Cabin Fever

Global warming policies and issues aside, we are seeing record low temperatures in much of the northern states right now. As a matter of fact, arctic winds are prevailing leaving states from the Midwest to New England with temps dipping as low -40 in some places. The air is so bone chillingly frosty, that it’s almost impossible to take a full breath into our lungs without experience lung pain outdoors. For most of us, with the exception of my clueless dogs and a few hardy ice fishermen, this means more time inside. It means we'll be drinking warm beverages, cozying up to the fire, piling on extra blankets and keeping an eye on the thermostat. It can also signal preheating our cars before we leave the house and pulling as many layers as we can before we begin to resemble Stay-Puft marshmallow men.

Living in northern climates for most of my life, I've grown accustomed to making these concessions in winter. After all, people who are enjoying temps in the 70's now, will be baking in July, while here in Maine, we'll be quite comfortable. We have learned that a trade off is necessary, in order to 'enjoy' the time later. We've made the made the best of the situation, and we've become pretty good sports about it.

However, being indoors for long periods of time, can also come with it the downside of feeling blue. There are times we may feel slightly depressed or withdrawn, or simply "not like ourselves". We find that we're smiling less, and we're snarky with those we love. In short, we find ourselves with a nasty case of cabin fever. We daydream of long summer days, in which we can sit outside, far past 8 PM, still enjoying the warmth of the rays. We imagine taking off to the Caribbean, where we'll want for nothing, but some sunscreen and a rum drink, served in a pineapple. We contemplate ways to disappear inside our own homes, just for a moment of privacy.

In all honesty, while a little day dreaming can be both therapeutic and soothing, too much can lead to even more feelings of entrapment this time of year. So, how do we combat the Winter Blues? What do we do when jetting off to the Virgin Islands simply isn't an option? Obviously, for people with serious feelings of loss and depression, visiting a doctor is necessary. There are many treatments to help fight S.A.D. available now. Yet, for the rest of us, what's to be done?

Many studies have shown vigorous exercise, at least 3 times per week, can change a person's outlook remarkably. While running on icy surfaces is neither safe nor desirable (for breathing reasons, as well as prevention of slipping), many schools, YMCA's and health clubs offer indoor tracks, Elliptical machines, Stairmasters, rowing machines, and a wide range of classes to get your blood moving...and kick your endorphins into high gear. It can certainly be a challenge to get up and out, and yet, once you make this your 'vacation to yourself', you will find that your perspective can change drastically. In addition, eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables can also help boost your immune system, and give you a much needed burst of 'good' energy. My favorite winter foods are Risotto and Ravioli: both heavy in the starch category. I am not depriving myself of them, but just being mindful that too much starch can also trigger feelings of sadness. Also, because I teach Yoga all week long, I would have thought myself immune to the Winter Blues. I've discovered that I'm just as susceptible to these feelings of angst as the next woman...when I'm not directly practicing Yoga. My answer has been to begin running. My daughter has made me CD's to run to, and before I know it, I've done a few miles on the indoor track while embarrassingly singing to the Black Eye'd Peas.

So, if you can't fly to Mexico, and if a vacation to Hawaii is out of the question, take special care with your diet and exercise. I realize this is not rocket science nor ground breaking advice. And, yet, when we really focus on those areas we can control, it's amazing how much better we can feel. It's hard not to focus on what we can't do...feel warm, enjoy sunshine and not have to worry about the state of our snow tires. But, by using on our energy on positive outlooks during this time of year, we can make Cabin Fever somewhat less pervasive.

When all else fails, make a Pina Colada, put on some cool jazz, and watch an old DVD of "Romancing the Stone". Just make sure you make it to the gym tomorrow.

Now you've listened to my story,

Here's the point that I have made:

Chicks were born to give you fever,

Be it Fahrenheit or Centigrade.

They give you fever

When you kiss them

Fever if you live and learn

Fever! 'till you sizzle

what a lovely way to burn... Peggy Lee's immortal version of "Fever"

Halfway down the stairs...

