Small Celebrations and IT Band Video Take Two

Hey Blog Peeps.  Thank you so much for your IT Band Wisdom.  I'm hoping it isn't an IT Band Issue.  I will be listening to my body, being smart, icing, stretching, rolling (with the painful one Chris), using my rolling pin more often in creative ways, and hoping it all goes away.  


Small Celebrations today:


*  My husband is home after being in Toronto for a work presentation/conference.  Yay for my best friend and love being home.  


*  I was able to have my babysitter watch my kids so that I could fit in my run AND volunteer in my daughters Kinder class.  


*  I got to help in the Writer's Workshop in Kindergarten...What a JOY!  I'm convinced that being a kinder teacher is quite possibly the most rewarding and important jobs there is.  I think it keeps you young being surrounded by such raw joy and unguarded life every day.  It was such a treat for me to be doing something I love so very very VERY much...teaching kids to read and write.  


*  My daughter was so joyful that I was in her classroom.  Proud too.  This made me feel like a million bucks!  I also made it in time to see her master the monkey bars at recess.  Priceless and irreplaceable moment.  


*  I decided to present at the Oregon Writing Festival again this year.  


*  My son had his shots today and barely cried.  We had donuts afterwards as a treat!


*  Despite the pain in the side of my leg, I felt awesome on my run today.  6 miles @ base pace.  MIle 3 was 7:45 and Mile 4 was 7:37.  Often I would look down and realize that I was at low 7's and felt strong.  I slowed down a bit to keep my pace at a higher 7 or low 8 pace  since this wasn't a race.  ;)  I had a big smile on my face.  I can see the pieces coming together and my work paying off.  I have a long way to go though.  


My husband watched my earlier video and then the one I did an hour or so before and he thought it was much more authentic with my son at my feet.  I thought I'd give you more of the HOOD to Runninghood in this second video.  I guess after watching it, it kind of makes me laugh seeing how much my little guy is moving around and I'm just ignoring him.   So here is more of the REAL DEAL.  The one you saw in my last post was when he was napping.  





Thanks again for your advice and support!  


What is a small celebration (or BIG) in your life today?  

Amanda

It's The Little Things That Add Up

Woke up this morning feeling fresh and thankful for a new week to be back to routine after the holiday break.  I also woke up feeling excited for a new plan in my life.  Jess from Blond Ponytail posted recently about the emotions game where you take a picture of people showing an emotion.  The way I play is that you call out an emotion as you are clicking the camera and then you get the person to show that emotion on their face.  This game can be quite fun, especially if played with the right people.  My favorite emotions or feelings to call out are:  constipated, angry, shocked, irritated, need to sneeze, horny, just let one rip....oh so many fun ones.  Jess suggested I do a "I registered for Newport Marathon" emotion.  I thought about this and came up with several faces but overall I think I just feel strong, confident, happy and excited!  So here is my picture Jess.  Nothing exciting.  But I'll post some good emotion pictures soon and then I'll tag a bunch of you to do the same...it will be a photo tag so you won't have to do any big writing...just take pictures of yourself.

Spent some time in my journal this morning as I had my coffee. I took some time to list the things I'm thankful for as well as spend some time in prayer. The things I was most thankful for this morning were:


*  A reminder from one of my blog readers (from the question they asked me) that I am not doing enough for my spiritual growth.  
*  A day off from Running.  This has also meant a day off from reading about running (mostly) and thinking about running.  It has been nice.  The only big reminder has been my sore body from all the running lately.  
*  3 beautiful, happy, healthy children and a husband that I absolutely adore! 


The sun was pouring in the windows as I wrote and my kids quietly played together in the back room (not NORMAL).  It really was a perfect start to a day.  

I also had some time today to start reworking the first thoughts of the children's book my mom and I are doing together.  Writing a children's book is harder than it looks!  

Read a very sincere and raw post from Hungry Runner Girl that made me even more inspired by her and glad to know her through blog land.   


Was able to embrace my mess of a house instead of let it stress me out. This mess means that I have life around me.  It is MY mess and I'm thankful that I have precious little feet and hands around me to make that mess.  I think the SUN had a lot to do with this Peace and Zen-like mood that I was feeling.  We don't see the sun much around here during winter.  Here is what my house looks like OFTEN (without the sun):

Oh, and my husband asked me to return some items to the Columbia Store here in Portland.  It was the employee store so everything was so cheap!  I can't believe he sent me in there and expected me to get out with just a return.  It was like an Amanda Store...everything in there was made just for me!!  At least that is how it felt.  Active Wear Mecca!  Needless to say, I spent way more than I had intended.  And my 3 year old and 18 month old were awesome the entire hour.  They just ran around, hid under the clothes racks, screamed, and my 18 month old thought the clothes were meant to be a Tarzan rope.  Oh, and he shat ( I love the word shat.  Otherwise I would have said pooped) in his diaper and I didn't have wipes so I had to use paper towel.  But really they were awesome.  Here is a picture of me trying to show you my new top, fleece pants, and comfy slippers!  The shirt even has those great holes for your thumbs.  

