Tag: writing

fitness and nutrition, health

Year 7

2chicksandapen

Was year 7 a lucky year? No. It was however the 7th consecutive year for me to participate in the CrossFit Open. I’m still fittish. I’m still fabulous. I’m still as competitive as I was when I was just 12 years old.

Year 7 was a defining year. A year I didn’t let fear hold me back. A year to redefine myself within my personal scope of CrossFit today. This year I am visiting the gym 3-4 days a week as compared to a solid 6 days a week a few years ago. I’m a little thicker. I’m a little less flexible. I’m a little more cautious vs. reckless.

I do other things now, whether I’m playing tennis a few days a week or just squeezing in a workout in my shred shed to stay active. With that being said I didn’t miss the chance to compete in the CrossFit Open. Why would I? I have a seven year streak going. I may even have a goal to see how many years I can do it.

I participated scaled which was okay for me as I wasn’t working on the advanced gymnastics movements all year, but I could garner the strength to participate scaled. I scaled like a boss and owned each workout the best I could. I had fun. I did better than expected in most cases. All in all I am happy to be continuing to compete each year.

The workouts are always different. The people around you may change but the competitive edge really lies within you. I’ve been an athlete all my life. I have competed at high levels across many sports over the years. The common denominator is competition for me. I like to compete. I like to compete in many areas of life and sports allows me to hone my skills and discipline myself. 

As you can see below I test my brain each morning with Wordle. I compete with friends near and far. A digital challenge each morning. A competition bright and early in the day to spark the competitive edge we all have. Some days it’s easy. Some days it’s frustrating. Some days I lose. Today I was a little lucky. Some friends start with the same word. I choose a new word daily. I guess I like change and that simple word change is something I control each morning. Instead of being cautious I’m risking change thus competing with myself.

I compete with myself on the daily however having national leaderboards is a great way to see how you stack up to others around the world. I’m not the elite athlete by any means and I don’t care to be. I care to be me, an athlete. A masters athlete. A scaled athlete. A long-term competitor. I’m an endurance athlete. I’m enduring the test of time. How long can I stay fit enough to compete at whatever level my body and mind wants to. I adapt. I adjust. I realign my expectations now and again.

Some days I may be in the masters age class for CrossFit while other days I’m in the muck of it all with an 18 year old. On the tennis courts I may play in the senior league but then the next day play in 18 and older league. Each scenario may be different with players and abilities but it’s still competitive. Your mind still needs to react to the environment. One must persevere against whatever the odds are. Being an athlete also has highs and lows. Winning days and losing days. The point is I still compete and give my all in whatever level competition I am in and whether or not I win a prize. 

I don’t register for the local 5k to be #1 in my age group. I do it to say I competed. I do it to be amongst other like-minded people who chose fitness. Environment matters. Getting out with others can be key for many who many suffer in their own silent ways. Remember that you don’t have to be #1 to be an athlete. You need to train to be an athlete. Training is a repetitive action.

Today at my gym I worked out along side a young guy in a wheelchair. He adapts every movement for him even though we do the same class. Next to me is a teenager. She is getting her conditioning in for her high school off season. Different levels, same focus on fitness. Making time to work at our levels.

My body gets stiffer these days. My body needs extra time stretching. Once I make my adjustments I can still work just as hard as others. I’m just adjusting to the newer version of me which is actually the older version of me. Tweaking what needs adjusting along the way.

When I look back at these seven years in the Open, I can see how far I have come. I can see where I could go. I can see how many people quit while I stayed on the path. I can see how much my fit life has impacted others around me. My mental strength has grown from all the moments I spent on the gym floor in near tears for making another rep. My emotional strength has skyrocketed as it goes hand and hand with my mental prowess. Physically I have hit ups and downs but I am super strong in comparison to many my age and for that I am hopeful for the future. The future of me. How long I endure. How I forge ahead.

If you have never competed on a national level, try it. Maybe your sport is chess. Maybe it’s pickle ball. Whatever the sport see how you fare. Competition is a strength in all parts of life. We all compete for tomorrow when it’s never guaranteed. Staying competitive in life or competing helps one prepare for those days that you need the physical, mental and emotional strength to see tomorrow.

