November Newsletter
To our friends and community,
It is November 1, the day after Halloween, the weekend before the Presidential Election and a week before Daylight Savings and as a highly energetic person, I am feeling all the feels lately.
The rain has begun, the days are shorter and darker and emotions seem to be running high and hot.
This time of year has the potential to bring with it additional stress and anxiety. Conversations around politics seem unavoidable and are often triggering.
And while I am not here to talk about politics, I am here to pose a question. Where will you be on Tuesday evening?
Will you be glued to the tv?
While many of us feel compelled to watch the election unfold before our eyes, I want to ask you why you might find yourself doing so.
As a daily practice I work to be more present and mindful.
Can I be here in this moment?
How often are we living in the past or in the future?
Tuesday will come and go and us choosing to watch the election will have no relevance on the outcome. Will it bring you joy? Will it bring you comfort? Will it add stress and anxiety to your night? To your life?
Maybe you love watching the election. And if that is you, please watch away!
But if you watch out of obligation or habit and you know that it caused you undue stress, I challenge you to try doing something else this year.
How about turning your phone and notifications off and going for a walk or watching a funny movie or taking a bath or reading a book or taking a meditation class. Pause is offering a FREE meditation class on Tuesday night. Sign up here!
One thing I know from years of coaching through watching and observing clients, is that as soon as the holiday seasons begin people start “falling off the wagon”.
It makes sense.
With added stress, we feel less equipped to manage daily stress and so we look for things that sooth our discomfort.
And the more we self soothe, the more we need to self soothe.
Who isn’t familiar with the shame spiral? We feel something we aren’t comfortable with, we want to feel something different so we look for ways to do so that aren’t healthy but work temporarily and then we feel worse. Shame creates more discomfort and so we keep on spinning. I know this technique well.
What if this year, be it the stress of the election or the holidays, or job stress or family stress or financial stress that we tried something different.
What if we did more of the things that we know actually help us manage our stress and less of the things that cause us more stress?
I am kind of blowing my own mind! :). Who wants to try this out this year starting today?
I would love to invite anyone who is interested in joining me on a meditation challenge. 10-15 minutes a day from today until January 1.
If you are interested please comment or send me a text or email or reply!
I highly recommend Insight Timer as an App for guided meditations. They have a free and paid version. You could choose to meditate silently or using some guidance, it is totally up to you. Choosing a time of day and place in the house can be really helpful when building a meditation habit.
What other things help you when you feel stressed?
Does training at the studio help? If so, make a commitment to yourself to come even when things get stressful. What about walking, hiking, breath-work, yoga, hydrotherapy, reading, cooking, journaling….
What things do you find yourself doing that are not so helpful?
These are things to just get curious about and perhaps be more mindful of. We cannot heal shame from a place of shame so instead of shaming yourself for indulging in unhealthy coping strategies, try just being more aware. And if setting limitations is helpful, try that. Get an accountability partner or share with others the steps you are taking to manage your stress more effectively. Tell your coach! Let us support you! We are just living and learning and trying to be the best versions of ourself. No judgment. We love all of you.
In Other News
I am scheduled for a hysterectomy on Nov 8 (rescheduled from an earlier date) and will be out of the studio from Nov 8-Nov 29. Thank you Melanie and Chris for subbing for me while I am recovering! Please still come to class and be respectful of our coaches who are saving me from having to cancel or close during these weeks.
Holiday Schedule
As a Thanksgiving Day tradition, I have led a run/ walk/ hike/ or ruck every year for about 10 years. We allow kids and pets and loved ones to join. I am hopeful to be able to offer this again this year but it will be dependent on my recovery so stay tuned. The studio will be closed on Thanksgiving Day.
We close the studio one week a year over the holidays to give our coaches some well deserved time off.
This year we will be closed Dec 24-31. We will offer online coaching and possibly recorded virtual workout videos.
Trauma Informed Weightlifting Update
I just completed the 8 week Trauma Informed Weightlifting certification course! I still have my final project to complete but look forward to sharing more about my experience and to bring to life all that I took away.
We have a few spots left in our cohorts and want to invite you to bring in a friend or loved one to try us out! If they love it and sign up, you get $50 off your next month of training! Please send them to our website for more information. If they are interested, they can fill out a contact form there. Fitness Union Website
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With gratitude,
Coach Kim
