Focus on What You Can Do

After my downer post of Friday night, I went to yoga Saturday morning. It couldn't have been a better thing for me to do. It was taught by a woman I've been to a few times, who works with Barbara and I love her teaching. The classes are relaxing and she has a gentle approach that is underlaid with challenge and resolve. I knew it would be 'attainable' for me - in other words not too hard and still enjoyable.

She started the class off by reminding us to focus on what we could do not what we couldn't when approaching individual poses. It was just what I needed to hear. I left the class feeling refreshed and as though I had gone to the church of my choosing. The spiritual side of yoga is as important to me as the physical. It was so nice to do poses as she talked about elements of the yoga sutra. I felt connected again.

I've held onto her advice about focusing on what we can do as I've approached this week. Especially as I've thought about my body. I have healed most of the diastisis and have started to do the exercises again I know work best - something I can do. Though I had begun going to the gym before the two week illness that sidelined me hit, it is now nicer weather and many days I can walk outside, or at the mall as I did yesterday (almots 3 miles!!). There is also a jogging stroller in Maine that will hopefully come to live with us soon. Ella will be big enough to go in it and I can experiment with working back up to running.

Mostly, I've tried to remind myself that I can choose how I approach things and can choose my attitude. I'm trying to make good choices and focus on what I can do whether it be about a personal interest project (I started sewing a quilt as a baby present for a long time friend of Ben's who had a little boy), my professional life (I've started working on my CV and putting together a proposal for a job that I'd like to have created for me at MGH) or even things around the house (I try not to focus on what didn't get done, but on what I can do each day).

The best thing is this Saturday is also spring break and therefore I can go back to yoga class.