by Erin Owen | Dec 31, 2011 | Ezine
Did I get in the best shape of my life?
As you might recall, my intention last January was to fully embrace this New Decade. I invited you, along with me, to embark on Project You.
“New Decade. New You.” I called it.
To set an intention to break through some old pattern, some old way of being.
To become the New You.
(Did you do so too? I’d love to hear about your experience!)
My intention was to get in the best shape of my life.
What motivated me?
My second son was born two Octobers ago (he’s now 14 months old), and with my 40th birthday fast approaching, I realized I was going to be between 75 and 80 years old when my children were in their late 30s approaching the big 4-0. If they, like me, wait to start a family later on, then I’ll have grandkids in my 70s and 80s and 90s and…
I want to be here for them.
- Healthy and strong.
- I want to be able to run around and play with and lift up my grandkids.
- I want to be able to comfortably sit down on the floor and build block towers with them.
- I want to live a healthy life until one day I just drop dead.
Seriously!
If I carry forward the longevity genes that are on both sides of my family, my final breath won’t come until I’m well into my 90s. Maybe I’ll even break the 100 year mark!
I don’t want to suffer any long, drawn out series of illnesses and hospital visits. And I don’t want to subject my children and their future children to the stress and emotional (and financial) difficulties of having an elder parent in that situation.
So, that is what motivates me.
Yes, I do know it’s not fully under my control.
But what is under my control is how I take care of my body and my mind.
This body that is the vehicle for my spirit, my soul, the essence of my life force energy.
My mind (my thoughts and the energy they carry) affects my body.
I need to take care of them both with regular practices that support my intention.
And so in early 2011 I embarked on a project that will continue for the foreseeable future. To get n the best shape of my life.
- I found fabulous, enjoyable ways to get my heart pumping and keep my body healthy.
- Morning walks with Miles when the weather was warm.
- Regular, ass-kicking workouts at a Philadelphia area studio called Lithe Method.
- Weekly yin yoga practices at my home yoga studio, Wake Up Yoga.
- And an irregular home yoga and meditation practice that ebbs and flows with my life as a mother of young kids who runs my own business.
Did I get in the best shape of my life?
I have to say that right now it feels like it.
My core is stronger than it has ever been.
My lungs and cardio fitness are as strong as they were at the peak of my yoga teacher training days (practicing yoga five times a week).
Did I get into my pre-pregnancy jeans by June?
You bet I did!
And do I look fabulous in that bikini?
My husband thinks so, and I feel good wearing it.
And, oh by the way, those pre-pregnancy jeans are a bit loose now.
Did I starve myself and eat only wheat grass juice and green smoothies?
No!
But, I did eat well 80% of the time. (Okay, sometimes only 75% of the time.) And eating well for me means focusing on mostly home-prepared and home-cooked meals, with an emphasis of whole foods that are organic and/or locally grown.
Did I eat sugar? Oh god, yes.
Did I drink alcohol? Yes, I did.
And what I realized along the way is that sugar and alcohol are addictive. And I was reminded that the sugar cycle begins in the morning. For me, it begins with honey in my tea and ends in the evening after a few beers or glasses of wine with strong cravings for some kind of dessert. The next day I wake with aching joints and a foggy mind.
Yuck!
So, I move into 2012 with a strong desire to re-commit to Saucha.
That’s the Sanskrit word for Purity.
More on Saucha soon.
But for now, I’m happy to report that I was successful in 2011. I did get in the best shape of my life, and I am continuing to get in better and better shape.
For my sons.
For their children.
And for you. (Because we are all connected, you know.)
To live a long, healthy life.
To perform at my optimum level.
To be a joy to others.
And not a burden.
Here’s to you embracing life fully in 2012 so that you too can perform at your optimum level.
Happy New Year!
by Erin Owen | Dec 30, 2011 | Ezine
Happy New Year!
Here it is. Your final tip of the holiday season
before the New Year hits.
It’s simple, yet perhaps not easy. And it’s
something I’ve been doing this past week.
Tip #6 to Get Your Holiday Zen On Without Missing
Out on the Fun:
Keep what is working well for you, and get rid of
(or address) the rest.
This tip brings to mind something wise my yoga
teacher once said to me: the only way to get
around something that is bothering you is to go
right through it.
So, if in the process of making a list of what’s
working well and what’s not working well, you come
across something that has been bugging you
forever. (And those things are the biggest energy
drainers.) Then, perhaps it’s time to address it
head on. That’s right. To get around it, you have
to go through it.
My husband and I tackled some clutter yesterday,
in a whirlwind of activity while our youngest was
napping, and now the whole house feels lighter and
nicer looking. In fact, my body feels lighter,
more energized, and in general things feel more
manageable.
What’s on your list?
by Erin Owen | Dec 20, 2011 | General
If I were stranded on a desert island and could
only take 6 food ingredients with me, what would I
choose?
Strangely, I’ve been pondering this question
lately. Why? I’m not sure. Perhaps it’s the
universal transformative time we’re all a part of.
Or the fact that I’ll soon turn 40 and feel its
approach as an important call to grasp life by its
horns and move forward stridently. Or perhaps the
prevalence of television shows focused on being
stranded on an island (though, truth be told, I’ve
never watched a single episode of one).
