10.18.2020

Tonight I somehow thought of these lyrics from

Moment of Truth – Gang Starr

Sometimes you gotta dig deep, when problems come near

Don’t fear things get severe for everybody everywhere

Why do bad things happen, to good people?

Seems that life is just a constant war between good and evil

The situation that I’m facin, is mad amazin

To think such problems can arise from minor confrontations

Now I’m contemplatin in my bedroom pacin

Dark clouds over my head, my heart’s racin

Suicide? nah, I’m not a foolish guy

Don’t even feel like drinking, or even gettin high

Cause all that’s gonna do really, is accelerate

The anxieties that I wish I could alleviate

But wait, I’ve been through a whole lot of other shit, before

So I oughta be able, to withstand some more

But I’m sweating though, my eyes are turning red and yo

I’m ready to lose my mind but instead I use my mind

… …

Yo I got one lyric pointed at your head for start

Another one, is pointed at your weak ass heart.

*****

I have to say that often times I think I am a tough chick and I am strong. You know like the type that they are so independent and don’t need anybody else in their lives. When you keep thinking that way you BECOME your thinking. And I did, to a point where I felt that I had to load up all the burdens on my shoulders and hold on to all the worries within me. They might not show on the outside but slowly they are eating me up from the inside.

It’s easier to bottle up, to hold on rather than letting go. And letting go requires courage.

*****

I feel like crying at the moment because the one Pilates teacher that has been training me is going to be on sick leave. For these months, I feel like I have grown so much and making progress toward something more real, mentally and physically. It’s hard to hear she will be away- the person that saw more potential and believed in me more than I did. What I have been thinking about is now manifesting in reality- that one day, I need to be my own coach. I need to be the one that sees potential and deeply believes in my ability(especially when facing hardships.) I need to be the one that keeps “yelling” at myself- “Amazing! Keeping lifting up higher! Just a few more seconds! You didn’t breathe right, so you need to re-do it.” The day has come. It’s a test. All the pain is a test. My first reaction was feeling like crying, it’s human. Fears, perhaps. And instantly I refused the chance to work with other instructors. Quickly I realized that I was retracting to my old self and reacting in the same way. Then I stopped and told myself I need to stop acting like a big baby. I need to continue to work on my weaknesses and keep building on what we have built while she is away. I have to start thinking differently – I am strong. I am capable. I am unstoppable.

My instructor’s first name means to “shine from bright joy” in Greek. I thought that was interesting. Lastly, she might be the light, she might be the guide, but I am the captain and my will drives the ship. I can either go back, stay at the same spot, or continue my exploration forward. It’s all in my control.

12.13.2020- two months after mom passed away. I think I slipped, falling back to how I used to be spending much time on social media. As a result and like you have read above, my thoughts are little scattered. Social medias are powerful tools. If you are not using them mindfully, they are simply traps/rabbit holes harnessing your daily energy and valuable time.

10.05.2020 Notes on Rehab

“An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction(unless acted upon by an unbalanced force)”  -Newton’s first law of motion

The day after a Pilates mat class, my body was sore. Strangely, I felt lighter physically and mentally – the feeling of being centered/grounded and your extremities are so free to move; like your arms can reach a little higher and you can run a little faster if you want to.

As someone who suffers from L4 & L5 issues(disc bulging from injuries and living mostly a sedentary lifestyle), I feel discouraged and often stopped by the idea that working out will give me more pain. In some cases, it did. I think it happened because for a few reasons-

*One, I exercised without properly warming up my muscles.

*Second, I wasn’t listening to my body nor did I gradually build up the intensity of an exercise. I went in full force all at once while Ignoring the fundamentals and the proper form.

*Last but not least, I did not educate or get to know more about my condition; or research on exercises that will actually do goods to improve my condition. Instead, I took a “one exercise fits all” approach or a Nike mentality – “Just do it.” haha

As reflecting on past experiences, dedicating little or no time and inappropriate exercises, literally like my Osteo. doctor stated, as a result – I wasn’t getting worse but I was not getting better either.

Think again, I realized my whole approach has been in the wrong direction. I have been trying to push my mind and body condition back to a state before injuries. What I should do and is doing at this moment is to –

  1. accept and be mindful that my body and mind are no longer the same as they were (mind- fears of getting re-injured or helplessness/body-stiffness; poor posture due to muscle spasms……)
  2. understand things have taken a turn and I am starting from a different point.
  3. reassess strengths and weaknesses.
  4. after that, be conscious about existing weaknesses but not be discouraged by them.
  5. in the meantime, work on strengths. Focus on things that can be worked on and dedicate quality time/hard work to it as much as possible.
  6. observe and make tweaks if needed to achieve maximum results.

In addition, it’s always good to track progress in great detail. It would serve not only as a record but for a compare and contrast purpose in workouts’ effectiveness. It would also be fun to ask a good friend to work out with us/check on us or to push us to best carry out the plans.

I hope that sharing my experiences can help you to improve your state of health. Typing down all these has definitely deepened my thinking on approaches to rehabilitate my body and strengthen the will.

Feel free to comment with your tips for healing, the mind and the body.

*** side notes- It feels amazing how such mental clarities I am experiencing these days. I hope I can continue to ride with this momentum further down the current direction.

**Cough cough** plug in – Thank you Pilates!

Be happy be free,

Tiffanie ❤

10.04.2020

Today, I took a virtual Pilates class on mat with Peggy from Bodytonic . 

One thing she said was, “No judgement, go at your own pace. Your strength will build up day by day”

That instantly cleared my head and stopped me from worrying. I think I performed better than I imagined I could. (aka I was able to follow along and finish the reps with her, most of the time. )  I still wanted to do more even after her class finished. 

Lately I found myself being extremely inpatient. I need to set a constant reminder to self, you don’t build true strength in seconds/days/weeks. It takes months or years consistently, plus the accumulation of sweat, tears, pain, for it to develop and be maintained. 

Slow progress is still progress. Trust and enjoy the process. Let those abs burn! Believe me you will come out feeling stronger and a bit freer. 

Be happy be free,

Tiffany ❤

9.30.2020

Scrolling on instagram, one hour seems like a second. Working out on the reformer/cadillac, one second feels like an eternity. 

Sorry Pilates, I have underestimated you.  Little did I know that Pilates increases my stamina- giving me strength to get up in the mornings later on when it feels like an absolute drag.

You don’t stop when you are tired, stop when you are done. 

“Just a few more seconds! You can do this! Push through and you can rest!” Instructor Chara’s  voice is now forever imprinted in my head. 

I used to think about going back to the gym at midnight, now I cannot wait to get back on a reformer.  Such an elegant and sophisticated apparatus!

****

Strangely, many years later, I am back on WordPress. Trying to write and with the same idea in mind – you are not alone.

I am tired of Instagram. It’s so much about trends, exaggerated reactions, and sales. I mean, of course, there are good inspirations, but much of them do not sustain. It’s not enough for me at this moment any more. I want to see more depth of my self and of life.

I hope writing and looking inward is going to help me find what I am looking for.

Be happy be free,

Tiffanie ❤