"Halfway down the stairs

is the stair where I sit.

There isn't any other stair,

quite like it.

It isn't at the bottom.

It isn't at the top.

So, this is the stair

Where I always stop." ---- A. A. Milne

The little nursery rhyme poem is from A. A. Milne's collection entitled "When we were very young". Many people don't realize that Milne was a lovely poet, in addition to his Winnie the Pooh fame. But, his books of children's poetry are timeless, wonderful, and some are just delightfully cheeky. I have a special place in my heart for "When we were very young" because it's the first book, and an early edition at that, that my father ever gave to me. I still have the enscribed volume, and I have to admit that I often find more wisdom in this slim collection than I do in many well lauded, poet laureate treatise. Sometimes Milne is exceptionally funny. But, other times, his wisdom is Zen in its simplicity and thoughtfulness. In this poem, the image of finding yourself halfway down the stairs, in complete contentment, is very fulfilling. It describes the sentiment so many children have: of living purely in the moment, of not wanting to be anywhere else but right where they exist in that place and time. It evokes a feeling of being utterly at peace in one's place in one's growth.

To be both literal and metaphorical, I happen to love the idea of the staircase. For much of my life, I've lived in one story (or mainly one story) houses. I eat, sleep, play, work and otherwise exist on the same level. This means no stairs to fall down with a basket of laundry. But, it also means that most of my house is open for all to see. There is very little separation between the public and private spaces of my home. The image of the staircase is one I find so enthalling because it represents a progression. Because my own house's configuration, there is a sense of not making progress during the day....unless up and down the hallway can count laterally, of course.

Staircases are so often the metaphor for progress. We see Biblical references to Jacob's ladder, and most of us, of a "certain generation" can easily sing every word to Led Zepplin's "Stairway to Heaven". As we ascend up, there is the sense of making our way towards enlightenment, towards fulfillment and towards our own destiny. Even metaphors that refer to "coming down from above" often are positive, in reflection of becoming "real" with the world and our fellow man in the journey of life. The citations are endless. But, internally, we can use the image to project a sense of who we wish to become by our ascension, and yet, remaning grounded by our descension. During quiet times of peaceful meditation, we look within our hearts to discover to which direction we really need to aspire.

For most of us, it truly does represent a balance. We need to strive to reach the top of the stairs to become our full potential, and yet we need to remind ourselves from where we came to keep us grounded and secure. In short, we need to find that middle step on which to sit, to think, to dream and to process which way we need to go next.

Stairs have not always been my strongest form of personal conveyance. On my first date with my husband, I literally missed the first step, and fell down a flight of stairs. I like to think of this less-than-graceful entrance as falling head over heels in love, but in reality, it's because I didn't have my mind where my feet were. While we do choose to aspire to reach our destination, whether it's up or down, we also need to keep a firm grasp on where we are, in addition to we are heading. Falling down stairs is never fun, whether they're literal or metaphorical. We can get ahead of ourselves, we can rush. We can find ourselves too immersed in the end goal to realize what we're doing until we topple, head over heels. Bringing mindfuless to the staircases in our lives can not only enhance our experiences, internally, but can save us from massive bruises, externally.

"The elevator to our highest potential is out of order. You have to use the stairs, one step at a time." ~ Joe Girard

Men are from Mars. Women are from wherever they can get five minutes peace.

The balance of power in my house has shifted. For the past fourteen years, we have been evenly divided between male and female energy. Even though my son was just barely 2 when my daughter was born, we still seemed to be equally balanced because I had all the female pets on my side. Not to mention, that a toddler, even one who learns to make car vroom sounds before he speaks, still loves his Mommy in a way that doesn’t shift until he realizes that she can embarrass him at the hockey rink by calling out “Shoot, Honey Buns, Shoot!”.