Whatever the reason, I’ve been thinking about
this question lately.
What 6 food ingredients would I take with me if
stranded on an island?
Why 6 and not 5 or 7? Why 6 and not 2 or 10? I’m
not sure. But, 6 has a nice feel to it. In
Chinese, the word six is “liu” (pronounced like a
quickly slurred “Lee-oh” on an uphill climb). And
another word in Chinese with the same
pronunciation but different meaning is the word
that means “to flow”. As in, to be in the flow of
life. Abundance flowing into one’s life. And so on.
So, in Chinese, the number six corresponds to good
things coming into one’s life.
What 6 ingredients?
1. Onion.
2. Garlic.
3. Brown rice.
4. Black beans.
5. Avocado.
Ah, but the sixth? I arrive easily at these first
five. On any given day in our house we have these
ingredients. There is almost always a freshly made
pot of seasoned black beans and freshly cooked
brown rice. While not always perfectly ripe,
avocados sit in one of the bowls or baskets in our
kitchen. Either the hand-carved wooden bowl we
purchased on the island of Zanzibar on our
honeymoon to Tanzania. Or, the dark woven basket
that sits on the black shelves against the bright
orange wall.
And, onion and garlic? I can’t imagine cooking
anything without them. Even though the Buddhist
diet discourages them as inciting the sexual
nature, I simply find them to bring delicious and
almost essential flavor to any dish.
Avocado? So creamy, so nourishing, so healthy.
And oh how I wish I lived in a climate where the
avocado grew right outside my back door.
If someone dared me to live a locavore diet,
focusing solely on what grows or is raised within
a 100-to-150 mile radius around my home, I would
clearly be in despair.
The sixth ingredient? It varies by the day and
the season. Sometimes I simply add salt. Not
really a food, but an incredibly important
ingredient in preserving food. Other days I pick a
practical fruit like banana or apple. Sometimes I
entertain the idea of picking a type of animal
protein or fish, but one never makes my imaginary
list. Finally, I settle on fresh water.
Yes, water.
It’s not a food, I know. But, if I were on an
island, I’d most likely be surrounded by salt
water (though I do know there are islands in the
middle of large bodies of fresh water).
Without water, I’d be lost. After fresh air,
water is the second most important nutrient for a
human being. Heck, a living creature of any kind.
And so the list is final: onion, garlic, brown
rice, black beans, avocado, water.
How about you? What’s on your list?
by Erin Owen | Dec 20, 2011 | Ezine
Tip #3: Be. At. Peace.
• The cookies didn’t come out just right? Be at peace.
• Not able to afford that bigger gift you wanted
to give? Be at peace.
• Your client holiday cards won’t be ready before
the New Year? Be at peace.
• Not able to get everyone together at the same
time to celebrate this year? Be at peace.
• Ate more of those sweet treats that you wanted
to? Be at peace.
• Not able to fit into your favorite holiday
outfit? Be at peace.
Love your life for all it is now.
Start where you are and appreciate what is.
Be. At. Peace. Repeat this like a mantra anytime you’re feeling otherwise, to help you Get Your Holiday Zen On now.
Say it with me now: “Be. At. Peace.”
Look for more tips over the coming days so you can live your life:
- more “on your terms”, no matter where the holidays take you
- more peaceful and authentically relaxing, no matter how much work you have to do
- and more lightness, ease and feeling on your A-game, no matter what people serve you at the table
And if tips aren’t enough, then give yourself the gift of a special 75-minute private Breakthrough Session.
Click here and use the HOLIDAY code word (until December 31) to get 50% off!
by Erin Owen | Dec 13, 2011 | Ezine
As my clients know, one of the organizing principles I teach them is called the “One Touch” approach. The name is inspired by my client Steve who I worked with years ago, but is rooted in the Eastern-inspired idea of mindfulness.
How do you “One Touch” your holidays?
(1) When you think to call or write to thank someone,
do it in the moment.
(2) If you’re inspired to be generous in your
end-of-year giving, then go for it.
(3) When the volume of gift catalogs coming in the
mail seems too much, then sign-up for Catalog
Choice and remove your name from the lists.
(4) If you’re annoyed by all the extra sugar and
alcohol you’re consuming, then just say no to the
next bite or the next sip.
The point is to be present.
In the moment.
Now.
Why keep coming back to the same thought
again and again and again and again?
That simply causes undue stress, wastes your
energy, and prevents you from performing at your
optimum level.
So, Get Your Holiday Zen On now — in the moment
— by using the One Touch approach this holiday
season.
Look for more tips over the coming days so you can live your life:
- more “on your terms”, no matter where the holidays take you
- more peaceful and authentically relaxing, no matter how much work you have to do
- and more lightness, ease and feeling on your A-game, no matter what people serve you at the table
And if tips aren’t enough, then give yourself the gift of a special 75-minute private Breakthrough Session.
Normally I charge $150 for a the 75-minute breakthrough session, but until Dec 31st, I am offering a 50% savings!
Enter the “HOLIDAY” code here
and
Then, put yourself in my schedule!
Erin
PS – If you are finally ready to face the New Year without the same old resolutions and instead focus on what really matters, then I’m your gal.
