Lucky Number 7

I am taking a huge risk, and going public with my blog for the LYM 7 week challenge 2012! Last year I did a private/personal blog and it was such a fantastic experience that I am going to try it again. Only, I'm supersizing my personal challenge and sharing it with my fellow Mokshies!

 

Living your Moksha... 7 pillars, 7 weeks, 7 challenges...

Be Healthy, May 1 - 7 Challenge: No processed foods / toxins in the home

Supersize: 1 week daily practice

In all honesty, week 1 won't be much of a challenge for me, I already have a daily practice and I don't eat processed foods. However, being the stubborn, competitive person that I am, I am stepping this up a notch and giving up dairy for the 7 week challenge - and that will be a challenge because I frigging love frozen yogurt!

As for toxins in the home, that would mean mostly cleaning supplies - easy enough, I won't clean for a week ;)


Be Accessible, May 8-14 Challenge:  Learn about and practice Active Listening to Be Accessible to friends and family

Supersize: Read up on Non Violent Communication

This challenge will most certainly be a challenge for me as I am a terrible listener by times!
My room-mate is going to be stoked during this week if I can do some listening, then she won't have to repeat everything she tells me 2-7 times over! I do listen, I just have selective hearing, and perhaps a terrible memory, either way - this challenge will do me some good!
I am usually quite accessible to my friends and family, whenever I'm needed, I am there! I'm not one to disappoint others that is for sure!

As for the supersize of this challenge, we'll see!

Live Green, May 15 - 21
Challenge: Green your plate - 7 days of vegetarian/vegan delicious eating

Supersize: Zero Garbage

Vegetarian, no problem, have been doing this since January, tried the vegan idea for a month, and I'll definitely take on the challenge of going vegan for a week, especially with giving up my guilty pleasure of frozen yogurt, this shouldn't be much of an issue - but we'll see!

Zero Garbage? excuse my language, wtf? I will  continue to use my reusable coffee mugs, but what about my coffee pods - they are garbage after I run them through my keurig? hmmm...I can stick to composting, I guess eating vegan for a week might not make it not so difficult - and if I don't take my garbage out for a week - does that count?


Sangha Support, May 22 - 28
Challenge: Random Acts of Kindness week

Supersize: Bring a friend to yoga week and dedicate your practice each day to somebody you’ve never met in class

Cannot  wait for this week!! It was one of my faves the last LYM challenge!
Random acts of kindness ...sure! I'm usually a super kind person as it is, so for this week - I'll just aim to be one of those annoyingly friendly people - hahaha!
Bring a friend to yoga - YES! I sure as heck will!! Finally, those people I bug, and bug, and bug to come to yoga - have no excuse not to now because if they join me, they come for free! perfection! SO excited! Last year, I was the only person who took advantage of this particular challenge - this year - I challenge you all!! Let's fill the hot room up like its the first day of a 30 day challenge!


Reach Out, May 29 - June 4
Challenge: Write one letter a day of gratitude with suggestions for change to a business you LOVE.

Supersize: Volunteer 1 hour this week ** Make sure to plan ahead!

This week will be a challenge for sure. I haven't put much thought into it yet - however I will try my best when the time comes!

Volunteer - yes perhaps! I'm not exactly a stranger to volunteering my time and it's only 1 hour...it should be a challenge to accomplish!

I would probably do better if the supersize was the regular challenge and vice-versa!


Live to Learn, June 5 - 11
Challenge: read every day for 30 minutes, on Saturday and Sunday - 2 hours

Supersize: Go for walk everyday this week for 1 hour with undetermined destination.

Yes! This is perfect! Can't wait! I love reading, and this gives me the excuse I need to catch up on some reading I still likely won't have done in the next five weeks! Hello Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy!!  As for the Saturday and Sunday - I'll try my best! 2 hours of reading-time could really cut into my vodka-time, I feel like vodka and reading doesn't go as well together and vino and reading do! But hey, I'll try anything once!

Supersize - most definitely! I try to go for a walk whenever I possibly can, going with no destination in mind is something I look forward too, maybe check out some new trails, oooh the options are endless! However the only problem, I'll always end up home and that is a destination - but I guess that doesn't count, right?


Be Peace, June 12 - 18

Challenge: 1 hour of silence daily!

YOGA!!!!!!!! Yoga is silence! Or a bubble bath, OR sleeping - sleeping is silent? hmmm...is that cheating?? Fine! I'll try to meditate or read or *GASP* spend  1 whole hour with mySELF and mySELF only....sccccccary!

Supersize: 7 day challenge with 20-30 min savasana each day you practice!