With the leaving of my daughter to prep school 4 ½ hours away, I am now outnumbered in my home. Please don’t get the wrong idea. I adore my wonderful husband and my now 16 year old son is growing up to be a fine young man. However, there are times when I feel like the odd “man” (pun fully intended) out. It wasn’t expecting it but the situation just seemed to sneak up on me, as if I awoke and the entire planet had been taken over by aliens. The problem was that I happened to love these aliens and gave birth to one of them. It started with little things…..the TV permanently fixed to the NHL network, toilet seats being left up and a lot of sports equipment being shed around the house. Then, it progressed to our meal choices moving in the direction of meat and potatoes, almost exclusively, and annoyed eyeball rolls when I suggested chicken and big salads. Finally, it’s emerged as a whole new male bonding ritual that involves a vocabulary I simply don’t understand, much less speak. These involve grunts, short hand phrases and insults (like “Sieve”) that are simply beyond my level of comprehension.

In reality, I do realize that I’m incredibly blessed. I have healthy children, and a husband that deeply loves me, despite his annoyed comments of “Why do you put green stuff on my plate ? You know I don’t like it.” I have reached the point of melting down at them, but it never works…they simply give me the look as if to say “Treat her gently…she’s likely to blow a gasket”. I have politely, and gently, requested explanations of what they’re discussing. Most of the time, I simply don’t ‘get’ their “Dummies for Hockey” (or military history, or cars, or other guy stuff) versions, which only frustrates them more. Little by little, I’m learning to adjust my own way of thinking, to appreciate the little gestures of peace they do make (such as Josh bringing me home my favorite coffee and Biscotti) and to appreciate them as completely different species of animals. I am learning to approach these interesting, frustrating, funny and confusing men I live with as Jane Goodall would approach a new family of chimpanzees: with quiet respect, sitting and observing and not stepping in before I realize what I’m talking about. I had no idea I’d end up an anthropologist in my own home. But, the approach is helping me process their moods and behaviors, as well as deepening my own understanding of testosterone. My mom once told me, “Never respond in anger, and never take anything personally”. I’m repeating that as my mantra every day. It also helped that she told me this when we were the overwhelming force in my growing up home: it was the two of us women, our three female dogs, and my poor dad with all that female energy.

The fact is, men and women do process things differently. We respond differently to the same situations and we react differently to the identical stimuli. In Yoga, I try to offer poses that will balance the “male and female” or, Yin and Yang, energy in the class. Therefore, in addition to offering the traditional male based Warrior poses, I always to counter that pose with Female Warrior, or Goddess. This seems to not only bring a sense of completeness into our class period, but also to our bodies and inner natures. I also feel much clearer when I add these wonderful poses into our practice…and into my daily life.

For now, my life may not surrounded in femininity, but I also know my own limits. If I find myself cranky or short tempered, simply because the men are being men (and not intentionally rude), I realize I can remove myself from the situation. I can take a hot bubble bath, make a nice cup of tea, or a write a blog article to channel my thoughts. I can talk to a friend, paint my toenails and slip into another room to watch “When Harry Met Sally”. In short, I can create my own girl world in Manville. It’s not always easy, but hopefully, I will be able to decipher their language before long. And, short of that, perhaps I can teach them mine.

On the one hand, we'll never experience childbirth. On the other hand, we can open all our own jars. ~Bruce Willis, on the difference between men and women

Keep, Sell, Give

As I begin the process of decluttering our house, I realize that it’s not always an easy process. I look at a room, or even a corner, and I get overwhelmed, not knowing where to begin. Using the tricks of the trade from HGTV’s show, “Mission Organization”, I’m beginning by using the process of KSG. It’s not a secret Russian spy organization, but an acronym for “Keep, Sell, Give”. As I go through a space the first time, I immediately out anything that’s trash. That’s the first part of sorting. If something is broken, missing parts, cracked, chipped or otherwise useless, it goes straight to the rubbish or recycling bins. Then, comes the tricky part: how do I decide what to do with the rest ?

