Monday Musings 3-1-21

Today, during my morning yoga practice, the instructor invited us to “move without rushing.” Our practice is a vinyasa power flow, and I love it because its the right balance between stretching, toning, and sweating. Vinyasa indicates that, for part of the class, the poses will be strung together into flowing movements. It tends to kick my heart rate up and get a good sweat going, but it’s also easy for me to check out during this time and rush from one posture to another without fully engaging in any of them. Her words helped keep me present during class, and they also resonated after I left to start my work week.

I often find that I’m either rushing through an ambitious to-do list or trying to drag myself through the day, completely spent before I even start. Although I’ve been working at home for years now, and have a good understanding of my own rhythm and productivity, I still struggle with balance. This idea to “move without rushing” invites full engagement in the moment and balances it with forward progress. It reminds me that I can be present in my task, whatever it is, and then move on gracefully when it’s time. There is no need to hurry, and there is no reason to look to the next moment while engaged in this one. Progress is still being made, and whatever I am working on, or whoever I am with, deserves my full attention.

Sometimes, the simplest of ideas can be transformative. Today, I will move without rushing.

IN OTHER NEWS…

Our newest kitten has adjusted nicely to the family. Along with our other fluff muffins, she provides us with hours of entertainment!

Monday Musings 11-16-20

The dark days of winter are quickly approaching, and this year, with more lockdowns on the horizon, I’m feeling a low grade sense of panic set in. I already struggle to keep from circling the drain mental-health wise in the winter, and with the added stress of the pandemic, I’m going to have to call on all the tricks in my book to get through the season.

So, what are those tricks? Most importantly, I pay attention to self-care. During the winter, my tendency is to let things go that I probably shouldn’t in the self-care department. I don’t feel like working out when it’s still dark in the morning. I want hot chocolate and comfort food pretty much all the time. Sweat pants and a baseball hat seems like a fine wardrobe choice. Instead of fighting these tendencies, I try to incorporate them in a healthy, balanced way. Here are a few specific things I try to do:

• Get more sleep. I need it and the longer nights promote it. I pretend I'm hibernating. 

• Make my work space more pleasant. Candles and twinkle lights. Seriously. They make the darkness, which lasts so much longer now, feel cozy.

• More yoga, less gym. I don't stress myself about getting in a hard core workout a certain number of times per week in the winter. Rather, I commit to more hot yoga. It's great exercise, it’s good for tight winter muscles, and it's hot. Did I mention it's hot? Even if the studio I attend has to close down, I have a place in my house ready to go, complete with space heaters and candles.

• Outdoor time. It takes more effort, layers, and proper footwear, but when I can take a hike in the woods, or even take a walk around the neighborhood, I'm in a better mood afterwards.

Hopefully, there is a light at the end of this pandemic tunnel, with a vaccine on the horizon. But, it is still a long, daunting tunnel to traverse before we get to the other side. Before the season really takes hold, it may be a good time to think ahead about how you’ll manage it. Your self-care methods may not be mine, but you get the idea. Feel free to share what works for you!

In other news…

Save the date! The RI Author Expo is going virtual this year. On December 5 from 10 am - 4 pm, we will have a fantastic line-up of FREE panels, programs, and virtual author meet and greets. We’re using the Grenadine platform and it would be best to register ahead of time so you can plan your day. On the day of the event, live links will be available for every program. Check it out here: RI Virtual Expo. Click the blue button on the top navigation bar to register for the event.

Here’s my schedule for the day:

• Tabitha’s Kaffeeklatsch (meet and greet) 10:00 - 10:45 am

• Not Your Mama’s Romance (panel) - 11:00 - 11:45 am

• Kick Your Scene into Action (presentation) 12:00 - 12:45 pm

• So, You Want to Write a Series? (panel) 2:00 - 2:45 pm

• A Hero, an Anti-hero, and a Villain Walk into a Bar… (panel) 3:00 - 3:45 pm

Hope to see you there!

