Pressure to be Present

Pause for a moment.  Allow yourself time to take a deep breath.  Look around.  Soak in the sensations of the moment.  Notice thoughts and worries racing through your head.

It appears more and more common knowledge that being present is vital to our mental health and well-being.  The trouble with us humans is that we have all these pesky “unwanted” thoughts.  While being present is beneficial, it bothers me to think of thoughts as unwanted.  Those thoughts we try to push away to be ever-present are, in part, what makes us who we are.  Those worries and concerns for our lives are perhaps proof of our sanity.

At 97 my grandma has developed dementia enough that she can’t live on her own. She has good days and bad.  The decline is not linear.  I am not attempting to put a positive spin on dementia, but I am trying to see the positives in a sad and trying situation.  My Grandma still remembers us.  That may not last forever.  Her dementia hasn’t made her agitated.  It’s estimated that 90% of dementia patients experience aggression, agitation, and depression.  She shows minimal signs of irritability.  In her confusion, she looks more childlike.

Pressure to be Present2024-01-11T12:54:07-05:00

Are Your Workouts Fun?

When was the last time you laughed while exercising? When was the last time you were excited to get up and move?

When we are children, movement is almost always playful and unstructured. Kids bounce around, they run in circles. Eventually they organize movement a little more in games of tag, frisbee, or capture the flag. Through college some people play sports which is still physical activity in the form of a game, even if people take it seriously.

But usually after college, workouts tend to become more standard. And while that can be great, it doesn’t entice everyone to get moving. Research shows that to be motivated to move we need exercise to be fun and novel. So when you are bored with your exercise routine or need motivation to get started, think like a kid.

How can you make movement more playful? Here are some ideas:

Balance

Whether alone or with someone else playing with balance can be functional and fun. You can simply balance on one leg. If you feel safe, try closing your eyes. Or you can balance on a tool like a balance disc, half foam roller, or BOSU. […]

Are Your Workouts Fun?2023-03-25T13:42:05-04:00

Pysanky Party

Ukrainian lore claims that the fewer pysanky eggs made each year, the more evil there is in the world. Make more pysanky eggs and evil diminishes. With that in mind, Personal Euphoria will be hosting a virtual Pysanky Party. All proceeds will be donated to humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.

Maggie Downie, owner of Personal Euphoria, has been making Pysanky eggs since childhood. She will teach a virtual class in Ukrainian Egg dying. The $10 charge to join the class will be fully donated.

After the event Maggie will additionally auction off an egg and donate funds raised.

Whether you’ve always wanted to learn, think watching could be a meditative, or are just interested in Ukrainian Eggs or supporting the Ukraine, we’d love to have you join us.

To register go to Personal Euphoria. Click “register” or “log-in” on the top right. If you don’t have an account you’ll need to create one. Then click “online classes” top right, then “live virtual classes” and you’ll see a link to sign up for our Pysanky Party!

What: Ukrainian Egg Dying Class Fundraiser for Ukraine
When: Tuesday, March 21, 6-8pm
Where: Virtual via […]

Pysanky Party2023-03-08T09:58:47-05:00

How’s that New Year’s Resolution Going?

Do you make New Year’s Resolutions? No judgement either way. Sometimes I do. Sometimes I don’t. This year, my resolution was simply to simplify (turns out that isn’t so simple). A friend, Tishler Coaching Services, also turned me onto the Winter Warrior—it’s not quite a resolution, but a commitment to walking 1 mile a day, outside every day in January. It helps me KEEP MOVING and meets some of what’s needed to help me stay active.

If you are still sticking to your New Year’s Resolution, you should feel like a rockstar as most people have already given up on their fitness resolutions. The day most people stop is January 19th. If you never make a resolution, you might be thinking, “yeah, what’s the point?”

The concept in theory is good. We want to start fresh. Get ourselves on a healthier path. But to increase our chances of success, we need to rethink how we structure our resolutions (when it comes to fitness anyway).

We need to consider all we have to GAIN from adding more movement into our lives. And then let GAIN serve as an acronym for ensuring that what really motivates us to move is tied together […]

How’s that New Year’s Resolution Going?2023-01-29T19:07:19-05:00

Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day brings thoughts of hearts, dinner out, roses, chocolates, and love. Or, it tends to make us grumble about Hallmark Holidays. I often fall into the latter category. To this day my favorite Valentine’s Day involved a viewing of Fatal Attraction.

We often associate the day with lovers or friends. But do you ever stop and think about your love for yourself and your body? Think of the majority of thoughts you have about your body. Are they positive or negative? Do you think more about how your body looks or what your body can do?

Here are a couple of exercises to help give your body a little TLC on this day of LOVE:

Treat Yourself

Pick an activity that feels like a real treat. Maybe that’s getting a massage or going for reflexology.Perhaps all you need is a moment alone for a hot bath and a cup of tea. Maybe a glass of wine and a good book or movie is your thing. Put some time on the calendar for you.

Sweet Nothings

When you catch yourself thinking a negative thought about your body, reverse your thinking. […]

Valentine’s Day2022-02-11T22:41:58-05:00
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