The first letter in the acronym, K, is my husband’s favorite of this trio of organizational tools: Keep. The terrific guy I’ve shared my life with for more than two decades is a pack rat. He is descended from a long and proud line of pack rats. As my husband grew up, nothing that was salvageable was ever gotten rid of. Things could be fixed, reused, stored and pulled out ‘just in case’. I have to say that a part of me admires this recycling attitude because nothing ever goes to waste. The problem becomes when the saved items overgrow your house and take over your barn (or your attic or your basement). Even if they’re organized into a somewhat cohesive way, if we really want to cut down on the stuff that we have, even ‘tidy junk’ is still junk. So, I ask myself, and my beloved, these questions “Will we ever use it again?”, “When?” and “Why?”. Most of the time, these are easy questions to figure out. But, if you find yourself wondering why you possibly need 22 fleece blankets, with various logos on them, or four sets of china dinnerware, you may want to move onto purging those items that would be wonderful and helpful….to someone else in their house.

The next letter is S: for Sell. Most of us have items that we simply don’t use, but do have intrinsic value to them. If you have collectibles or other pieces of value, make sure you get an appraisal from a dealer, or really research your item’s value. It’s only in very rare cases that the average family has items that should be sold through a dealer. Having a lawn sale, posting items in classifieds (such as Craig’s list) or selling them on eBay can help you weed out, while you make some money in the process. It’s not likely you will get full purchase price back, but in my humble opinion, something that is sitting, unused in a basement or cabinet, is not making any better of a return. So, price your items wisely, but to sell. You can use the money you make to pay off debt, plan a trip, or buy organizational equipment for the items you’ve kept.

Finally, we come to G: Give...the aspect closest to my heart. Not everyone needs a set of leaded crystal wine glasses or a porcelain figurine. But, everyone needs shoes, warm coats, clothing in reasonable good shape, and yes, those fleece blankets. Even used, but still serviceable, furniture, lamps and kitchen equipment can go to a home where people have lost everything. There is so much need in our world. There are single mothers who have fled from dangerous homes. There are families displaced by natural disasters. There are those who simply need a way to help themselves. I truly believe that it’s selfish to hoard items we honestly don’t need when there are simple ways we can donate them to those who truly do. So, get that old sofa out of the basement, and donate it to Goodwill. Go through your clothing, and especially, your children’s clothing, and donate to an organization like Planet Aid. Many local churches and community centers also run programs in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity and Dress for Success, and can directly aid local families with your donations. So, think of decluttering as a form of loving your neighbor, too. It's with yoga's open sense to the needs of others, that you can give these items away, and feel positive about your choice to do so.

With the KSG acronym in mind, you can’t fail. Look at the big picture of your home. Then, look at one room. Then look at one corner. By focusing on each of these means to better take control of your home, you will be able to start fresh…and not end up running in circles. With the trash gone first, you can best evaluate the rest of your problem areas. Once your sell and give piles are taken care of, you can focus on organizing the keep items. It's amazing how much space you will find when you get rid of the things you simply don't need.

"Mom, I can't find my shoes!" "Did you look in your closet?" ~ My house on a daily basis

We are the champions!

When I was in high school, our sports teams came out to Queen‘s “We will rock you”, followed by “We are the champions”, before every game. To this day, when I hear the combination of these pop songs, I still can’t help but be filled with pride, excitement and a sense of belief in something larger than myself. Obviously, these rock anthems aren’t hymns, nor are they patriotic. But, for those of us who came of age during “a certain era”, the songs themselves can fill us completely with a sense of anything being possible, and that victory is surely within our reach, if only we work hard enough. It’s no wonder I have both of these songs on my playlist, to listen to while I exercise. I’m sure I’ve received my share of funny glances as I jog around the track at the Y, attempting not to belt out an off-key imitation of Freddy Mercury. And yet, when I’m jogging, and listening to “We are the champions”, it simply fills me with a sense of empowerment to know that, even though I’m only jogging inside, on a snowy day, I have the possibility to accomplish whatever my goals are. I have the potential to be a champion.


