A Little Inspiration for the Day

Be kind to yourself

With My Grandmas. Blue-eyed Barbara to my left.

Earlier this year my step grandmother passed away. Barbara had been my grandma since I was six, and she’d done the job well. She loved my grandpa and my family. She would openly talk and tell stories of my biological grandma. Barbara was independent, a lover of theater, music, and the UConn Huskies women’s basketball team. She loved the beach, dancing, and socializing. Her blonde hair was always done and her eyes were always a brilliant blue.

A couple of weeks before she died, I was visiting with her. Though she had failed significantly, you could still have moments of conversation with her. Her baby blues were so striking against the backdrop of her pail skin, so I mentioned how beautiful and blue her eyes were. She responded, “I never liked my eyes. I never even thought they were really blue.” I was a little stunned. That’s not a debate anyone else had. Barbara had blue eyes. End of story. It made me sad. For eighty-five years she hadn’t enjoyed her own eyes as much as everyone else that looked at her.

I think that […]

Be kind to yourselfMaggie Downie2018-02-14T16:04:36-05:00

Giving Thanks

I’m also super grateful for the team at PE, but that’s a whole other blog.

We’ve reached that time of year for giving thanks. I love it. Stopping to appreciate all that is good in your life is a worthwhile practice.

As a company Personal Euphoria has a lot to be thankful for. Primarily everyone who attends our group classes, does our online classes, or takes our private lessons. And anyone reading this.

Group Classes

When I teach a group class, I love when people talk to each other before the classes start. I like the social aspect of people coming together to move. I like when you laugh at movement because it’s hard or silly (an exercise like the seal fills both categories). When, as a group, you move your neck so it’s in line with your spine or connect the ribs, I’m thrilled. Watching people “get it” really makes me happy. And, I do Pilates, too, so I know how hard it can be to “get it.” When you show up even though your back is cranky and then leave feeling better, I feel honored. It’s not that I […]

Giving ThanksMaggie Downie2018-02-14T16:03:15-05:00

Month of Mindful Eating

Every once in a while I get a hankering to do a food challenge. Typically every February I challenge myself not to consume sugar. I pick February because it’s the shortest month of the year. But after the amount of ice cream I consumed this summer, I’d rather not wait until February for a challenge. For most of the month of September, starting on Tuesday, September 5^th (after Labor Day Weekend), I’ll be doing a Month of Mindful Eating. Anyone want to join me?

This challenge is a little open ended. You can pick what Mindful Eating means for you. Maybe you grab chips or chocolate without even noticing and after you regret it and you want to cut those trigger foods out. Maybe you need to be accountable for what you eat so it would help to snap a picture and share each meal with a friend. Perhaps you could reduce alcohol or soda intake. For me, I’m going to try portion control and moderation because that is what I struggle with the most. To keep me honest, I’m going to record my foods in my Fitbit App so I can […]

Month of Mindful EatingMaggie Downie2018-02-14T16:24:43-05:00

Vision Board Party

My vision board…front and back.

Stephanie Tishler of Tishler Coaching Services hosted a Vision Board Party. Full disclosure: Steph has been a client and friend for years, which is the reason I went. I’m not anti-vision board per se, but it’s not something I would normally seek out on my own.

I didn’t know if I was going to know anyone else at the event (turns out I did), but I was a little concerned about creating a vision board with a group of people I didn’t know that well. It seems sort of personal. I had nothing to worry about. The entire night was great—better than I expected. In fact, I’m writing this post because I think it’s a great way for a group of friends, co-workers, or interesting strangers to spend a few hours together.

The Set Up:

We basically got together, mingled a bit over snacks and drinks and then went to a long table where Steph had everything we needed. She provided note cards for us to jot down our visions. What goals did we want to reach for? What […]

Vision Board PartyMaggie Downie2018-02-14T16:46:59-05:00

Comic-Con Comfort Zone

Going to Comic-Con wasn’t exactly outside my comfort zone, but it wasn’t on my list of things to do, and certainly wasn’t something I’d normally be interested in attending. I’ll plan a hike, a fire walk, a giant slip and slide and build an igloo, but I wouldn’t suggest a day at a comic convention. The only reason I wanted to go was to spend time with my brother and Matt and to watch them enjoy it. That was the only reason until I discovered John Cusack was going to be there. I’m still not sure why Cusack was at Comic-Con, but I’ve been a fan before I even knew who he was as a child watching Natty Gann.

The awkward, though understandable, thing about Comic-Con is that you basically have to pay for any interactions with “the talent.” If you want an autograph, you pay. If you want a photo-op, you pay. If you are someone who collects signatures that makes sense to me. If, like my brother and Matt, you know Stan Lee is 93 and you probably won’t get another chance in life to interact with […]

Comic-Con Comfort ZoneMaggie Downie2017-12-29T20:19:54-05:00