BLOG IT FORWARD: WEEK 3 Becky Hansen
This has been such an awesome week. Partly because I knew I would be doing this blog, and I was consciously thinking of ways to pay it forward. It kept me alert and in the moment and in a positive frame of mind.
I started out the week by setting goals. My goals were to daily do Bikrim Yoga, run 2 miles, hydrate, drink no alcohol and pay attention to everything around me (stay in the moment). Also, I set a goal to do 4 challenging workouts with my trainer at least 4 times this week. I am a list maker, so true to form I made a grid so that I could check off my daily goals and take notes on my day.
I did meet all of my goals. I thought the no alcohol would be hard, but it really was not. I took my daughter wine tasting in Ojai, and did not even want to join in. We went to a spa day and I had the best non-alcoholic “nojito” ever!! If I ever go back, I am having it again—delicious and refreshing. (Cucumber, mint and ginger ale). I managed to take some time off my run. My first day I ran 2 miles in 24 minutes (don’t laugh, that is still technically a run), and today I ran it in 20.33! I was pretty stoked! The hardest part was the yoga, because it is time consuming, but I took the attitude of no excuses and did it and feel so much better that I did. I learned to not listen to the negative voices in my head. When I work out or do yoga to quiet my thoughts and just listen to my trainer giving instructions—don’t worry about the number or the weight or anything that is holding me back.
Each day I tried to find ways to “pay it forward.” I did little things, like try to pay attention and engage everyone that I met. That is challenging for me, because I let myself get caught up in whatever task I am doing at the time and simply miss what is happening around me. It has been pretty cool, because people surprise you when you smile and talk to them. I wanted to do something more significant, though as far as paying it forward—do something worthwhile that does not bring recognition to myself. I started talking to my clients about it—looking for ideas. One client was so sweet and told me that I pay it forward with my work, encouraging people to work out and be healthy when they do not have the motivation to do it on their own. I thought that was nice of her to say, but did not feel that was what I was looking for. Another client who is a nurse told me about her patient who is 25 years old and dying of a very rare type of cancer. He is the only person in the U.S. that has this type. He is an only son and living with his parents who are field workers. She told me that when she walks in the house the grief is palpable. I asked her what I could do for this family. She said that they are very strapped and thought money would be good, so I tapped into my savings and put some cash in an envelope with an unsigned note telling them others are thinking of them in this difficult time. It is so small, when you think of the big picture, but it was something.
All in all, this week went so well, I think I am going to repeat these goals next week. Pictures are of some flowers in my yard, our trip to Ojai, Spa Day (which was my Mother’s Day present, BTW), yoga, play-off pizza, new tee-shirt I’m helping Pat make for Gamut, my husband, Joe chilling out in the back yard, my sweet dogs. I have to give a shout out to Pat for starting this blog. I love working with him. He is so positive and inspirational and creative. He is a true friend.
I’ll end with my daily mantra, which I read every morning when I brush my teeth. “Peace is of the heart, not of the mind. To know peace you have to find out what beauty is. The way you talk, the words you use, the gestures you make, these things matter very much, for through them you will discover the refinement of your own heart. Beauty cannot be defined, it cannot be explained in words. It can be understood only when the mind is very quiet.” Krishnamurti
