Nordic Walking---For Balance and Mobility

Many of you know that I Nordic walk. Well, Nordic walking poles are not just for sport. There is another very important use for Nordic walking poles, as featured on the web site "Poles for Mobility", a site that promotes the message:

Poles help people of ALL ages & abilities to maintain and even regain mobility. People with Parkinson’s, MS, PN and joint or pain issues have seen how poles can change their lives.

If you or someone you love has balance and/or mobility issues, check out this fantastic video or buy the full DVD, also available on Amazon: If you're not sure if this DVD would be for you, check here and watch the promo video below:




I was thrilled to find a way that I could modify my fitness routine to still walk while I have physical issues. See my review on Amazon for more information about the DVD as well.

Accretion

I've been thinking about Heather's video that I posted yesterday. How could it not haunt you...has it? It has haunted me.

As I've watched it each time, I've thought about fearlessness, fear, bravery, and my JUMP! word for 2009. I've constrasted my JUMP! with Kelly's gentle experimenting and been a little envious, causing me to wonder if I've picked the right word. My JUMP! feels too forced and contrived and driven and pushy to describe the process I've been going through and plan to continue for 2009. I take small steps, but regular steps. Nothing earth-shattering, but when I look back for even a few days I feel as though I've moved forward. It doesn't sound like JUMP!-ing, though, does it?

I've always thought that it's best to JUMP! However, sometimes it's good to...the only word I can think of is "accretion". Yes, accretion. It's not intense or sexy. It's gentle, like Kelly's "experiment". But each day, day by day, I've been learning just a little, and building on the day before. And most importantly, persevering. It's a quiet growing, and a slow sure way of building the kind of life I want.

I want to be a JUMP!-er but I think I'm an accretion-ist.

I went on a walk today with Nordic poles for mobility assistance because of my knees and it was a great thing; for once the sun was shining here and I was healthy enough and had the time to get out of doors and move a bit, so move I did. Just a bit. But it was a challenge because of my knee injury. I used my upper body a lot with the poles for support and to take the pressure off of my knees. I was tempted to feel badly because I used to use the poles for fitness and now I'm lucky to just get down and back once on the driveway. But I am. Lucky. Blessed to be able to move. Even once up and down the driveway.

I'm not sure yet about changing my word. We'll see.

Wellness Wednesday: Nordic Ski Walking at 95

This is a picture of a woman named Agatha Nordic Walking at age 95 originally featured on the Nordic Walking Blog. That inspires me, for sure. I still Nordic Walk, it's just that my distances are limited by my foot problems. However, you'll find me on clear days going up and down, up and back, over and over again on my driveway.

I also wanted to mention (just for the sake of silliness) Japan's Banana Diet Craze. It is Wellness Wednesday. Let's have some fun!

LoveHubbie just got back from an out-of-town trip, so I've been taking care of pre-vacation things here by myself for the last two days. The whole two days of his trip went by, and I'm at a loss for what I did except for errands and things like getting my car fixed, sending off a departing employee, helping with some minor office problems, handling an insurance problem, doing some banking, handling some business on the phone with various doctors, getting my rings cleaned at the jeweler, etc. Stuff that you need to do but that you don't have a lot to show for at the end. Except for that nice feeling that stuff got done and the pile in your head of undone things is a bit smaller.

So this is one of those posts that you post when you really have nothing major to say, but you just want to stay in touch. And I thought Agatha was a great poster woman for wellness, too. Makes me feel like Nordic Walking is a life sport that I'll hopefully be able to continue until I'm 95 as well :) Happy Wellness Wednesday evening!

Magnificent Moody Monday

I missed posting on Sacred Life Sunday. But I had a great time just chatting away in a girlfriend-esque style (which I haven't done in a year, mainly because I haven't had a girlfriend) with Annie in Australia via Skype. It was great and made the day feel special...and sacred, indeed.

On the subject of loneliness: see Thailandchani's response to Annie's post which is drawing quite a bit of commentary. I think it is hard for us loners (and I am one of them) to understand how disconnected our Amercian society has become. We all crave intimacy, yet some of us suffer more than others in isolation. I don't feel like I suffer too much anymore because of the many rich connections I have via the Internet. Still, we are a community here, and as such can reach out of ourselves to be connected. I know that I can reach out more than I do, because I love intimacy...and I know that each person out there is a part of me as well---this is one of my spiritual beliefs.

