The Perfect Day

By now you know that “serendipity” is one of my favorite words…and that a great day is one that begins with no alarm clock, a cup of green tea sipped leisurely, followed by a nice long run with my ipod. 

I am really enjoying the new “genius” feature on itunes which puts together songs I haven’t listened to in a while. I enjoy music. All kinds of it. It can be so moving and powerful.  Today’s compilation was  “serendipitous”! I THOUGHT I had selected one of the saved “genius” compilations.  By mistake I had pressed songs to play in alpha order begining with  “O’s”…what I heard for that hour or so was a wonderful, odd mix! Usually I pick moods or certain tempo music. Today was one surprise after another and ALL “perfect” for various reasons.  Right in the middle of my run, I even heard a version of Pachelbel Canon with the sound of ocean waves in the background. It was beautiful fall morning. I almost felt like I was getting my beach fix!   Then, as I headed down the last stretch into my neighborhood, “Perfect Day” (Josh Bates) came on. It was a perfect end to a perfect run. 

Here are a few of the “P” songs I heard:

Pachelbel Canon 

Paradise (Ana Serrano)

Peaches & Cream (John Butler Trio)

Perfect Day (Josh Bates)

And the “O” song I started with?  Jason Castro’s version of “Over the Rainbow” with his ukulele.

Happy Saturday. Stay strong.

Isn’t it amazing how we can hold on to worries, fears, regrets….and then revisit them over and over?  We get real good at dwelling on issues that are long past or do not benefit us.  On the other hand, have you noticed how you feel when you just let it go? Do it today. Release–and, inhale. You suddenly have “room” to breathe. You smile. You relax.  As you go into your Friday and weekend, try it.  Let go of negative emotions and old hurts…or anything/anyone that brings you down. Just let it go. And breathe. Deeply. Repeat. And, enjoy!

This weekend I participated in a personal trainers seminar put on by the National Council on Strenth and Fitness ( www.NSCF.org ) . What an enjoyable weekend that was! The organization is excellent, the materials (which I got back in February) are extremely thorough. Oh, and the instructor was incredibly knowledgeable guy who walked the talk. So I got two days of review, met some new friends, and had a blast.

While I kept up with my interest/knowledge in wellness over the years, I had let my personal training certication lapse.  Since I was getting more and more requests through work, church and the community to participate in and lead in various fitness related programs, I decided it was time to get certified again. And, I have enjoyed every second of it. 

While I work for a fantastic company which provides numerous educational opportunities, I found I had been spending more time on the work related knowledge programs and not as much on the areas that interested me.  This year’s balance plan includes more reading time. I have 3 unfinished books that I am proud to say I am making headway on again:  “Love Without End”  ( http://www.lovewithoutend.com/ ), “The Power of Now” (this is by the same guy who wrote the book on Oprah’s Monday night deal (www.oprah.com), “The Purpose Driven Life” (this one is taking a bit longer like “Love Without End” because I read a bit, then lay my book down and ponder…), and my most recent addition, “Eat, Love, Pray” ( http://www.elizabethgilbert.com/ ) which really suits me on several levels.  This was one of Oprah’s book club recommendations and my boss loaned it to me. This woman writes conversationally, she has a quest for knowledge, and I enjoy her sense of humor. Plu the chapters are short so if I only have 5 minutes before bed, I can still get a bit in!

So, this weekend’s seminar and my personal training textbooks have reminded me how important it is to spend time sharpening the ol’ saw–BUT in a subject matter that excites us. Like trying a new sport.  Which, btw ladies, I still think the sprint tri is SUCH fun. And much more achievable than most folks think. There is a great book on training for one in 4 hours a week or less. Truly it can be done. You can find the book at : Amazon.

Learn, live, love…and pass it on!  

Lisa

Last week I took my kids to the island of Maui with a friend and his children.  Making that trip is something I have wanted to do for several years now. I wanted to share the underwater world—it’s silence, beauty and awe, as well as the view from the top of the volcanic mountains—with my children.  The trip was wonderful. I didn’t wear a watch. 

Have you noticed the difference in the hurriedness of life in the city vs. the relaxed pace of a beach town?  I notice it each time I go to Florida to visit my family. I enjoyed it again in Maui. I believe the beach folks have the right idea. While the beauty of the locale helps to remind them to stop, relax and reflect, I believe we can do the same anywhere…with practice and intention.  Life is not meant to be rushed through. We can miss an awful lot if we don’t slow down. And truth be told, it’s much more enjoyable at a balanced pace.  What is that saying? “Life is what happens when you are busy making plans.”  I’m not saying we don’t need plans, but how about building in time for what’s really important? Time to take care of our bodies. Time for family –true attention to our loved ones. Time for meditation and prayer. Time to take in the beauty around us—even if it’s not in the light green crystal waters of Maui—there IS beauty. We just have to open our eyes, slow down, take in the sounds around us and experience life like a child.  With wonder, amazement, and sheer enjoy.  Try it!  Aloha.

Awe Inspiring….and yes, a little shameless advertising while we were over there!