I am an athlete.

An athlete in mind, body and spirit.

I have trained for years.

I did the work.

I continue to work each day. This is what an athlete does. They train continuously. It’s my opinion that athletes make great leaders. They understand sacrifice. They know how to work hard. They appreciate mental toughness. They can balance when needed in life. They are built to endure.

The photo above showing me upside down is fascinating to those who don’t workout. It takes a lot to go upside down. Confidence. Strength. Determination. Power more than finesse. Practice. Failures. Courage. So much behind the scenes of this photo, yet I am proud to say that at 51 years old I can go upside down. Maybe that’s another goal to see how many more years I can go upside down.

What kind of athlete are you?

Teddie Bear Adventures

Puppy Love

2chicksandapen

It’s so close I can smell the puppy breath in the air. A new doodle is getting ready to join my pack. A doodle trio. 2 golden doodles and 1 labradoodle. I couldn’t be more excited.

Three different shades. Three different personalities. Three different sizes. All evenly separated in ages. I call it planned parenthood. Now it’s time to choose a name. This list is tricky and growing.

Honey

Rue

Daisy

Olive

Hope

Dolly

Sassy

Which name will I choose? Which name do you think fits this diva? How excited will the pack be to add another pal? Change is on the horizon. Oh how I’m going to enjoying some puppy snuggles. I have realized that I only have two hands and doodles love attention. How will I snuggle or pet all three at once? Will I ever have any time without a pet bestie by my side?

Pinch me! It’s a few more weeks until this beauty is officially mine to spoil. Blankets are on order. Collar is ready for that tiny stage but then of course I’ll need something more unique to her once she grows some. The anticipation. The smiles. The feels. All of it.

Dogs truly are great companions. Besties. Loyal to the core. Lovable. All of these traits keep me smiling on days that could be overwhelming. What do you think about pets? A fan or not? Do you see the therapeutic value? Do you think one dog is enough?

I actually researched and 1.6 is the average number of dogs per household. However doodles don’t like to be alone thus a pal or pals is a good idea if you can afford the care. The vet bills, grooming and treats can add up but it’s definitely a splurge I don’t mind given the warmth and joy I receive in return. My pups provide unconditional love. I think most do, especially if they sit by your feet when you spend time in the restroom. That might be a little to deep for some but it’s definitely a truth bomb.

Look at these baby blue eyes.

balance

She Said It

2chicksandapen

She typed it first.

Then she said it.

It was a compliment.

It wasn’t forced.

It was genuine.

My cheeks lit up a bit.

I was so happy to hear that I made an impact. I wasn’t trying to. Rather I was just being me. Being me was glorified by public appeal in an unexpected age group. How fabulous. A compliment from a young one. A growing one.

Just when I think there is no hope for the next generation, I get a glimpse of what can be. I then remember it’s the small seeds we plant. It’s the lessons lived. The opportunities given that will shape a person. I’m going to keep doing me. Many may judge but the one that matters most appreciates. I’m going to remain hopeful that one good outweighs the 10 struggles. 

This small footnote in my day will be long remembered. Cherished. How one little thing can mean so much to another. What can you do today to lift up another? Or maybe the question is how easily can you tear down another? What do you choose today?

For me I think I have the power in many instances to tear down another. I don’t do it often or if I do it’s not intentional, but sometimes it is. A form of self-preservation. Keeping with this thought we can all be doormats at some point in time. Sometimes it’s front and center as in your immediate family. They can be the worst. Taking for granted how special you are.

I believe that’s when it hurts the most. I’ve lived both sides of the equation. For me I savor the footnotes at the beginning of the post otherwise my days would be long and grueling if I focused on the latter.

You see people are ugly most days. Not always intentional but it happens. We still choose our reaction to the sourness. Sometimes you bark back. Sometimes you walk away. Sometimes you take it. Ultimately you decide. You live with the level of acceptance you desire for your self and others.

