Day 30: What A Great Challenge!

I did it!  I finished something I set out to do and feel great about it.  Looking back at my goals from the beginning, I accomplished 1 out of the 3 goals.  I didn't lose any weight (but I didn't gain any, either during this holiday season!), I didn't make all 30 days (28/30 isn't bad, and I missed one out of choice to do something else-not just sit on the couch-and the other simply because I mixed up the times), but I did gain flexibility, plus a whole lot more!  I became so much more in tune with my body and was able to recognize when I could push hard and when I had to hold myself back, the latter being something that is really hard for me.  I gained strength, both physically and mentally.  I am one with a strong resolve, but this challenge really pushed me just to get to class a few times when I just didn't want to.

I am going to make this like my acceptance speech at the Yoga Oscars and give my shout-outs: I must thank all the wonderful teachers for pushing, encouraging, critiquing me every day.  I learned to love all of them for their uniqueness.  I am also so appreciative to my three little kids, who always wanted to do yoga with me, and made me laugh as they would fall over in a pose I was showing them.  And most importantly, I must give a HUGE shout out to my husband, someone who supported me ever since I thought of this crazy idea and was so supportive, even while taking on the brunt of the household work and kids while I went off to play.  There is no way I would have been able to do this without him. And for those of you who wanted to know what special surprise waited for me when I got home, he got me a great Life Is Good Yoga shirt (my favorite kind of tee's), and an early Christmas gift of a brand new digital camera!  Yeah!

Day 25-29: My Ailing Hip

I have already made modifications for my knees that are aching a bit, but now my left hip is in such pain.  At first I thought I just needed to "pop" it as I tend to crack all over, but after a day of trying to do just that, it was worse than that morning.  I don't know the exact root, but I know that yoga in some way is attributing to it as I am not doing much else besides that physically.  Oddly, though, my right hip is totally fine.  Conundrum...So, now I am in a new sense of frustration as I have decided to sit out even more poses and modify a few.  As seen by simply doing this challenge, I am not someone who goes into things lightly, rather I push myself to extremes.  So having to sit out poses is such a hard restraint on me.  But I keep reminding myself that it is not worth the push for an injury that could put me out a month or more.  So, now if you see me lying on the floor in shivasana, it is not by choice that I lie there, but out of self-preservation.

Oh, and I love the heat now being closer to the heaters. 

Day 24: A Challenge within a Challenge

Tonight I got my "regular spot" just to the left of the space heater.  I have enjoyed being there since I can usually check my form in all poses.  But tonight, very little sweat, very little heat.  I think my body is adjusting, so I have decided to finish the challenge out next to the space heater or Mr. Propane, depending on what is available.  This will be a big challenge for me as I have found myself always slowing down in class when I am closer to the heat.

The other challenge I now have is my hip.  I am dealing with my knees by not doing the knee compression pose, but now my left hip is in a lot of pain.  At first I thought I just needed to pop it (I crack all over), but today it hurts when manipulated into certain positions, and after taking the dog for a walk, it hurts just sitting here.  I am going to class tonight to see how it feels, but am going to listen to my body both at class and in between classes.  I want to finish this challenge out, but not at the expense of being hurt and out of commission for a few months! Stay tuned...

Day 23: Coldest Spot In the Room

Tonight I was running late to class (as in the door had already been locked!), so my spots in the class were limited.  The hottest spot in the room was open, so I grabbed it, somewhat reluctantly since I don't like being right on the heat.  But I made that choice and stuck to it...until we got up and started doing our first breathing exercise.  I didn't realize there was someone almost directly in front of me.  I could see about half of my body and debated through the breathing if I should suck it up and stay there or move to a better spot.  I knew this was going to bother me, so I moved very quickly after the breathing exercise to the back corner, closest to the doors, and soon discovered the coldest spot in the room.  The lack of heat helped me on certain poses, but hindered me on others, like when you swing your arms to cross in prayer...no sweat for me to wiggle my hands closer together.  But the surprising thing is just how much I rely on the mirrors.  I know I am always checking my pose in the mirror, but it wasn't until that was taken away that I realized how much I rely on them!  Even though I walked out not the normal dripping mess, it was a good class.

Day 22: An Intentional Day Off

Today was my second day off from the challenge.  The first was a mixup in schedule; however this one was a choice I intentionally made.  I had been making the early Monday morning classes so I didn't have to do it later at night, but this week it was canceled.  I found this out after I committed to the challenge, and I had a Leadership Christmas Party scheduled for tonight.  I hemmed and hawed for a bit, but then made my choice and felt great about it.  I chose to miss yoga, not because I was tired or didn't feel like it, but because I have a life.  I have already sacrificied so much for this challenge, and at times felt guilty for constantly leaving my husband with three little kids while I go do yoga.  Fortunately I have an amazingly supportive husband.  Nevertheless, I have made choices to go to yoga, even when my son had just split his head open and we were debating taking him to the hospital (this past Friday, he was fine, no hospital visit).  My husband assured me he had everything under control that day, so I went.  And tonight, I made the choice and feel good about it.