Thanks again for all your support and encouragement about the Newport Marathon!  Your words are so motivating!  


1.  Is your house often messy or are you a clean freak that has to have everything in order at all times?  um, I have three kids ages 5 and under.  enough said?  Well, seriously, I think I would have a relatively clean and tidy house (within reason) if it were not for kids.  It is clean and tidy at least once a day but never longer than a few hours at a time.


2.  What do your closet and clothes drawers look like?  Are they all neat and tidy or would you be embarrassed if your company saw them?  I have NEVER had neat drawers or closet.  I always try but within a few weeks my closet and drawers are awful.  My drawers are mostly used for my pajamas and workout clothes and most of the time I just stuff them in there...or kind of fold and stuff.  I am always getting on my daughters for the same thing (I'm such a clothes organizer HYPOCRITE). My room is off limits to company.  Period.  


3.  Do you write in a journal?  







Amanda

Clearing Energy Blockages

The past few days have been one huge energy block for me.  I've felt unmotivated, emotional, uninspired, tired, irritable and my mind has been a mess of thoughts that I can't sort out.  Every time I've sat down to write and express my feelings, the words just get stuck or come out jumbled and lacking cohesiveness.  It isn't that I have not wanted to write or express myself creatively.  I have been desperate for a  creative release and energy boost but I've felt blocked in every way. A creative constipation, writer's block, hitting a wall...whatever you want to call it.  The energy has just not been flowing.  Instead it has been all tangled up in a massive energy knot. When we experience energy blocks like this in our life, it affects everything around and within us and it is important to find ways to get the energy flowing again so we can be our best selves, experience joyful living, and radiate positive energy to others.

Last night I sat down to write.  I wrote and wrote for hours but nothing was flowing.  I labored over every sentence and every thought was jumping off into a new direction.  I had too many thoughts but no direction or inspiration. I finally went to bed and woke up this morning determined to release some creative energy and get myself unblocked!  I was determined to recapture my creative mojo, my words for expressing my thinking, and my physical energy for running.  I tried many things and I'm starting to feel like my passionate self again! Here are just some of the things I do to clear my energy blockages:

Running/Exercise 

Running of course!  There isn't a better way I know to get my energy flowing.  Running is usually the answer to renewing my energy and breaking through emotional and creative blocks.  Last week was an awesome week for running considering that I'm coming back from an injury.  I logged about 20 miles and even got some strength training fit in the mix.  Unfortunately, this energy tangle that I've been stuck in wasn't being solved by just running alone.   Everything else I did today gave me the jump start I needed and then after I dropped my daughter off at school, I went running again and this time the energy floodgates just flew open!  It was an amazing feeling...like a feast after a famine.  I had so many words and ideas flowing that I stopped several people to ask if they had a pen, crayon, pencil or anything that I could have to write with.  I finally found a couple of men in a carpet delivery van that generously gave me their pen.  They jokingly asked me how much money I had but the truth is, I would have given them all the money on me if I had had any.  I couldn't wait to start writing down my thinking and take advantage of the end to this creative drought I've been experiencing.  All I had was a receipt and a random square of paper to write on but that didn't stop me. It didn't matter that I was just scribbling out chicken scratch...they were MY ideas and they were flowing and I understood the flow.  Thank you God for Running! 

Yoga, Prayer, and Meditation 

Creating space and time to slow down and be still with my thoughts, breathing and body are one of the best ways to help me tap into my energy flow.  Yoga used to be something I never understood.  After having my third child, I started going to yoga classes and realized that it is such a wonderful way to go within myself and meditate on peace, joy, and gratitude.  As with running, yoga is a good time for me to pray and connect with God.  I don't go to many yoga classes these days but sometimes just laying my yoga mat on my living room floor and doing a couple of poses in the midst of kid chaos can be a great way to recharge my energy. 

Music 

This morning I turned on some Nora Jones and Jack Johnson and let it fill my house while I went about finding other ways to start my energy flow.  Music isn't always helpful when my mind is feeling cluttered but today it was perfect!