Some times I draw lines firmly. Other times I’m soft given variables in others. Recently I reset 100% because of a person who riled me up. I often think of the values I grew up with and how they have disciplined me for today and beyond. I think I instilled the same in my kids yet environments can skew your teachings. School influences. Internet options. Young teachers vs. tenured providing guidance when you are not near. Do-gooders in the world meddling based on what they see vs whole picture. Jaded views. 

In my early years I played outside more. I learned through self-discovery but in a more closed environment. I was very fortunate in my experiences yet sheltered in comparison to today. Cell phones. Distractions. So many variables. My views were tainted to the time I grew up in. My views were less worldly. Less public. Less stressful.

All in all grace is grace. Sometimes people need more grace than others. Sometimes we have to hold onto the one good to balance the 10 lessons one is learning. Growing up today is so much different than when I growing up.

I must remind myself of this often to savor the joy and focus less on differences.

For this post goes round and round but I hope that some words may have you reflect on your surroundings. What can be different. What can cause chaos. What role you can play to ease the stress of others.

Just a thought post.

adventure, anonymous letters, awareness

Good Medicine

2chicksandapen

Yes, I am a doctor.

As Chick 1 likes to remind me, I am not the kind of doctor that can write you a prescription for a drug. Maybe I’m not that useful.

But on a recent outing to a comedy show, a line stood out to me in the middle of a touching story. The comic was describing a group from a recent show….a grandmother and two teens. He said the grandmother stared at the teens and cried throughout the comedy routines, seemingly no concern for the actual comic….as you can imagine, this was unusual. When he asked the woman why she had been crying, she told the comic a story of how the family had experienced the tragedy of suicide. The comedy act had been the first time the grandmother had seen her grandchildren’s smiles and heard their laughs since the suicide occurred. The grandmother then told the comic to keep doing what he was doing, that the comedy was “good medicine.”

Laughter is the best medicine, they say. But all this made me wonder, what other kinds of non-drug medicine might make you feel a bit lighter?

Here are a few of my favorite prescriptions for happiness.

-Exercise

-Reading an uplifting book

-Time outside in nature

-Spending time with friends (including dogs) and loved ones

-Learning or experiencing something new

-Writing a thank you note

-Singing, dancing, and listening to music

-Lighting a good smelling candle – really, smell is big for me in general so it might be a hand lotion, diffused oil, etc.

-Going to bed early

-Visiting a farmer’s market or Trader Joe’s

-Riding my bike

-Being near water (oceans, lakes, streams, waterfalls)

-Creativity

-Giving gifts and treats to others

-Free time

Everyone’s medicines are different. I’m sure there are more that I can add. What would make your list, to lift your spirits? How often do you prescribe these for yourself? Do you know what’s on the list for people you love, so you can remind them of or give them their medicines in times of need?

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balance

2023’s OLW

2chicksandapen

New year, new word. New focus to carry me forward.

As usual, I played around with all kinds of possibilities before settling on….(drum roll please…)

WELLNESS.

Why wellness? Let’s just say I am turning 50 this year and I am feeling it. My weight, my body, my mindset, my spirit, sometimes each one feels like it is in turmoil. Like I am battling. And sometimes losing.

I know I’ve put in a lot of work over the past 5 or so years. I read, I exercise, I try to keep my focus clear. Over the past 5 years I have learned many things, but one is especially present: my wellness is never going to be more important to anyone other than me. And I shouldn’t expect it to be. I am the only one who truly knows how I am feeling. I am the only one who truly knows what makes me feel happy, fulfilled, at peace. I am the only one who can chart my course and embrace my goals. I am the only one who can say how I am, who I am, and what I want. I am in charge of my wellness.

After I wrote the word on the page, I proceeded to think of many things that contribute to my wellness. I picked words that start with the letters in WELLNESS, like an acrostic poem. It was kind of a fun mental exercise to see how many relevant words I could think of. There are feelings and values, nouns, verbs, and adjectives. There are activities and attitudes.

So, this is the word I am carrying with me this year. When faced with a decision, does this contribute to my wellness? If not, it should be a no. I am charting my path.

More to come as the year unfolds. Be well!