The alarm went off at four o’clock this morning, just like it does everyday, but this morning I was bound and determined to actually GET OUT of bed at 4, instead of waiting another hour while my husband cheerfully got ready for the day. There are few things I love more than a long, slow morning as I relax and prepare myself for work. My job requires a lot of patience and emotional control, so it is best that I don’t arrive harried and grumpy. Since January I’ve been trying to get into a routine in the morning, but because I never really outlined this routine, I have yet to accomplish that goal.
Another goal of mine has been to get stronger. I took a couple months off from any kind of lifting or shoulder movement last year in an effort to give my back and shoulders some rest. I was born with scoliosis, so at the age of 24, pretty much every bone on the right side of my body is out of alignment, permanently. I try not to let that slow me down much, but at times it works against me and I have to take a break. During those two breaks last year, I lost a lot of the strength I’d been building, not she-man body builder strength, just overall strength. Re-building this strength was to be a part of my 4 a.m. routine.
Last week at my bi-weekly chiropractor appointment, my favorite doctor in the world, Dr. Shelley Kovach, gave me a 20 minute-a-day a.m. yoga video. Just 20 minutes each morning of slow, easy yoga would do a lot to help me stay aligned as I work toward building my strength back. The idea is, if I am actively working toward keeping my body in alignment, while re-building this strength, I will stay nice and balanced. So, this week, my morning routine plan/goal is to wake up each morning, do 20 minutes of yoga and 20 minutes of weightlifting.
Day 1 was successful, here I am 30 minutes before I need to leave for work, relaxed and prepared for a day of whatever-the-kids-got. The best part is, I feel good about keeping my commitment to myself, not to anyone else, but myself. In yoga, my teacher talks a lot about practicing non-judgment, and every week, when I start judging myself for being tight or unaligned, I bring myself back to that thought of non-judgment. I congratulate myself for taking the time out of my schedule to devote to my health and meditation and I move on. I know that in a world full of judgment and the need for accomplishment, it is easy to get down on ourselves in our efforts to try something new, but in all reality we should really just be satisfied with our effort to step outside of our comfort zone. Forward progress will come, the first step is trying.
Today, try something new. Stand on your head, do a push up, eat spaghetti squash, I don’t care, just try something NEW! And after you have, congratulate yourself for stepping outside of your comfort zone, for it is only then that we may grow as human beings.
If you’re interested in the Yoga video I am talking about; A.M. Yoga for Your Week it is available at Wal-Mart and Target, or there are numerous yoga workouts online, OR, find a yoga class in your area and give it a try! Whatever you do, enjoy it!
Change begins where excuses end. 
Keep up all the great encouraging material! You are doing a great job! I may even have to start the AM Yoga. At 53 you have kept me doing push ups, sit ups, squats, kettle balls,and much more! I dug the Paleo book out of the closet and am reading through it. The dairy part is tough for me! I take that back…the Greek Yogurt I can do without! Katie says I need to add a tsp. of jelly!
For those at school that think I am disciplined with my diet and exercise….I assure them I do not hold a candle to you and Evan! Keep it up. When you are 53, no one will believe it because of the healthy choices you are committed to!
Mom, you rock. I often tell people about how you exercise in the living room in the evening. You’ve been HUGE motivation to me throughout all of this and I am SO grateful. Because I do not have any of my own yet, I use your parenting techniques as advice for others! As for the paleo, I am a lot more flexible on the dairy part, I like yogurt and cottage cheese. I figure if it’s fermented it’s got a few more benefits than plain old milk, which I don’t really drink too much of anymore. Mostly because the store-bought stuff is so bland.
Keep up the good work, remember, you have to live until you’re 103.