Kripalu...

I am not a yoga - lover... I do it because it's good for me. I'm not consistent and I could never see myself saying "Geez, I really miss a good yoga class", but like most exercise - I NEVER regret doing it. I see the good it does me - I feel taller... more tuned in... and for that alone I should like it, but alas... I just don't, and that's OK. My sisters are more spiritual perhaps - both really embrace the whole yoga culture: Ayurveda diet, holistic medicine, all things homeopathic. I just take from it what I can...

So my weekend at Kripalu was therapeutic and restful. There was a lot of "good for me" yoga, the food was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G and the act of unplugging was so very necessary. I had to let go of the control over my daughter, including the worry as well as the responsibility. It took a full day perhaps, but resisting the urge to check in was empowering. I realize  how much I need to stop trying to shape the days for my children and let them drive - even if it means heading into a ditch or hitting a curb. I successfully read two books cover to cover, sat in a whirlpool each night and laughed in the sauna. Who does vigorous vinyasa in a sauna?! I slept so well - no snoring DH, no fluffy dog hogging the bed, no furry cat patting my face to feed him NOW. It was lovely. I can't wait to do it again.

The best of the weekend was a seminar on resiliency The speaker was Maria Sirois, the kind of person you want to have for a best friend - someone I would love to share coffee with...She lead the group through a series of exercises designed to help improve resilience. One exercise you can try is here at viastrengths.org . It's a test to discover your signature strengths. Some of mine surprised me #1 Judgement... #8 Prudence... It made me think, and I had a few... "I can see that" moments for traits I would never have considered. Another  exercise we talked about and I'm going to do is to write down the Best Thing about your day for thirty days. At then end of thirty you should hopefully see an improvement in positive outlook -because no matter what's going on in your life there's always something good - even if it's just a perfectly crafted latte or a parking space close to the door. There was much more, but I'm menopausal, and my recall lately is shit.

The best thing about my day yesterday? 50 degrees in February felt like SPRING. It was a gift. Today so far, it was a walk with my dog and watching the sun hit the trees at 6:39 a.m..... Again, the theme -SPRING is coming....

I'm back to "Living the Life" with my dysfunctional family. The teen missed me long enough to remember that she hated me... the other one tattled on her father who bought a whole lot of junk food and ate out at every meal... Oh and "Can I get a Ride?"