I’m pausing on secret weapons to share one of the many gifts of my family. As I wrote about in Trust Your Gut, Choice vs Effort, Choice, Be Here Now, Framework, Experience Experiment – (ok, in collecting these links I’ve just now realized how much time and thought I’ve been putting into this. Bravo to me because that was the point!) we have been working through some changes. As an experienced mom, I’ve learned over the years to listen more closely to my children’s behavior. It is their way of expressing their feelings when they are not yet able to articulate with words. And, so, this past month plus has been a time for careful listening and observing, free from judgment, open minded, unhurried. The result is a change that feels great and is coming together beautifully. The “coming together beautifully” part is where the gorgeous gift of my family as a unit comes into play, the art of acquiescence, aiming for infinity and beyond.
Are you ready for another new secret weapon of mine? This product is far from new and it is something I’ve been using my whole life, but this past week I’ve completely upped my game and found a whole new world of benefits and deliciousness, too much to keep to myself! Dig into level-upped EVOOs with me…
Today I’m sharing another one of my new secret weapons. This one is part of my mornings, my new pre-workout rocket fuel. I wake up grounded every morning and then move on to bathing my cells in the best nutrients possible. A lot of people like to get jacked up on stimulant-laden pre-workout drinks but those leave me feeling jittery, itchy, and generally weird. Yuck! Until now! I’ve landed on something AWESOME that I have to share, and again it is something simple – EAAs, aka essential amino acids.
After landing on show dates a couple of weeks ago (we’ve added a warm-up show!), my target immediately became “how to make the most of every day between now and then.” I want every day of my workouts, nutrition, recovery, posing practice, all of it to be maximized, fully encompassing the one percent rule. This has meant digging deeper with my research on products, science, sleep, everything I can get my hands on – can you imagine my nerded out bliss? I love this stuff! And now I’m going to begin to share my findings so you can benefit like I am. Starting from the ground up, just as every good foundation should, let’s get grounded!
This past week I’ve been watching the miracle of my 14-year-old transforming from a don’t-want-to-get-up, lazy bones, do-things-only-when-asked, moody teenager into an almost always up with his alarm, productive, initiative taking, generous human. WOW! This is amazing! I don’t want to interrupt whatever is happening, but I can’t help but be curious as to what caused the sudden switch. What’s the motivator? It can’t be the constant nagging from us parents, the daily pushes to put forth more effort. It is something inside him, something he alone owns – choice versus effort.
Yesterday I mentioned that recovery days keep the hunger alive and that hunger is hustle. What did I mean by that? What exactly is my definition of hustle and how is that different than hurry? Hustle vs hurry, they are wildly different.
Referencing yesterday’s post on Harmony – “But Carey, weren’t those three days recovery days?” This is a question that came in regarding the three days I took a few weeks ago for a trip – two full days of driving, ~9 hours each day, and a full day of activities at the event. The answer is NO, absolutely not, not in any way, shape, or form. Here’s why…
I’m waking up after an impeccably executed recovery day, my first in three weeks, savoring the effects and ready to launch wholly back into work mode. Why three weeks? Where’s the good in that? How is this healthy? This is about creating harmony instead of seeking balance. There’s a huge difference.
The topic of choice in its many forms has been coming up a lot lately, a particularly this week. Politics in health, business, and personally at home as a parent – the whole gamut. Of course, I have thoughts on all fronts, but I’ve focused my energy on the family/parenting choices. On top of working through things logically and also trusting my gut, another tool includes me finding words of wisdom to help provoke deeper, different thought. Today I’m sharing some that I’ve collected over the last week or so.
Enjoy!
Over the past few weeks we have been trying some new activities and experiences with Willa. A few weeks away from turning 6, it is time to expand her options, possibilities, and grow into more Willa-appropriate challenges. Ever a feisty and sassy one, with self-confidence that reaches past the stars, she is also growing into a different sort of self-awareness and thinking patterns that include thinking ahead – normal patterns that emerge at this age. I’m fielding many questions of “what if” that lead us into reminders to be here now.