I just finished a book in which this point is beautifully accomplished. “The Art of Racing in the Rain” by Garth Stein is a magical story. The protagonist is Enzo, an extraordinary dog, who is the companion to a Formula One race car driver. With racing as the metaphor throughout the story, Enzo relates to us, his views on what living on Earth has meant, his belief that a dog is the highest form of enlightened being, next to man, and what the heart of a true champion believes. This is not a silly story, but a dignified one, and it moved me deeply regarding Enzo’s life lessons about true championship. Enzo relates to us that a true champion is a good listener, loves others will all his heart, believes in those he loves, keeps his eye on the next turn, never gives up and always finishes the race. There is no dishonor, nor lack of championship if one doesn’t win the race at hand…only in quitting, giving up and letting our fears overtake us during the hardest times of our lives. Because I’m a dog lover, of course, this is a novel that would be appealing to me. However, the grander theme of inner strength was what held me in rapt attention until the very end.

This lends the question: “What IS a champion?”. Is it the woman who climbs the corporate ladder, breaking gender barriers ? Is it the man who, despite his own paralysis, rescues others around him ? Could it be the much lauded professional athlete, who begins an important charitable foundation? Or, is it the single mother, who despite the odds, raises her children, earns her degree and succeeds beyond her own socio-economic barriers ? I submit that these people are all champions. While I applaud those who complete the Appalachian trail hike, those who play on title winning teams and those who set world records, I must say that I believe the greatest sense of championship lies within our internal accomplishments, and not without. I respect and honor people who have dreamed, and finished amazing feats, but I would also speculate that each of those men and women find their inner growth to have been the greatest achievement of all.

During the Yoga classes I teach, I always try to include Warrior II asana. This empowering pose is an amazing blend of physical strength and mental focus. The longer the Yogini holds the pose, the greater the benefit to her body and mind’s attunement, strength and agility. I have found there to be a profound change of many of my students who practice the Warrior series of asanas regularly. One of the greatest challenges I have had, in Yoga classes as a student, was when my own teacher had us hold Warrior for more than 15 minutes. Beyond the ache in my shoulders, and the burn in my quads, I found my mind to wander. My biggest challenge was to remain focused and “in the practice”, rather than allowing my thoughts to drift from ‘This really hurts’ to ‘I wonder what I’ll make for dinner?’ to ‘I really like Tammie’s yoga top’ and back to ‘This really hurts even more !’. Yet, when we were done, I had never felt so empowered in class before.

I invite each of you to look inside yourselves and ask “What IS a champion ?”. Brainstorm on this subject in your heart and in your life. Find out what you value in champions, and what championship really means in grand scheme of life's current direction. Most of all, remember that championship is ultimately not about the blue ribbons or medals. It’s about inner strength, power and joy in all circumstances. The heart of a champion does not always rest in glory. Championship lies in finishing the race with honor.

It's easy to have faith in yourself and have discipline when you're a winner, when you're number one. What you got to have is faith and discipline when you're not a winner. ~ Vince Lombardi

A Year of New Goals

Ring out the old, ring in the new,Ring, happy bells, across the snow:The year is going, let him go;Ring out the false, ring in the true.~Alfred, Lord Tennyson, 1850

Happy New Year ! January 1st happens to be one of my favorite days of the year. This isn’t simply because it’s a holiday. I happen to love new beginnings. I love starting a new calendar. I adore taking down last year’s calendar and putting up my new one, in ceremonial fashion. There is something magical about the morphing between December and January. It’s not the same as the transition between June and July. There is a newness, a freshness and a way to think about the direction in which you wish to head. I love the idea that we can recreate our lives with a whole year ahead to accomplish our goals.