Throwing Out Things I Don't Need

It felt liberating to take a trash bag around the house today and just start throwing away random clutter.  This was such a physical way of clearing out space for energy.  I found so many random toys, art supplies, things collecting dust and old stale energy.  By physically going through the motions of clearing out my life, I was able to clear our my mind too!

Journal

Writing in my journal is always a safe place to be when I'm feeling stuck.  It is a place for me to be with myself to work through things.  Today I went through it and reread old prayers, lists of gratitude, ideas, etc. 

Writing To My Children

In addition to my personal journal, I've also always had a journal or special book for each of my kids.  I started writing to each of them when I found out I was pregnant and I continue to fill these books with letters and short notes to them, special pictures, letters from teachers, funny things they say and do, etc.  I also have their Grandparents, Dad and other special people write letters to them.  Taking time for these special books always makes me feel happy. 

This was a note to my baby boy from his Nana after he ripped up my to-do list and I lost my mind.  My mom thought it would be funny to also include the ripped up list. 

Thumbing Through Books
One of my favorite things to do is go to the bookstore, get a coffee and just get lost in all the books and magazines.  This has always been a release for me but unfortunately, since having kids, I don't get to do this nearly enough.  Today I took all the books I'm trying to read, and even some old books that have just been sitting on my shelf and I found myself getting energy from them merely by looking through them and reading one or two sentences from each one.  Even reading the titles and feeling them in my hands made me feel a new flow to my energy level!  I did the same with some of my professional books that remind me about things I'm passionate about. 

Getting These Delivered
Recently, my Grandfather passed away.  Since my dad died when I was a kid, my Grandparents always took my brothers and I under their wing and did things for us that my dad (their son) couldn't do.  After, my grandfather's death, my Aunts and Uncles spent time sorting through all of their things and asking everyone what we wanted.  I had never bothered buying china and never really had any desire to have any until I was asked if I wanted my Grandmother's.   These dishes hold a huge sentimental weight and I am honored to be able have them! 

Opening this rocking horse just blew the emotional energy block right out of the water and it all came out.  This was my dad's rocking horse when he was a baby/toddler.  When my second child was just about 18 months, we took the girls to see my Grandfather.  He was so excited to see the girls rock on this rocking horse.  It meant a lot to him and he had held onto it all these years.  I'm sure it was a part of his son that he was holding onto and I knew it meant a great deal to him.  When my Aunt asked me if I wanted it, I couldn't even imagine not having it as a family keepsake.  I cried when I opened it but was even more touching was seeing my 16 month old son get on it for the first time.  It is almost as if he knew it was special and he needed to be gentle.  It felt like my dad was there for a visit too. 

Writing this blog was the last thing I needed to feel a full level of energy!  I feel like myself again...alive, passionate and joyful. 

There are so many ways to get your energy flowing when you are feeling "stuck".  Here is a site that I enjoyed reading as I was writing today.  It was also a site that helped me think of the words for my title : yourjoyouslife.com.  

What do you do to clear your energy blockages?  How do you get yourself unstuck and get energy flowing again? 

Happy to be back,

Amanda

Finding Time To Feed Your Soul

I've had a few people ask me recently how I find time to write a blog.  I've been thinking about this a lot lately and evaluating whether it is something I should make the time for.  In the beginning, setting up my blog took a lot of thought and energy and I was on here for hours on end after the kids were in bed.  Okay, since we are being honest, I was on it when the kids were not in bed too.  I started to wonder what I was thinking but now that I have my blog established and am understanding it a bit more, it really is only as time consuming as I let it be.  Today on my run I realized that this blog has become a way for me to write and reflect. It is a way for me to express myself and connect with a community of writers, mothers, runners, artists, and other like minded people.  Writing for me is one of my soul foods...it makes me happy.  It is something I do for ME.  I think it is essential that we take time or rather give time to ourselves to feed our soul.  It makes us grow and gives us energy to give to others.  That got me thinking of other ways I feed my soul during the day so that I have more to give as a mother, a wife, a friend. "It is always a balancing act" (words given today from a new blog "friend" at  Goals for the Week), and I don't think I can afford to NOT find some time for things that feed my soul.  It keeps me whole.  I took some pictures today whenever I felt myself doing something that felt nourishing to my soul. 

Coffee and Journal (yes, more writing) while music is on and the kids fight play



Giving Thanks Daily

Baby Writing in My Journal

Sharing My Journal Some More With Kids.  Coming across these entries really make my soul smile. 

Running, of course!

Happy Feet. Beautiful Autumn.

Stopping at a girlfriend's house for an unexpected visit before running home.  

My Mama's Art.  This is one of my favorites but they all make my soul happy.

What feeds your soul and what soul food do you make sure to make time for?

Amanda