New Beginnings

I love a new beginning.  A new week, month, even each new page in my journal seems to hold so much promise.  I like the idea that anything is possible if I can just get a fresh start.  The problem with fresh starts is that they don't actually begin on my calendar or on a new piece of paper.  The challenge is that a clean slate begins in my mind, with my thoughts and there lies the difficulty for me.

My mind, perhaps like yours, refuses to acknowledge that I've decided to begin a new page and it sweeps in like a mighty gust of wind and flips back to the previous chapter or even the one before that.  It takes out its  fluorescent hi-liter and underlines all the failures, flaws and fears that I am determined to whiteout in my "new me" sequel.  And if the written words were not damaging enough, my mind holds up those pictures on the previous pages reminding me of my "less than" self.  The self that bought two boxes of chocolate covered raisins (one each for the next two days) and ate both before the key was even in the ignition of the car.  The self that wants to become a strong flexible yogi, then attends only the meditation and and rejuvenation yoga classes which involve mostly lying flat on the mat.  The self that wants to be the best Nana to her grandchildren but feels too exhausted by the end of the week to take them overnight..... ugh  The self that was determined to age gracefully, with acceptance and inner beauty and who winces at the washed out self that stares back at me in the mirror some days.

Okay these are not criminal activities, they are not mean spirited or hurtful to anyone, well anyone except myself.  But I do long to learn the previous lessons and then run them through the paper shredder.  I long to look ahead without my mind yanking me back to yesterday or freaking me out about tomorrow.

Has my daily 12 minute meditation helped? Yes.  Does the yoga help? Yes, and yet I still struggle.  Struggle to be the version of myself I long to be.  Struggle to balance my longings with my real self.  Struggle to be the kind of mom, nana, sister, aunt, daughter, cousin and friend I want to be.

So it's the first week of May, a new month and a new season.  I am going to consider May my may month;
may I try again, may I be more disciplined, may I leave yesterday behind, may I choose wisely how I live,
may I use my time and gifts to bring joy, above all may I be loving.

Thank you for stopping in today at My Turquoise Kettle Life.

May your day be special,

Sandra

In Her Own Words

In my last post I mentioned some of the accomplishments that my eldest daughter Shannon had recently achieved.

As a youngster Shannon was headstrong and stubborn, determined to do things her own way.  In her early twenties she would work two and sometimes three jobs to support herself.  She partied, had begun smoking and worked hard and like many people, didn't  really care that she was burning the candle at both ends. Her eating habits were a dietitian's nightmare. Over the years she had gained a lot of weight and while her job required lots of walking, she had a very poor level of fitness.

This evening she is the guest speaker at The Runner's Room in Mississauga for the Learn to Run Clinic to inspire and motivate new members.

Here is her story in her own words:

I work a pretty high-stress job for a freight railway.  I am one of only two female Track Supervisors in Canada.  I manage a large group of employees to construct new railway infrastructure as well as clean up after derailments.  I'm on call for emergencies 24/7 and can be dispatched to parts unknown for as long as it takes to get the railway tracks operational again.

In 2011 I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and by 2015 I was told to forget about losing any of the extra 80 pound I was carrying around, the doctor said you will always be this weight.  In 2013 I was diagnosed with celiac disease another chronic condition that left me feeling defeated. 

Up until the last 12 months my diet consisted of cheese, breads, pasta and potatoes (preferably chips or fries), multiple coffees and a half pack of cigarettes a day.
Had you asked me about motivation, at that point in my life I would have replied that I was motivated to deliver 110% at work and then fall onto the sofa at the end of a long day with a bowl of chips.

In 2015 on a vacation in Africa I met a fellow traveler from London, England named Bhavini.  She suggested that we should do another tour together, perhaps to Peru to hike the Lares Trek.  I have no idea how she ever thought that at 80 pounds overweight, and a smoker, that I would be able to hike in the thin air (4,500 in altitude) of Peru. 

 I guess I like a challenge, so in preparation for the trip I quit smoking.  My boyfriend and I would go for walks and I remember the first time I said I was going to run to the corner.  I barely made it the 200 feet, I was out of breath.  My aunt had joined the Learn to Run clinic with the Running Room in Montreal and encouraged me to do likewise.  In May 2016 I joined the Learn to Run Clinic.

Learn to Run Clinic - Shannon's on the left in black

I honestly was so thankful when some of the other women in my clinic seemed to struggle as I did, it was a place that was safe and accepting of my level of fitness.  My instructors Praveen and Monika were fun and encouraging.  When I joined the Learn to Run clinic I started to look after the way I ate a little better as I learned that the way I ate affected how I felt during a run.  