Because of my love for new beginnings, as well as books, it’s no wonder that I adore books that talk about new beginnings that flow over the course of a year. Two incredible books, that both examine this idea, are “The Year of Living Biblically” by A.J. Jacobs and “Simple Abundance: A daybook of Comfort & Joy” by Sarah Ban Breathnach. The authors of these books have extremely different goals. The former examines a secular Jewish man’s goal of following every single biblical tenet for one year; especially those little known ones that are far removed from the Ten Commandments. The latter is a day by day plan to, obviously, simplify one’s life and connect with a deeper sense of self in doing so. While these books are intrinsically dissimilar in their approach to looking the year ahead, they are remarkably symbiotic in the way the theme is “radical change in a year”. I recommend both; one for laughs and the other for inspiration.

Both of these books have inspired me to make some radical changes in my own life. My own area is that of finances: the way I look at our income, the way I spend our income and the way I picture needs vs. wants. Like many families, our spending has exceeded our income. This isn’t because we have lived like Kings. Nor, is it because we’ve consistently made foolish decisions. We, like many other Americans, have watched our expenses rise, our income fall, and our investments plummet. We have lived ‘just’ above our means. We have failed to plan for the unexpected, like new brakes for the truck, or major dental work. We have shopped recreationally, and if we’ve seen something we liked, and it seemed to be ‘not expensive’, we bought it. We had meals out, at places like “The Olive Garden”, believing “it’s not too expensive”. We have failed to plan and been impulsive, rather than planners. We haven’t gone to Las Vegas and gambled. We haven’t sent our checking account number overseas in a scam. We’ve just bought when we didn’t need to, and spent when we didn’t have to. We said “But, it’s on sale !” as justification for a purchase.

I am looking at the year ahead as the “the Year of No Spending”. This doesn’t mean we’re going to go without groceries or car repair. This also doesn’t mean that, if one of the children has a cavity, we’ll fail to take them to the dentist. What it does mean is that I don’t need that cute skirt at Banana Republic, that Jeff doesn’t need the latest drill at Home Depot, and our kids will be just fine without going to the mall. We will replace things that are actually necessary and broken. But, we are going to investigate “Making Do” rather than immediately replacing the non-essentials. Shopping will be out of need, and not a form of entertainment. I’m going to stop watching shows like “What not to wear”, no matter how much I love them…because it instills in me a sense that what I have, and what I look like, is simply not good enough. I’m going to “Shop in my closet”, and create new from old. Caroline and I are fortunate in that we can wear each other‘s clothes…which means we can share items back and forth. This is going to be our year of counting our blessings about what we already have, rather than feeling as our current possessions are inadequate. I am learning to rediscover the library, rather than ordering from Amazon, and am happy to rent movies rather than go to the theatre.

I don’t expect this will be easy. It’s simple for me to say today that I have all I need. I imagine that, by March, this is going to get very old. But, it’s a goal is also a necessity. We need to learn to find more create ways to stay on top of our budget, especially with one child in private school, and the other beginning college soon. It is also about more than finances: it’s about appreciation of what we already have, materially and emotionally. Our culture is often sending us the message to look for ‘more’. I believe, for my own life, this is the year to look for ‘less is more’.

I’ll post updates monthly on this topic. I wish each of you well in 2009 and hope I will have the willpower to talk myself out of those great sales at Macy’s. And, Ann Taylor. And the Gap. And Pottery Barn. And Anthropologie. And Crate & Barrel. Not to mention all the good food in restaurants I love. This is going to be harder than I thought, but I know it will be worth it. Just keep reminding me.

Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. ~Benjamin Franklin

Gym Class Hero...

How many people went to school in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s ? I’m positive that other Generation X’ers (as we are known, in addition to the post-Baby Boomers) will remember Gym Class, before the days when it morphed into P.E. Some people will smile and remember fondly games of Dodge Ball and Capture the Flag. Others may even still have their Presidential Physical Fitness test awards proudly displayed. I have very different memories. I hated Gym. I created such a variety of made up illnesses, I’m sure my Gym Class teacher was convinced I was ready for hospice care by 9th grade. I didn’t like getting dirty. I couldn’t climb a rope. I was terrified of balls, both big and small. And, even if I had to stand in the batter’s box, I’m not sure if I ever actually connected bat to ball once in softball. Most of all, I was terrified of embarrassing myself. I knew I was not coordinated, and rather than continue to subject myself to further ridicule and humiliation, my friend Maryann and I decided to make our first political statement: we refused, “on personal grounds” to take the timed running test in 6th grade. We called ourselves “Conscientious Objectors”. In fact, we just stunk at running and didn’t want anyone to know. So, while the other kids were running circles around us, literally, Maryann and I slowly walked around the track, not even moving up to a jog, as the Gym teacher shook his head and berated us.

What I hadn’t learned, at this young age, was that no matter what other people said, I failed to challenge myself. I may have thought I was getting out of an obligation in a pseudo-cool way. In reality, I short changed myself. I failed to try because I was afraid of failure. In doing so, I received more than a low mark in that class: I received a low mark in my self-esteem because I let other people dictate how I felt about myself. I thought I’d be a bad runner, so I didn’t bother. I mocked it, and took the opposing view. Sometimes, challenges are our own measure of ourselves. We can choose to run away (or in my case, walk slowly away), or we can choose to face them head on. Other than Maryann, who is still a dear friend, I can’t think of another person in that 6th grade Gym class. So, I had nothing to lose by trying my best. And, yet, I let fear of failure hold me back.

Not long ago, I rented “The Bucket List” with Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson, two of my favorite actors. I had expected somewhat of a comedy about two men crossing off the most unbelievable feats of bravery from their ‘to do before I die’ list. In reality, this moving was much more heart warming and life affirming than I’d ever imagined. The most surprising experience the two men found, as they journeyed around the globe, looking for the next ‘big thing’, was the depth of their friendship. And, that wasn’t even on the list. This film taught me to look challenges square in the face, and even if I don’t make my goals, at least I will have tried, rather than mocked.

It never ceases to amaze me that life’s journey took me down the path to become a Yoga Instructor. How I went from Gym Class Wallflower to the teacher of a busy practice still baffles me. What I realized is that my own personal journey was not about climbing Mt. Everest, or standing on the Great Pyramids, but gaining in strength of body, mind and spirit. When another friend, Tammie, invited me to take a Yoga class with her almost 10 years ago, I went along to be a good sport. Little by little Yoga was able to strip away my own personal defense mechanisms of “I can’t” and “I won’t” to “I can” and “I will”. I believe that, because I came from a place, deep inside me, of deep reserve and a lack of self-confidence, I’ve been able to empower my own students to try asanas they didn’t believe they could do. Not long ago, I helped a student into her first headstand. Not only was I able to demonstrate with ease, but I was able to encourage and assist her in her own growth in her strength, and in her practice. It was far more gratifying to celebrate Alexandra’s success than my own. Why ? Because I not only faced my own fear, but I helped someone else do the same.

Challenges don’t have to be enormous, life changing events. For some people, it can be scarier to begin a conversation with a stranger than it is to go rock climbing. For others, even trying foods out of their ‘comfort zone’ can be problematic. Challenges don’t have mean bungee jumping or helicopter-skiing. Challenges mean facing something within ourselves that we would rather hide away. It’s much easier to scoff about not going to a party, than it is to cross that big room, look someone you don’t know in the eye and start talking. Yet, the only person we short change is ourselves. It’s okay not to cliff dive. But, what about taking on one challenge this coming year, and seeing if you meet it ? You don’t have to run in the Boston Marathon, but what about trying to jog around the block ? You don’t have to be the next Martha Stewart, but you can try to shake things up for dinners when company comes over. What about just inviting someone you don’t know well out for coffee ?

We all have our mountains to climb. They just appear in different forms to each of us. I wish each of you a wonderful journey as you create your own personal life list. It doesn't matter if we don't reach the top of our mountain. What matters is that we stopped scoffing, and started trying.


Panic at the thought of doing a thing is a challenge to do it. ~Henry S. Haskins