Holiday Homework and Fun
The last post of the year including a goofy holiday exercise video
Howdy Reader,
Okay, so I already miss the fact that I can’t include your first name in my email/newsletter/blogpost - insert sad face here. If you’d like to be addressed as something other than “Reader” enlighten me - you know I aim to please.
In case you haven’t heard, I’ve been transferring my old blog posts from pilates + life + movement to here on Substack. In the process I got an awful lot of “warning! too long for email” which only means that you can’t read the whole of the post without accessing it either via the website or the App. Note to self, EDIT! ;-) I will endeavour to tighten things up if only not to abuse your good nature.
So how’s your December going? I think the most important question I have for you is,
Are you taking care of yourself?
I’m feeling a bit manic myself. While I don’t have to do a Crazy Christmas with bazillions of family members, or to buy a ton presents, I think the energy of the season rubs off on me. How ‘bout you?
I get pulled into riding the crazy wave up, and up, and up, but instead of crashing down the other side, I’m searching out moments of calm anywhere I can.
An unplanned case in point: I had daytime surgery yesterday and was the only patient who didn’t think to bring their phone in with them to the holding area. So, while I was all trussed up - gown on and oh so sexy compression socks up my legs, slid on by my lovely nurse - just awaiting my time in theatre, I had three hours to:
nap
think
nap some more
meditate
and just watch and listen to what was going on around me.
At first it was hard and I felt a bit adrift but once I let go of what I should or could be doing it felt wonderful.
Granted that was a bit of an unusual situation ( I mean when was the last time someone put on your socks for you?) but wherever those downtime moments pop up for you, slow down enough to tell your future potentially-hyped self there’s another way. What do you think? Even if you only have five minutes to “check out” and let your mind wander, I think that’d be a pretty good gift.
Holidays…
I really do love them and love a good holiday ritual. Rituals tie us to our past, our families, and our communities. Rituals give us planned points over the holidays to map the expected things, hopefully leaving room for some spontaneity. I love that rituals provide structure because I don’t know about you, if I don’t have at least a teeny bit of it over a break I turn into a potted plant. I then get sad and droopy because it feels like I’ve wasted my precious time off.
Let’s Consider this:
Sometimes those rituals need to be reassessed. Do you find yourself doing something just because you’ve always done it or you’ve always done it “that way”?
Like most people a lot of my holiday rituals are around food and drink. As I’ve moved to a more wholistic approach to my nutrition I can see that I use food as a reward and I have this voice that tells me “I deserve” to eat this especially bad for me food, especially at this time of year.
I am not advocating not enjoying the treats but here’s one example of how I’ve tweaked a ritual. I love peanut M&Ms and I used to buy myself a big box of them - From Me, To Me - I would not share them, they were mine! (evidently I have some non-sharing issues that need to be unpacked!) Anyhoo, last year I still had the ritual, I still ate them but only gave myself a regular sized bag! I felt so proud of myself - ritual reassessed and health(ier) for the win!
Ahem, for complete transparency, every year for Christmas Day dessert I do make a humungous cheesecake - usually chocolate. It’s just the hubby and me at home so we’ll oftentimes eat cheesecake for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and that’s a ritual I don’t plan on changing.
Wait, isn’t everyone a walking contradiction just like me??
Your HOLIDAY HOMEWORK is to reassess a ritual and ask
Does it still serve me? Can I keep it but tweak it? Is there one I’m 100% keeping and keeping it 100% guilt free?
Your HOLIDAY FUN is Two Presents!
#1 is a FREE FULL LENGTH CLASS rental from my Video On Demand Library.
If you head HERE and use code PRESENT, there are a lucky 13 classes to choose from.
Now these are Pilates classes but even if you’re not a regular practitioner there are some beginning level classes that you could do. I recommend you try Mat: Classical Beginning, or if you have a roller or FitBall at home, Foam Roller: Restore or FitBall: Beg/Int.
The class rental lasts for 7 days so you’ll have puhlenty of time to do it once or twice. The discount code is good through Monday January 6th, AEST (that’s Australian Eastern Standard Time - Brisbane).
#2 is my annual, goofy holiday movement flow video👇
Join Santa getting off his sleigh and sliding down the chimney… there’s a demo, a short warm up, and instructions.
That’s all. The next email from me will be next year but if you want to connect before then just hit reply! Have a wonderful holiday season whatever you get up to and thanks for your support.
Be Well
xBec
