Don't Be Afraid of Resolutions!

 

 January 1, 2012 is the RESET BUTTON... you can reflect on what worked , what didn't, what you want more of and what you want less off..  As I spend more and more time reflecting on my personal and professional observations of Motherhood in North America I just want to see my self and other moms have more peace, more equality more room to honor our humanity . I want to see the expectations of mothers be honored and ultimately see some stuff shift .

TOP 12 things every mom should do to have more peace in her life for 2012

1. Say No -  At the very least don't say yes right away. Think about what you can really commit too without compromising your emotional ,physical health.
   
   
2. Practice Meditation- The most successful people with crazy lives do this to get engaged with themselves at the deepest level and manage stress.
   
   
3. Workout everyday...even 20 minutes
   
   
4. Set Goals for a more peaceful existence  Eg. have a calm media free room in a house, walk with nature weekly, nurture a hobby that is not about the pursuit of anything but inner peace.
   
   
5. Do at least one thing every day that gives you joy. (My favorite is dancing with my kids in the living room. I need to do it more! )
   
   
6. Listen to peaceful music with your children daily.  Our night time routine now includes serenity music, warms baths and candles. I can absolutely tell you it make a HUGE difference in a peaceful bedtime.
   
   
7. Be honest with your children about your humanity.  As my boys grow older I love to share with them who I am, and why I am. I am not interested in them seeing me as a superhero who falls on my face every now and again. Rather I want them to see my commitment to growing and changing and doing better with each life lesson.
8. Embrace people who truly support you and set clear boundaries with those who don't.   This is a tough one. It is not about them bad...you good. Different types of flowers survive in different climates. For you to grow and be your best you need to create the climate that promotes this.  You cannot please everyone and even trying too is silly.
   
   
9. Listen to yourself. I mean really listen. Does what your doing ,saying , experiencing uplift you?
   
   
10. Tackle something in your life that eats away at you causeing you silent stress.  What are you avoiding? Try hard to give yourself the freedom that comes with facing your fears.
    
    
11. Create and honor community as a more peaceful way of living. Help and be helpful and create and nurture relationships with people who are on this journey. It will create ease in your life. Support is magical.
    
    
    
    
12. Incorperate early to bed , early to rise for you and your children.  It shifts your whole family focus to health and balance. 
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

    

    December 2005

    Xo Andrea and three bears.
    
    

    

    November 2011

    
    
    
    
    
    

The Path Less Chosen- Listen to yourself and embrace change

I really understand why people do whats expected of them rather than what is needed for them to grow and change.   Change is in fact one of the things we resist the most. Attempting massive change is like plunging into a sea of complete unknown, mixed with a lot of darkness and personal demons that may shock even you.    Great change often takes rattling everything you know about your safe and secure existence of " things the same".  Not only will it make you feel extremely uncomfortable at times, it will also make many people around you uncomfortable. Your vulnerability and raw exposure may send them running.  Let them go. This is all a part of change.  The saying you can only change yourself is two fold. True that you cannot change others and also true that when you change many people will not endure the change or the transition with you. This could be for various reasons.   Could be their own resistance to change or just an discomfort with your state in transition.  Transition and change can be less than pretty- again hardly a wonder  why people avoid it like a plague.  It is also not a switch.  You don't wake up one day and say today I am going to change things and poof your changed for the better.  You plant the seed of intention and than you nurture the change through risks and self reflection. Its a process in which most people go back and forth repeatedly from the comfort zone to the boundaries of change.   There is great freedom that comes along with listening to the voice inside your head that we often want to silence because of our fear of change. The voice that encourages us to avoid complacency, live life with courage, face the things we are afraid to face and spread our wings is there for a reason. Its there to free your spirit from self imposed limitations and inspire you to learn, love ,grow and live life to the fullest . When you deny that voice you deny who you truly are. My close friend recently asked me to remind her by asking her when I remember " have you been true to yourself today? "  We would all be served to ask that question daily. Think I might just write it on the bathroom mirror..

"Fixing Fitmom"

Its a well known fact that women especially moms have a hard time taking care of themselves.  Its also quite well known that health care professionals often get into a cycle of giving and neglecting the self.  In my case it has been a snowball effect of working through two pregnancy's with no maternity leave, running a demanding business and hanging on to a failing relationship for way too long.  You wake up one day and realize you have been juggling so many balls and working too hard to please everyone but yourself. So in an effort to practice what I preach I have committed the next year of life to putting my own health front and center.
I have come to terms with the fact trying to squeeze more in my already busting at the seams busy life will leave some people unhappy with me. Ce la vie!

Fixing Fitmom does not imply that I am broken but will get to the heart of taking my own health seriously and speak to the imbalance of lifestyle mothers face and hopefully provide solutions.

First stop " Thrive Family Wellness" with Dr. Jennifer Wise. While I did not choose her because of her last name she certainly fits the bill. Wisdom comes in many forms and compassion and kindness right up there.  Dr.Jennifer Wise is a doctor of chiropractic care and I have gone to her after hearing many great reviews from clients and people in the community. As well there is other practitioners in her office that may need to jump on project me.

It appears my stress level over the last years has taken its toll and the continuous training and one posterior delivery have caused some issues.  With a high pain tolerance post competitive training I realize I have picked up that bad habit of ignoring pain in my body.  Red light! 

My first appointment for which I was late (because of course I forgot I had the boys home that day for a P.D. day) was awesome and humbling. I was exhausted and not myself.  The health screen was an eye opener. 

Do you have any of the following? it states...
Tick, tick ,tick go the little square boxes. :( How sad that life gets so crazy that women especially mothers get neglected even when they know better.  I started to think crawling under the chair and ignoring the pain might be better but on I went.    Dr. Wise is this sweet kind woman whom although has no children herself seems to really get it.  Her presence has this beautiful touch that makes self care seem just that much more appealing.  I have to admit there was a moment where the vulnerable me wanted to fall in ball and just listen to her talk about how important my health is.

On the table she got to see how "twisted" I am literally.  A laundry list of serious injuries ,accidents and again the posterior birth half me a little off center. Poetic I say. Stay tuned for the next fixing FITMOM....

In health...(yours and mine )

Andrea