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I love “we did it” or “I did it” stories. I got an email from my cousin who recently (in the past six months or so) started running and has gotten so much healthier. He is really moving ahead with motivation and shared his success with me in that message, stating he ran his first 10K without walking one step. A few of you locally have also shared exciting news – a weight loss of 55lbs and a bike ride conquering some killer hills! So proud! Congratulations to you all!
My most recent “I did it!” moment came yesterday afternoon at Carson Park. I found out towards the end of last week that Chippewa Valley Cycling Club would be hosting the first ever Cyclocross race in Eau Claire on Sunday, October 3. I have toyed with the idea of racing, and enjoyed an unexpected success at the Valleycat race back in May…so I thought I would give it a shot. I showed up as people in color-coded cycling wear were kitted out and setting up bikes in the parking lot. I arrived on my mountain bike, wearing running shoes, yoga pants and a purple nutcase helmet. So right away I fit in. I completed registration and immediately went into their clinic, where they teach you how to – get this – dismount and jump over barriers. Awesome! As soon as we finished our practice lap they announced the 30 minute race would be starting. So much for mental preparation – we were off with 3 or 4 laps ahead of us including a sloppy sand pit, stairs, steep incline and singletrack downhill…and more barriers. I felt up for the challenge and loved that fact that I found a sport that would get me moving with such variety and intensity – I sucked wind for the majority of my last lap…I went 4 times around. I ended up in second place regardless of the weight of my monster MTB, and scored some free swag for my placement. They also had some post-race cookies that were to die for…I am looking forward to the next cyclocross opportunity in our area (and maybe getting a lighter ride in the mean time)!
I love this poem from Shell Silverstein…enjoy! (And send me your success stories, too!)
Woulda-Coulda-Shoulda
All the Woulda-Coulda-Shouldas
Layin’ in the sun,
Talkin’ ’bout the things
They woulda-coulda-shoulda done…
But those Woulda-Coulda-Shouldas
All ran away and hid
From one little did.
Namaste! Have a great week everyone!
Cheri
Selectivity: a chosen attitude that allows you to observe yourself and others objectively, discern, and act intentionally when presented many options. It is the ability to let go of ineffective or potentially harmful habits and patterns to relearn or adopt more useful behaviors.
I have discussed the concept of selectivity with several of you during private appointments. We can apply this trait of selectivity to any aspect of our entire lives, and in particular we have focused our energy and time on living well. How can we continue to clarify our intentions, practicing this skill in a way that helps us set healthy boundaries?
Here we go!
1) Grab a full sheet of paper and pen. Write the word SELECTIVITY on the top. Make it loud and proud.
2) Draw a line down the center of the page to create two vertical columns. In one column, give it the title of YES; in the other column write NO.
3) Set a time for 3 minutes, and here is the fun part. Write down words and ideas of things that you will say NO to – these are things, people, behaviors, advice, actions that will prevent your success or may even harm you. Be specific, and no censoring. Write everything down as soon as you get the impulse in your mind.
4) Take a break. Enjoy. Read the list top to bottom without stopping or evaluating. Just read it.
5) Set your timer again for 3 minutes, and this time you will complete the YES column. These are ideas, actions, people, things that you need and choose in order to be successful. These are the positives that you say YES to in life.
Keep your list handy and read it often, if not several times a day. Some people say they will keep it on their fridge or in their planner. Reading this list keeps us grounded and objective about our choices. It removes the emotional and mental mulling-over and gives us clear instruction as to how we choose to move forward.
Post your list here if you like, to have an added accountability to yourself and our community of folks living well.
Cheri
my selectivity board from today - post a list or send your photo to evolve wellness on facebook!
Choice: defined as the mental process of judging the merits of multiple options and SELECTING one of them.
Selectivity: a chosen attitude that allows you to observe yourself and others objectively, discern, and act intentionally when presented many options. It is the ability to let go of ineffective or potentially harmful habits and patterns to relearn or adopt more useful behaviors.
When searching for the word ‘selectivity’ I could not find a clear definition, only references to various subjects like biology and pharmacology. I did see a definition for ‘choice’ which you have above, and I decided to write my own definition of selectivity. This has been one of the key pieces I have taken from my training and now assistant teaching work with Donna Farhi. Here’s more.
1) When studying (or any moment as a consumer), select what you wish to study, and more importantly WHO delivers that information. This was a moment of truth for me when discussing teacher training with Sandra Helpsmeet at The Yoga Center. She mentioned two teachers, Scott Anderson and Donna Farhi. I have learned from both of them and plan to continue as the way they present their ideas have a great deal of wisdom, personal practice experience, and sound science backing them. I could have done teacher training anywhere, with anyone – I care far less about the RYT 200 hour designation after my name and far more about creating a mentoring relationship with a well-versed teacher that I trust. Even this has required a shift in my thinking about credibility and accountability in the Yoga/Fitness industry, which is relatively unregulated in comparison to other fields.
Think on this for a moment: safe teachings can be made unsafe by the teacher employing them. What I have learned from Donna is a sensitivity to the individual’s process and the ability to help them repattern movement and posture with dozens of clever techniques. I have never believed that movement or practice is one size fits all, and working with her has given me even more confidence to design and implement my teaching in a potent way. It has reinforced my commitment to a safe and comfortable teaching environment. Students – you must take responsibility for your own well-being and honor what you need, allowing me to help and clarify when appropriate. Thank you for this communication and shared responsibility in your learning process.
2) When teaching, I am selective about what I allow, setting boundaries, and reinforcing similar ideas until they are embodied or become habit. I do not claim to be a yoga expert, nor to be able to perform many of the hundreds of Yoga postures seen on television or books or celebrity yogis here in the US. I do understand how the human body works, continue to study, and I am most emphatically able to say “I don’t know” to balance my experience for students. I choose to teach in a way that allows you to learn something deeply and gain rich understanding rather than memorizing vocabulary of asanas. Do what you do well.
I also have been learning how to say ‘no’ in my teachings. When certain injuries or health concerns are present, we must honor those conditions and not knowingly cause harm. There is always a matter of choice, free will for us as students, yet what I allow in my classroom is my responsibility to guarantee your safety. This is a healthy yama, or boundary, for me to learn to reinforce in classes and workshops.
3) In order to live well we must be willing to practice selectivity. To bring it all home, now – to live well and follow through with our goals and restoring health and vitality we must be willing to discern, select, choose. We must be willing to study ourselves and create the lifestyle that will lead naturally to the results we desire. I am honored to be a part of this journey for you all.
This is a meaty article, and I hope you enjoyed it and will chew on it for a while. If you’re a vegetarian, think of it as a big piece of juicy bean curd instead. 
Namaste,
Cheri
A customer of mine recently sent me these words via email. She had weighed in at an all time low during her entire married life and feels better than ever about life, even more importantly than her weight being at a healthy stable level. Read on for details…
“For a little background: Growing up my mom had and continues to be a yo-yo dieter. For the last 5 years or more I have tried several things to loose weight. I have done curves, checked out the Luther shake diet, went to a gym for classes, went to the bean lady and about a year ago started working out with Cheri. I have been up and down in weight pretty much all of my life. But for the last year I have slowly and steadily gone down in weight. I want my kids to see that it is good to move and can be fun, and to make healthy choices when eating. It is alright to have a piece of chocolate or candy but be aware of what you are putting in your body. I used to think that I was being sneaky when I would stop and get a candy bar at the gas station, when in reality the only person who I was hurting was myself. I feel so much better than I did a year ago, mentally and physically.
My goal is to stop the cycle of yo-yo dieting. I am just so much more educated on nutrition and exercise in the last year than pretty much all of my life. I want to go for bike rides and walks and it is fun to be with my kids and husband outside. My attitude is totally different now. I still have bad days but the good days way out number the bad days. Instead of waiting until Monday to start a new diet… I start the same day. No wasting time waiting until Monday to move or make good choices regarding the food we put into our bodies. So I want to challenge all of you, why do you eat what you do? Are you really hungry? Go out and move today — no waiting until monday!! Cheri thanks for all of your patience and wisdom and willing to put your time to make the life of each person that you work with a better one, one day at a time!
I thought I would share how I am feeling! It’s pretty exciting to see what has happened in this last year, I often wonder what this next year will bring?”
Thanks for sharing your victories with us! Who’s story will be told next?
Cheri