Success in Peru

Well that was seven months ago I quit smoking, completed the hike in Peru and while some thought I would ago back to my bad habits, quite the opposite,  last week I hit my goal weight having lost 76 pounds, I  increased my stamina for running, and this year when Bhavini suggested we run a 10K together in London, England I didn't hesitate..... Race day is July 9th and my flight is booked.!"

Well done Shannon,
xo
Mom

Thank you for stopping by my Turquoise Kettle Life Today.

May you have an inspired day,

Sandra

Part II - Inspiration and Life Lessons

I realized when I wrote my previous post that I wanted to expand and give you some examples from my own experience but I also needed to ask permission from some of the people involved.  With that now given I can explain how recently I found  myself sandwiched between to situations.  In 2016 my eldest daughter set her sights on hiking a mountain in Peru, she knew it would require some life style changes to accomplish her goal.  She has a wonderful career in a high stress environment, she was a smoker and was carrying some extra weight.  She had been diagnosed with a thyroid condition that often left her exhausted at the end of her day.  Her food choices were limited: mainly potatoes, dairy and coffee from the drive-thru.

One of the reasons she has been so successful in her career is her determination (an understatement) to achieve her goals (or prove anyone wrong).  Taking that quality she quit smoking, lost a lot of weight, incorporated new healthy food into her diet, began running, working out daily and yes, she climbed that mountain!! Some (not I! ) thought she would return to her old habits once she returned, oh but not her, she continued to lose more weight, ran more, further, faster and ramped up her workout to 6-7 days a week.  She's a machine.  She looks amazing and feels wonderful!

I should have been motivated.  Should have been but wasn't really.  No, I don't want to incorporate chia seeds, or avocados, or do the twelve week bikini body workout, 5 km run, no; thanks anyway.

Then my mom, who is in her 80's had a couple of falls, nothing really serious, she didn't break any bones.  But she leads a very sedentary life and has lost most of the strength in her legs. She has had limited mobility for several years. She has never been into health or fitness, and  hasn't really been active since she stopped raising/chasing little children.  The falls left her bruised, sore and frightened and more limited than ever in her mobility.

This is the point at which I began to feel very, very motivated.  I began using my car less and walking more, I bought a skipping rope, increased up my regular a.m. yoga/resistance training.  I make sure I don't skip my yoga classes at the studio and I adopted an iron-clad morning routine of meditation, prayer, journaling and a 40 minute brisk walk. (goal to keep body, mind and spirit strong).

The happy ending to all of this is that my daughter is in amazing shape, is less affected by the stress of her job, her thyroid is stable.  I am feeling inspired and already reaping the benefits of being more disciplined.  And my mom?  The happy outcome is that she found a physiotherapist who has been very patient, he has encouraged her to regain her mobility, she is making great strides!  I also heard that at the end of her first session with this young man, he asked her if she had any questions.  "Yes", she said, "Do you already have a girlfriend?"  Oh my goodness MOM!!!  I guess whatever inspires her is good news.

Thank you for stopping by at My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

Wishing you a day full of good choices,

Sandra

Inspiration & Life Lessons

Inspiration  - 1. the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative. 2. the act of drawing in, specifically the drawing of air into the lungs.

Ice with Leaf  - Sandra King

Sometimes inspiration comes from watching ordinary people achieve extraordinary goals, overcome devastating circumstances or create breathtaking beauty in the arts and in life.  Sometimes though inspiration comes from the other side of life, seeing people struggle, fail and suffer as a result of their choices, behaviours and habits ( it being a result of their choices is the key here.)

For me noticing the negative consequences of people's unwise choices generally proves much more inspiring than reading about how athletes made it to world class or someone of humble beginnings created an empire in business. I like those success stories too, I am just more motivated to action from the negative.  

Am I alone?  I've seen people ruin their lives with substance abuse, debt, ignoring their physical or emotional needs, living falsely; and every time I ask myself, "What can I learn from them? What is my take-away?"  

Because let's face it, there is always a lesson; a lesson in the wonderful and in the devastating.  Our assignment is to find the lesson, the golden nugget and incorporate that truth into our own lives, to know better, to do better.  

My belief is that God doesn't waste anything, no exceptions.  Every circumstance that we experience or that we experience through the lives of another is fodder for learning, for gaining wisdom, for helping, for being transformed, for growth.  So when we experience the devastation of our own poor choices or witness negative consequences in the lives of others, let's not sink into despair or negative dialogue, instead when the initial shock passes, how much wiser to ask the questions that allow us to see the lesson and to be inspired to create positive change in our own circumstances and to encourage others.  Now that is a breath of fresh air!

