Balance

One of the first things I wanted to do, after getting settled in was to sign up at a gym. I have been wanting to get back into shape and regain some (OK, all) of the muscle tone that I feel I have lost since having BB2. Plus, going to the gym is one of the things that I do solely for me. It's my time. Time for me to focus on my body and in doing that it helps to calm my mind and helps me to deal with the stresses in life that inevitably come my way. It's helps too having a day care in the gym that my kids love going to and that I know they are happy playing in while I focus on me.

So, after pretty intense workouts Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (and yes, I was really sore), I decided I needed a really good stretch so on Thursday I went to the Power Yoga class. Now, anyone who knows me knows that I love yoga. I did it prior to and during my 2nd pregnancy and have been hooked ever since. Each class is different and brings different things to your body and mind. As I stretch and go through the poses I find myself opening up and just letting go. They say it has to do with releasing tension and stress that builds up in your joints throughout the day, but I also thinks it's the mental focus on just breathing that really opens you up. Someone wise once said that when you breath you have everything that you really need. So simple and yet so true.

So at the beginning of class, the teacher said to pick one word or one thing that we wanted to work on during our time together. I choose balance. This one word became my focus during my practice, and even though my original intent was to try and stay in balance in the poses and not fall over, as I continued through my practice I realized that there were a few other areas that the concept of balance could and should be applied to as well. Balance in my mind, Balance in my emotions, Balance in my speech and tone (I think I have been yelling a little more than I want to with my kids), Balance in my behavior, Balance in my anger (lately, I have a very short fuse), Balance in my spirituality, Balance in my appetite, Balance in my passions.

All of these areas need attention and focus. When one thing is getting more attention or even going to the extreme limits, it throws off everything else in my life. There are times where I feel like I am supposed to be wonder woman and take care of and fix everything and anything that comes along. Granted most of the pressure I put upon myself and it contributes to a lot of the imbalances and stress in my life. It comes from being a perfectionist and wanting things done a certain way. But I have also learned to let go and relax and try and let others do things the way they want them done and not worry about everything, especially the things I can't change.

I LOVE the calmness and peace that come at the end of class when we enter deep relaxation. My mind feels like it is melting into itself and I really feel a connection with my heartbeat and my breath. Needless to say I am renewed, reinvigorated and ready to face what is ahead of me each day when I take the time to just breathe.