Well, as for today---Magnificent (because it is another day of being alive) Moody (because that's how I feel) Monday---today I am feeling full-force the effects of SSRI withdrawl. I decided to go bare because of the continual and unrelenting weight gain caused by SSRI's, which is causing me more problems than my so-called depression was. I had thought that this weight gain was caused by emotional eating, but I've been doing this all my life, and the rapid weight gain has occurred only since October of last year (about 2-3 pounds per week)...coincidently when I started taking an SSRI. So I've been reading about this---who knew? I'm titrating down, but am exhausted all...the...time... and so tired and unmotivated. I do think that this will pass. My SSRI helped me tremendously but has come back to bite me, and I feel like I'll do better in the long run by doing things in a more natural way. I am thinking I can tolerate depression more than massive uncontrollable weight gain. I mean, where does it stop? Years ago I weighed 250 pounds and was in a wheelchair---I've been there, done that.

Here are some old pictures of me on my honeymoon in 2000:




Then, three years later after a 90 pound weight loss:


I'm right smack-dab in between the two sizes now.

It's sort of a no-brainer. But it's not how I look as much as how I FEEL. We all want to feel good, feel healthy. That's what I want too.

One of the problems with carrying so much weight is foot pain, so that I can't walk easily for exercise. Despite the pain, I resumed Nordic Ski Walking (which minimizes stress on my legs, knees, and feet) last week because I benefit so much from the fresh air, time to think, and sheer physical movement. Plus for once it wasn't raining here (I live near Seattle). It was magnificent!! Thus I am in pain all the time. But I still feel like I'm better off this way than idle and sedentary. I feel better overall. I just feel the pain and breathe and know that this too will pass.

We all have our pain and our challenges. We're here to encourage each other. To be there for each other. Thank you to all of you who are there for me.

Sacred Sunday on Monday

I missed Sacred Sunday yesterday, so I decided to have it today. I desperately needed a sacred sabbath, a time of reflection, a time to slow the pace and just be.

I have been participating in NaNoWriMo, the writing project in which participants create a first draft of a novel in 30 days. We are currently on Day 12. To write 1,667 words in a day that fits into the structure of a novel is a challenge. To do it day after day after day after day is a phenomenal challenge. I have been keeping up, but after this weekend, the strain of keeping up each day became overwhelming and I finally gave myself permission today to take a day off. Sacred Sunday came and Sacred Sunday went, and I did what I do every day---write, write, write, write, write. I truly enjoy it, but I'm realizing that as part of my process I must build in breaks, time off, stress relief.



In addition, LoveHubbie was home all weekend. He normally works seven days a week, so it was a pattern break for both of us to have him home. And a monster challenge to keep up with my words each day. I felt like all weekend long I fought for writing time, fought to stay with my novel, while at the same time bearing with interruptions and still taking care of LoveHubbie, as well as planning in some LoveHubbie types of fun since things so seldom work out that he has time off. I woke up this morning tired and barren, my creative well bone dry. I knew that I had nothing to write from today and needed to feed my soul.

Thus today so far has involved doing some collage, getting caught up on the computer with you all--my supportive community, and eating a meal slowly. It will soon involve reading spiritual books and a quiet time and some exercise. All of these activities done slowly and without time pressure help me to pull myself together, and to feel like I have something in place to write from.



I clearly would be better off building this into my writing process. I will be exploring ways of doing this. I don't have any clear ideas. I can't imagine how people with children and full time jobs manage NaNoWriMo, and admire them for even attempting it!

In my writing process, I wake up each day (seven days a week) and begin writing right away. I enter at least 1667 words into my AlphaSmart Neo (named Kaiolohia), usually more, so that I can get to a good stopping place. Then I upload the words from Kaiolohia to a Word file and print it out. I edit it, and expand upon sections where I can. Then I print out a final copy and fit it into my existing manuscript. I have just over 30,000 words, which is something like 90 pages or so. I totally love doing this.

I know now that I'll continue doing this after NaNoWriMo, just not so intensely. Maybe I'll limit myself to two hours a day. Or just mornings M-F. But right now is the learning time, when I'm figuring out how I work and what I need in all of this. NaNoWriMo's founder, Chris Baty, has said to never take off more than one day in a row. I'm finding that I need to listen to my body and my creative spirit, since I tend to lean the other way, towards overdoing.