Monday Musings 4-13-20

During these strange and sometimes scary days, it’s easy to think about all we are missing, all that we’ve lost or stand to lose. For families with sick loved ones, this time is particularly awful. For parents trying to work, homeschool their children, and maintain their own mental health, this is an exhausting, frustrating time. For people worried about jobs or finances, the stress is huge. In no way do I want to belittle that reality.

And yet, I truly believe the only thing I can control is my response to what’s happening. So, today, I’m choosing to respond to this situation with gratitude.

I am grateful to be in a warm home with plenty to eat. I am grateful to be sheltering in place with my husband, who is also my best friend. I am grateful that my family is safe and healthy. I am grateful that this morning I got to practice yoga wearing my Star Wars pajamas. I am grateful to have friends I can stay connected with through the overworked internet. I am grateful to have a neighbor I adore with whom I can swap desserts, cookies, and bottles of wine. I am grateful that I can talk to my mom and dad every day. I am grateful I can see my older kids’ faces and talk to them from across the continent. I am grateful that my younger children are thoughtful, kind human beings who make it easy to be with them all day, every day. I am grateful that I can still do my work. I am grateful for my animals. Really, who is worthy of the unconditional love they offer? I am grateful for the opportunity to recognize what’s truly important in my life.

“Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” – Anonymous

Monday Musings 1-20-20

Winter is in full swing, and if you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know how I feel about winter! I’ve come to the conclusion that it isn’t the cold so much as the darkness that brings me down after a while. But regardless, I live in the northeast, so this is part of life.

If you, like me, have to work hard to keep your energy up and your outlook positive during the winter months, remember to take good care of yourself. When it’s dark and cold, my tendency is to let things go that I probably shouldn’t in the self-care department. I don’t feel like working out when it’s still dark in the morning. I want hot chocolate and comfort food pretty much all the time. Sweat pants and a baseball hat seems like a fine wardrobe choice. Instead of fighting these tendencies, I try to incorporate them in a healthy, balanced way. Here are some other things I do:

Get more sleep. I need it and the longer nights promote it. I pretend I'm hibernating. 

Make my work space more pleasant. Candles and twinkle lights. Seriously. They make the darkness, which lasts so much longer now, feel cozy.

More yoga. It's great exercise, I practice with a group, and it's hot. Did I mention it's hot?

Outdoor time. It takes more effort, layers, and proper footwear, but when I take my dog for a hike, or even a walk around the neighborhood, I'm in a better mood afterwards.

Your methods may not be mine, but you get the idea. How can you take care of yourself during the times you feel like it the least?

“I have come to believe that caring for myself is not self indulgent. Caring for myself is an act of survival.” — Audre Lorde

Monday Musings 1-14-19

I woke up cranky this morning. It was dark, my to-do list was long, and I felt a little under the weather. Part of this was my fault. I had a heck of a good time over the weekend, but, since I am no longer a spring chicken, apparently I don't recover from a 'good time' very quickly. You probably also know from past posts that winter is my least favorite time of year. I whine about everything from my chapped lips to the lack of daylight. So, altogether, I did not feel like leaping out of bed to face this Monday. 

I did, however, make it to a power yoga class. My yoga practice is one of the things that keeps me moderately well balanced throughout the winter. I make myself go even when I wake up feeling like the Grinch. At the end of today's class, while I suffered in frog pose, the instructor asked us this question: "Can you be present in the moment even when things are unpleasant?" I actually worried that my dark energy had contaminated the room and she was speaking directly to me. 

When I'm in a bad mood, or otherwise not feeling my best, I often wish the time away. I want to extract myself from the discomfort, or just get to the other side of a bad experience. But what I started to think about after my yogic kick-in-the-pants today is how quickly time passes. The older I get, the more acutely I feel it. I don't want to spend my energy wishing time away or focusing on my own internal darkness.

Turns out, after the cue this morning, it wasn't hard to make a mental shift. I can be present even when things are unpleasant because I don't want to miss out on this moment. I know I won't get it back.