YES! YES! YES! I F*CKING LOVE SAVASANA!!! The fact that this is part of the challenge is amazing! It was by far my most favoritest challenge last year, I remember teachers left time at the end of class for those wishing to continue their savasana, and they waited to do the cleaning as to not ruin your long awaited savasana. Amazing! It's like a form of  Yin for one week straight! ahhhhhhhhhhhh....pure bliss!

Countdown to LYM - 2 days!

JG OUT!

Love, not fear... That is it

I have been having a tough time the last few weeks...self-image is a problem for me, and negative self-image is something that takes over my thoughts daily. I push myself hard, see no results, punish myself, and the cycle continues...sounds lovely doesn't it? I am part of a group where we talk about our weight loss issues, self-image, our accomplishments, goals, and victories in our weight loss battle, and they have all posted a before and after picture - one of those side-by-side ones. I don't have one of those, and mainly because I am extremely embarrassed of my heavy weight and when I see those pictures I don't necessarily become proud, I become ashamed, and since I am not at my "after" yet I felt it was wrong to have one of those pictures. Long story short, with the motivation from this group of strangers who are all in the same boat as  me one way or another, someone made me a split photo of my before and "during" progress...I really don't see a huge change,  but I do know I am healthier, stronger, and a completely different person and it blows my mind that I was that size at one time...WOW! What was I thinking?
After looking at that photo, I was excited and then I was completely livid that I have not yet met my goal, so resentful....

Then I walked my fat self into the hot room and as soon as our instructor came in and advised us to take a deep breath in and a deep breath out, he proceeded to say "enter your practice with love, not fear, go further than you may have gone before, don't be afraid, anytime you give something your love - you don't have to fear it" ....breath in, breath out... "Love, not fear, that is it"  
That is how my class started....WHAT? seriousally - that is exactly what I needed to hear today, thank goodness I showed up on my mat! So as I went through my practice, I thought about how simple he made it sound, how simple with 3 words he summed up my life... except most of the time I'm the complete opposite, I go through life in fear, not love (for myself)  ANYWAYS...as I was thinking about this statement, I did go deeper than I have ever went before in my dancers pose, I did breathe a little more love into my SELF, and I finished off my savasana thinking how I should be proud of my accomplishment, and I should be thankful I made the choices I made, and I should continue my journey with love, not fear, and maybe, just MAYBE I will finally reach my goal. That being said, I decided to share my picture - I took the advice of a close friend, and shared it with "the world" .... even thinking about it makes me anxious, I left it on my FB for about 12 hours, I got some really nice words from friends, a few likes, and a huge rush for overcoming my fear and letting people see what hard work, sweat, and dedication has done for me! I lasted 12 hours, and removed it, I couldn't stand to look at it anymore...

GRATITUDE - I am no longer that girl....who was that girl? I hope I never see her again, but I do thank her for helping me create the person I am today, I just wish she'd completely let go so I could move on, and perhaps by sharing her with the world who may have never knew her, she can do that!

JG out!

Yoga Accepts, Yoga Gives

It seems some of my brightest ideas, or where I have the most valuable insight, is when I am laying in savasana...however, then class has ended and I roll over, pick up my sweaty towel and walk into the hallway where all of those wonderful thoughts and ideas lay somewhere on that cork floor in a puddle of sweat!
Today, as I was laying there, I was thinking away and something so pure and perfect came to my thoughts and I remember thinking - ok Jenny, remember that and type or text or write that down as soon as you possibly can...ya right? I also remember thinking - how convenient it would be if I had my little notepad and pen in the hot room with me - it would be filled with brilliancy from one page to the next, and I pictured myself in savasana, getting a "light bulb" idea, rolling onto one side, writing it down, and then continuing my savasana - which lead me to think of this one day not too long ago as I was getting ready to settle onto my mat, the man behind me was laying on his mat - typing on  his blackberry, sending an email or texting - whatever it may be...I then remember thinking how ridiculous that was and that deep down a part of me sort of hoped the sweat from his toppling tree might actually fry his blackberry..... and how awful that would be, especially since I have experienced first hand what a fried blackberry does to your life, and I wouldn't wish that upon my worst enemy and I certainly wouldn't wish it upon some dude who can't seperate his work from his yoga, and what kind a yogi am I to be thinking such hateful thoughts! Oh, and apparently according to my thoughts, I have the attention span of a nat!
And turn over in childs pose...

I began a private blog this time last year to honour the 7 week living your Moksha challenge, this time around, since my practice has grown and so have I, I have decided to publicly blog my 2nd annual 7 week LYM challenge!

Stay tuned for a rollercoaster of emotions, some brilliant insight, along with lots of not-so-brilliant insight, some laughs, and some good reads of my journey with MYC and the 2nd LYM 7-week challenge!

JG out!