I’ve been in sort of a writing funk lately.

Plus, I didn’t want to continue to feel like such a “scrooge” while everyone is trying to enjoy the holidays. To top it off, I’ve been having an issue with my left hip… but let’s save that for another day.

I haven’t felt motivated much to workout due to so much pain, but unfortunately I still have to move and strengthen my [left] hip. I’ve just been doing a lot more yoga and dynamic stretches. 

That one time a week strength workout I was trying to do?Pretty much hasn’t happened.

Lately, it’s just been yoga (2-3x’s a week), the barre class I teach, and Pilates mixed in. It’s great because I have all the equipment at home that I’d need, but on occasion I’ll find myself at the gym in the empty studio.Many of the moves in barre and Pilates are exercises I need to do for PT, so that works quite well.

I don’t use much weight anymore either. Before, I used three or five pounds in both classes and now I just stick to the two pound weights [or just bodyweight].

I’ve been working on embracing the slowness of winter with all this chronic pain; reading more, walking when I can, slowing down my workouts [with yoga] and just enjoying the winter season.We don’t have to be all “go, go, go” just because society tells us.

We don’t have to do a million holiday activities (with our partner or our kids) or exhaust our mental state with an abundance of social gatherings. 

I used to feel guilty for all these things, but then I realized my kids simply value the time they have with me.  The other day, Tate’s Bake Shop surprised us with a package of goodies on our door step after we came back from my work (I had taught barre). They were so excited that it just showed me it’s the simplest thing; like getting their favorite cookie.

So, thank you Tate’s not only for the delicious goodies, but for that simple reminder.-Sabs