Thank you for stopping by My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

Wishing you true inspiration,

Sandra

A Place of Peace and Kindness

Let's just take a couple of minutes and do something kind for ourselves.  I was in a yoga/meditation class this morning and the instructor guided us through a meditation that allows us to access that place inside of ourselves that is always peace-filled, always calm regardless of circumstances that may be whirling about us or within us.  It went something like this:

• Sit comfortably and let your breath flow naturally 
• Choose a place within your body where you can actually feel the breath on your inhale/exhale, a place where there is no tension.
• Can you discern what colour this place is?
• Can you attach an image to this place?
• Can you attach a memory to the image?
• Keeping this imagery in mind, we can return to this peaceful place in our body when we feel stressed, it will act as a way to anchor or root ourselves to keep balanced in life's storms.

We can handle life's unpleasantness more effectively and with grace when we know how to decompress and relax.

Find a quiet place of solitude

❤

 I've mentioned in previous posts the importance of treating ourselves with love and kindness, I think it bears repeating.  The relationship I have with myself is the most important one I will ever have.  Looking after my mental, emotional, spiritual and physical wellness allows me to be the very best version of myself.  The challenge is that it is important but doesn't always feel urgent. I get it, others' lives, problems and drama feels more urgent and yes there are always times when we put our agendas aside to help, encourage and rescue others BUT we should have a boundary.  We shouldn't give and give until we are depleted.  How do I know when I'm running on empty?  I feel resentful.  Resentment is the red light flashing on the dashboard of my life.  I used to ignore it, now I respect it.  I pull back.  I choose one day each week that is only for me; a massage, a yoga class, a walk, a cup of tea in front of the fire, a book, a nap.  When I return refreshed I feel the joy of helping others, of listening of caring.
I hope that you too can find a quiet pocket of time and space this week to unplug from the noise of other people's lives and to listen to that still small voice within you.  After all if your inner voice doesn't merit your attention, what does?

Thank you for stopping in at My Turquoise Kettle Life today,
May you have a peace filled day,
Sandra

Super Quick No-Sew Birthday Banner

 I always look at those cute fabric triangle banners when I'm at Michael's but its not something I want as part of my everyday decor, I just think they're cute.  We are celebrating my daughter's birthday this weekend so I decided to forego the paper streamers and create a personalized banner with fabric scraps that coordinate with my kitchen.

fabric, twine, stapler, scissors and thumb tacks 

I used two printed fabrics and one plain white one.  I wrote my Happy Birthday  message on the plain white triangles using coloured markers.  I cut three triangles of each fabric (9 total), folded over the top edge (I ironed it down but you wouldn't have to) and then ran some twine through the folded hem and stapled the hem in place.  Use thumb tacks to hold the ends of the twine over a window, doorway or outside around your deck. Super quick and easy.

Thanks for stopping in at My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

Wishing you a day worth celebrating,

Sandra

The Regret Game

Sometimes I play the "regret game" with myself to help gain clarity.  It goes like this, "If didn't have any more time here, what would I regret not having done?" This is more of a feeling exercise than a thinking one.  Thankfully there isn't too much on that list but the one thing that came up after I went hiking with my daughter in August, was the unsatisfied longing to spend more time in nature.

Sunset - Lake St. Francis

But in order to get away in nature the way I wanted to do it (alone) meant facing the fear of being away by myself and maybe not feeling safe. My wish list included a place with cell phone reception, not too remote, where I wouldn't have to socialize, but also forest, waterfront and quiet.   I  found the perfect camping spot that was relatively close, the price was reasonable and the location perfect. For three days I was able to listen to the wind in the trees, hear the waves on the shore while I slept and no one expected anything of me, I didn't have to show up anywhere at anytime, there was nothing I had to do.  I walked through the woods, I sat on rocks along the shore, I watched gulls, geese and herons, chipmunks and squirrels.  I enjoyed gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, made a campfire, read a book, napped and took photos.

Blue Heron

Morning Campfire  

My time there was precious and I was sad to leave.  I had suspected that I was craving time in nature, but I didn't realize how much so until I was able to immerse myself in it.  I plan to incorporate activities like this more regularly into my days and weeks.
Its good to take stock every now and then of what we might be wanting and needing in our lives.  Its easy to function on autopilot and do what we have always done, to surround ourselves with the same people and noise and busyness, to feel that there isn't enough time for what we really enjoy.  Its easy to  feel that our needs and wants are secondary to those of the people around us, but they're not secondary.  This life is our one chance to live without holding back out of fear; to live without regrets.

Thank you for stopping in at My Turquoise Kettle life.

Wishing you a day full of possibilities,

Sandra