To say last week was a monsoon shitstorm is putting it lightly. I have this brilliant ability to power through a week, keep focused, and stick to a routine until the collapse inevitably happens on Friday evening.
I spent most of the weekend in what can only be described as a lot of physical and mental distress. It took most of the weekend to recover and try and re-center. “Re-center.” It’s a word I try and avoid using because it feels very…abstract. It’s also what I imagine all of the super zen-like yoga teachers chanting while simultaneously asking you to twist your body into a pretzel. Anyway, re-centering, in my lexicon, simply means…stop going down the death spiral of anxiety and distress. Pull yourself out.
The most effective way for me to re-center is to practice self-care in as many forms as I can. Eating well, retail therapy, sleeping deeply, working out, restorative yoga, etc.–you name it, I’m trying it, on repeat.
While working out tonight, a song came on my pre-determined workout playlist that’s supposed to make me forget that I’m sweating buckets and dying a slow death.
A catchy, fun, upbeat tune it certainly pulled me through the next 3:28 of my cardio. But, then I replayed it and these lyrics caught my attention:
I’ve been beaten and broken but I healed though
So many ups and downs, roughed up and clowned
We all got problems, but we deal though
I’m tryin’ to do better now, find my inner peace
Learn my art form, and find my inner Chi
When my backs on the wall, I don’t freeze up
Nah, I find my inner strength and I re-up
Nobody’s gonna see me comin’
Nobody’s gonna hear a sound
No matter how hard they’re tryin’
No stoppin’ me since I’ve found
My inner ninja
A silly song really, but I LOVE the idea that we all are working out an inner ninja that’s making us stronger and more agile to judo chop life in the throat when we need to.
So, #$@&%*! last week. I’m going to ninja my way through this next one. Because being mindful also means being strong.
Also, stay tuned for a later post on my deep breaths, sun salutations, and smiling challenge. Sneak peek: It’s a challenge.
Climbing The Mountain of Mindfulness 