I've been thinking about perfectionism, too. I've been delaying perfectionism with this book, knowing that I'll have a chance to work towards a better draft later. It makes for a much more productive day. I love working with the AlphaSmart Neo, and want to keep this up. It is too hard to go back and make everything "just so" when you have a screen size a little larger than a calculator. I hope to always use it for writing.

I read at some point over the last week about "positive perfectionism" and "negative perfectionism". Negative perfectionism is trying to be perfect because we need approval, especially our own approval, and can't be without it. It feels like a burden. Positive perfectionism is continually improving and learning in the interests of mastery, and is joy-filled. I like this distinction. I am learning how to discriminate between the two.

The best thing about NaNoWriMo so far is that it has taught me that I love to write. This has been the greatest NaNoWriMo gift, although there are many after just 12 days!

I want to finish my first draft this month. The draft has to have the plot structure included--the beginning, middle and end. I plan to expand on it for three more months; it should double in length. And then take it to Hawaii in March and add special details to it while I'm there (my novel takes place in part in Hawaii). I think I can finish up in the spring. This is my work, and my joy!



To fully enjoy my work, I have to take at least a weekly sabbath, and I have to do more with my life than just write. I need time to renew and time to exercise, time to think and create. I don't mind at all just doing that and limiting my social activities, because secretly, just between you and me, doing so is a real treat for me, and a productivity booster for my writing.

I also want to get more serious about creating a Complaint-Free world. I've been just diddling with it, and it shows. I'm slowly becoming more aware, but not getting results anything like the people who are committed. I find that I need to be centered and grounded and live at a slower pace to do a good job with this.

Well, I'm off to continue my Monday sabbath. We're having a big storm here and it looks like there's a break in the action so that I can Nordic Walk. I enjoy being available for those weather breaks and darting out between the downpours to breath in the fresh northwest air, and the moist smells of the forest.

~Pictures by LoveHubbie, alteration by Me

Wellness Wednesday: Nordic Ski Walking

Last month I took up Nordic Ski Walking, also called Nordic Walking, and Ski Walking, which is basically walking with poles. It has been great for me, because I was looking for something doable for me at an introductory fitness level, something I could do at varying fitness levels, and something aerobic and anaerobic (so that I wouldn't need to lift weights).

Here are some facts about Nordic Ski Walking (NSW):
1. It burns up to 40% more calories than just plain walking.
2. It is easy and doesn't require skis or snow.
3. It is the fastest growing fitness activity in Europe.
4. It is inexpensive. It costs just the money for your poles, and you're on your way. Mine were $69.95 and involved no gym membership.

I really love NSW, as it involves no gym membership, and allows me to be outdoors. Also, if I feel like an intense workout, I can adjust for it. If I'm exhausted, I can still do it, just slower, and less intensely.

Here is a video of me doing NSW:

BE BRAVE: Day 23: Forward Ho!!

BE BRAVE, otherwise known as "Do One Thing Every Day That Scares You", is the title of the month-long project inspired by Jessie. I am participating daily for a month. Today is Day 23.

For BE BRAVE today, I tried out a new physical exercise and accomplished an onerous household task that was hanging over my head.

The first video is 36 seconds long. It is of me Nordic Ski Walking for the first time. It doesn't look too strenuous, but that's because I'm just starting and because...well...it's me doing it, and I don't move too quickly. I got some poles so that I could lessen the strain on my legs and feet as I walk. Nordic Ski Walking is one of the fastest growing sports in Europe. You use a biomechanically correct posture and then walk correctly with the poles. It looks a little funny because there is no snow, but these poles are meant to be used on the ground, on the pavement, on the beach, in a city, when hiking, etc. They are not ski poles, but Nordic ski poles---a completely new and exciting sport! Here it is:



The second video is 54 seconds long. It is of my pantry before I cleaned it out. It may not look a total wreck in the video, but it is full of old and expired food like rancid rice and nuts, mouse droppings, dust, soot stains from the fireplace, food with sugar in it, refined carbohydrates, and other things that I just don't want around anymore. It takes up a whole small room, and it's almost impossible to find things in there unless you know right where they are. Here is the Before Video:



The last video is 1:10 long. It took me the whole day to complete this pantry project because I scrubbed everything, reorganized everything, packed up things that needed to be donated, and put misplaced items in the rooms where they really belong. I was thrilled to be done. Here is the After Video: