There is always a way

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. And no, it’s not because of the food, but because of the emphasis on being thankful and being around family and friends. I am always reflective now too, since I have such happy memories of spending Thanksgiving with my Dad’s side of the family. They lived in Plymouth, which is a cool place to spend the holiday.

As I am thinking about things and perusing the Internet to see if any of my favorite exercise instructors will have any Black Friday sales, I started to think about how exercise can mirror life. Well, maybe for me since I am so obsessed, er, interested, in exercise that this is a natural outcome.

My motto? There is always a way. I used to love to run and do high impact aerobics. If I wasn’t pounding my body, it didn’t count as exercise. Well, countless injuries later, I have come to realize that this is not the way for me to stay healthy. I do lots of yoga, barre and walking. And you know what, I am in the best shape of my life. Go figure.

I also love how I am nurturing my body, mind and spirit with my activities. Yoga is especially good for this. Since I was learning new skills, like barre, I had to really concentrate. Even though it was hard at first, I persevered and I am so glad that I did. Having to concentrate so hard on yoga balancing moves or barre moves, left no room in my mind for worrying. Each class felt like a mini-vacation for me.

My lessons learned:

1. Even if an event seems like a negative thing, in the long run, it may turn out to be the best thing for you.

I never would have ventured into yoga and barre if I hadn’t been injured.

2. How you view an event can determine your happiness level.

I could have just been depressed and upset that my body couldn’t do the things it used to. Instead, I chose to focus on what I could do.

I am so very thankful for all the blessings in my life today. What are you thankful for today?

Pretty balloon picture is from Kamran Kan Photography, under Creative Commons Licensing.