Mood

What's your workout mood?

Me? I'm grateful to be able to get in the gym 5 days a week this past month, but I'm also feeling like not working out when I don't want to.

Not in a take it easy just chill way, but saying that I am sometimes just tired and that's okay. The other day I went to Shred415 just DREADING the idea if breaking a sweat. I even told myself (and my boyfriend) that I would just leave after 30 mins.  By the time there was just 15 mins left on the clock of the 60 min class, I had a talk and decided I'd already passed my plan of "just 30" and I was feeling so good that I just had to finish it off!

Yesterday, however, I really just passed on the sweat. It had become work by the time it popped up on my calendar.  I was going to squeeze in a workout and shower before a dinner and after having been up since 5AM.  It just wasn't gonna a work.

So that's my mood. When I'm moaning and complaining about the opportunity to sweat, I get after it; but when it's making me angry and anxious, maybe it's time to just chill and come back the next day!

Today I was moaning and complaining so you know what that means!  It's a sweat date!

Melissa

Shifting

I talked with my co-worker about her "energy".  I consider myself an extremely positive person, but I never claim to always be peppy.  Even when I'm my most stressed and attitudinal, pretty much all positive thoughts are going through my head, I just am typically choosing not to squeal or smile because I just don't want to.

But I have this coworker who is ALWAYS on 10.  And not in the irritating way.  She just is legitimately always living in choice, always staying above the line, and even when she's not at 100 (I'm good at seeing that stuff) her temperance makes you feel like she's approachable and in a good mood.

So I asked her how she pulls it off most of the time and she said that she quit giving her time away in the mornings.  Usually we all jump on Facebook, check work emails, or even talk with our loved ones, but she says that that typically begins to leave an impression on our mood even when we don't mean for it to.  She mentioned that she just journals or writes visions for the day and finds them later in the day or month because she sorta hides them away to be discovered again after the thought may or may not have left her mind.

She also talked about shifting her thoughts.  Going easy on herself when she makes a mistake or a road block pops up unexpectedly.  Not taking error personal.  Not taking herself too seriously.  That part really got me.  I am really good at laughing at myself, but there are moments...very serious moments...where all things are important and crucial and nothing but the best is acceptable.  And I realized that sometimes I laugh at myself and sometimes I am laughing AT myself.

Regardless.  This post is a product of that convo.  I had a 6:15AM class this morning and I stayed committed to not using social media before 6 o'clock and when I got a little restless, I started typing.  Getting thoughts out and I'm happy that these words fell to the keys because it shows how having this shift is such a huge thing to me even when I'm playing it cool.

Another cool theory is by my girl Katarina Arneric, she talks about "small change, big shift".  How looking at a situation just one degree farther to the left or right can completely change up the experience and the good in it can be found and used to fuel you through the day or to the next moment.

:)

hooray for having friends who are so dedicated to peace within themselves and the world.  it sure does come in handy!


Melissa

Sideline Insight

So I have pretty much been completely sidelined by a foot injury for almost one month.  I've done a few workouts with some trusted trainers in the city, but other than that I am just turning into a sexy ball of fluff!  haha

In this time, however, I've learned a few things.

I've learned that exercise is necessary.  The science behind movement is nothing compared to the emotional benefit of working that bum!  A good mood, inspiration behind your diet, confidence.. all are heightened when you are active and working toward goals that push you physically or even just mentally to DO the physical part!

I've also learned quite a bit about feedback.  HAHA  From work, to love, feedback is important.  Not being passive aggressive.  Not being a nag.  Not putting someone down.  But real feedback, when you're talking to someone about something they did (no right or wrong) in hopes that it helps them be more effective the next time around.

I got some feedback at work.  First it was tough, but then I looked closer and realized that it was really just a group of people saying:  "Hey, we know you well enough to know that this is unlike you AND that if this is fixed, then the sky is the limit for you."  And I'll tell ya, folks, it took it haaaaaaaaaAAAAAaard!  I was upset.  And confused.  I gave my feedback on the feedback, lol.  (Which I still think is good stuff to take home. lol)  But yeah.. I was just so lost.  Not me.  There's nothing that I need to change and at this point in my life.. there's nothing that I CAN change, right?  I'm just me!

But then it clicked.  AHA! #eureka  Nobody was ganging up on me.  Nobody thought that I was less of a person.  Nobody was asking me to change.  They were just asking me to get better.  Be me .. but BETTER.  Keep it steady.  Keep it real.  And not that I'm not enough.  They want me to know that I'm "all that" and with these tools, I can be the bag of chips, too!

It all came full circle today.  I am spending my birthday with my mom and we stopped by her job for a meeting she has with her boss.  While talking with his secretary, she shared how much vision he had (another learning about leadership) and also how much leadership he tried to cultivate at all times.  In that she talked about how she's had to give feedback.  She said that she HATES the idea of having someone be mad at her, but is she doesn't share then "it doesn't make them grow."  And that's what I now know!

Constructive feedback sucks arse but without it, there is no later.  Why?  Because you'll be living the same story over & over & over again if they let you tell it while using that same simple vocabulary that you know.  You will be building the same doll houses if you stick only with your tacky clue and cardboard and never pick-up a nail gun and some pinewood!  (Is pinewood what people use to build houses?  lol)

So you probably get the point right now.  GROW.  Whether you grow "up", or "out", or "wiser".. that's relative.  JUST GROW and do it NOW!  Let go of your ideals.  They are excellent and have served you, but it's time to apply the loving guidance given by your peers and family (etc.) over the time you've been on this earth.

I'm happy that this all came to me on my birthday 'cause this is a great day to start the rest of my life.  And better. *smile*

I hope this helps you as much as it's helped me!

LOVE YA!

melissa 2.7