, it is the journey up to an IM that is the most significant. It builds relationships, gives direction and acts as an organizing principle for all other things in day to day life.
In this quite time of the aftermath, this time of slowing down, recovering and finding center I encourage you all to reflect on how IM worked for you in your lives.


Here's what I notice for me.. In this time post IM, as the winter (the little that we have of it here in AZ =) ) is coming upon us I am finding myself reflecting on what really matters to me. What do I value in my life? What role does training have in the greater picture of who I am as a person? What role do I want it to play next year? I am an athlete yes, but I am also a mother, an EMDR therapist, a daughter, a friend, an Octane rep and most importantly a spiritual being. All these roles make up who I am and when I sit quietly with myself and center a find a certain sense of calm, peace and acceptance for all that I have and all I have become in my life time and more specifically over the course of this past year.
I notice my thoughts as they pass in my mind bring me ideas of what I'd like to accomplish over the course of the next year. What I'd like to create in my life. I notice my thoughts reflect on what has worked and what has not worked for me this past year as well. As I wake up to the present moment and notice what is happening in my body and welcome and observe the thoughts that pass through my mind I find clarity on what matters to me in this life.

As you sit quietly with yourself and recenter, I trust you will find things that matter to you. The things that have worked for your over the course of this IM training and year and maybe even somethings that haven't worked so well.  As you awaken to these insights, welcome them. They will serve to help you as you set your plan for the year to come. It doesn't have to be an IM. It can be anything.

For me, I notice the more I allow and welcome what is happening within me to unfold, the feelings, the thoughts and the sensations the more readily the answers come about where to go next. I have felt feelings of sadness, loss, loneliness, gratitude, appreciation and joy all at the same time and at different times in this past week. They come like waves on the ocean. Never staying for too long but visiting nonetheless. Welcome them. They are part of your humanness.

As a final note... remember that more than likely you didn't do an IM because you hate physical activity =). Even if your body is still sore and you are still seeking clarity and direction on where to go next, it's ok to move. It's ok to get on your bike and go for a ride... just for the love of riding. It doesn't matter how long you go, where your heart rate happens to be or how many watts your putting out... just feel the wind in your face, let your legs turn over, allow your blood to flow and see if you can once again reconnect with why you thought swimming 2.4 miles, riding 112 and running a marathon all i the same day was a good idea to begin with. =)

Peace my friends..

I trust you will find what you need... just listen quietly... the answers are already there...