Confidence & Strength Training with Coach G for Athletes of All Levels
In all honesty, I had to be dragged ‘kicking and screaming’ to Giulia. In the first 71 years of my life, I have managed to avoid a personal trainer. My wife talked me into it. I went to Giulia to prepare for my first-century bike ride (one of those bucket list things) and got so…
Currently, I am engaged in a transformational journey through cleansing. This is a cleanse led by Debby Andersen.
These are her words regarding the cleanse: “In Ayurveda, a daily routine is emphasized as a vehicle for optimal health. This is because a consistent routine supports the nervous system to relax. When the nervous system is relaxed, our digestion improves, our mind is clear, and we feel calm and peaceful. On the other hand, when our nervous system is not relaxed, our digestion is inhibited and our body and mind become anxious and unclear.
If this seems far-fetched to you, think about how young children react when their eating or sleeping schedule is thrown off: temper tantrums and crying fits. This is what your nervous system does as well—even though as adults we are much better at suppressing these reactions.”
What I love about doing the cleanse for the third time is that I get reconnected with myself. The cleanse eliminates choices and allows simplicity to create room for deeper self-care. Through the cleanse we have eliminated our habitual creature comforts of caffeine, sugar, and for those who imbibe alcohol. But don't get me wrong—anyone can eliminate all sorts of things and still not cleanse. There is a whole process to the cleanse that involves eating and drinking certain foods in particular ways and there are also many self-care practices that allow a person a deeper connection to self. This cleanse is not harsh. It does not involve fasting or restricting food. This cleanse is about nurturing and supporting the body to heal itself. This is a self-awareness practice that, especially when practiced annually or biannually, can lead a person to a new level of awareness and health. For me, the cleanse is about peeling away layers to reveal more of my own essence.
It’s Super Bowl Sunday. I remember when the Super Bowl was in January. It seems every season is prolonged. I feel as though spring used to come earlier, too, but perhaps it is because I lived in Louisville, KY (which sits squarely on the Mason-Dixon line), making it neither north nor south, but certainly south of Chicago. I have been sitting squarely in this winter, waiting for it to pass. I have awaited the passing of many things the last few years and I refuse to mention any more of them. You know exactly what I mean. Now I am just waiting on a miracle.
As the end of another year is upon us, I am considering as I do often, how my life is changing and what I would really like my life to look like. I encourage everyone to take a personal inventory—not only at year's end, but at least quarterly. What we really want can change considerably in the course of three months. All goals change; they can become more nuanced, they can gather speed, or they can fizzle out.