Week 44 - “Curveball”
"Be there for others but never leave yourself behind."
- Dodinsky
Hello Pilates People!!!!
Happy Inauguration week!
I think we've all gotten a taste of 2021 being just another year instead of that "brand new beginning, wow nothing is hard anymore" moment we fantasized about - but let's hang on to hope and let it fill us up for a moment.
We all deserve a moment of hope, and the world could always use it. Especially lately.
This week, we want to have an opportunity for us to hear from you! Please take a few moments to fill out this feedback form to tell us what you've been enjoying, what we could do better and what you'd like to see more of! We are all ears and so excited to keep growing with you!
And a reminder that our next workshop with our nutrition friend Lucy Wild of Wildly Nutritious is coming up NEXT SUNDAY, January 24th from 11am - 1pm. "Fuel and Replenish: Breaking Down Pre and Post Workout Snacks" will help us learn how to properly nourish our bodies, especially in relation to being physically active beings. Just $25 to join ($20 if you're an Aligned member) - so go ahead and sign up by clicking here! Or if you'd like to learn more first, click here instead :)
This week, we want to take a moment to acknowledge the world again.
Because it's still wild.
Even if we zoom in on a micro-level, a lot of us are dealing with curveballs on a constant personal level.
And if we dare zoom out, well we all know there are lots of curveballs on a constant national/international level too.
We've got curveballs on top of curveballs out here. Sh*t's out of control.
And I'm just wondering, how many curveballs do you need to catch before you start seeing curveballs as straight pitches?
Meaning, how can we regulate the completely irregular?
Part of beginning that regulation is knowing yourself and what you need, because as I've been reminded often lately, "You can't pour from an empty cup."
And you absolutely cannot continue to pour from an empty cup.
So we're back to self-care. Always. And we're back to making it a priority.
Which means scheduling. Yes. We want you to schedule your self-care.
We especially want you to schedule your movement practice.
Somehow, writing it down or entering it into your calendar makes it more of a commitment. And in a world that's going to constantly ask more and more and more of you, you really do need to take a moment to make that commitment to yourself. Otherwise, it'll be the first thing to go.
Fact.
A few things to consider when scheduling your movement "me" time:
Is there somewhere quiet and private you can go that is all your own? Away from distractions and other people? If so GO THERE! And if not, how can you work with what you have and make it as much your space as is possible? Headphones? A little chat with the people around you to be clear that you need some time to do this...please don't interrupt if possible? Do you build a furniture fort? We support whatever needs to happen!
Will you do better if you set a time to move? For example, can you commit to wake up and move every morning at 8am? Or are you a night owl? Does that 6pm class look like a better call? Either way, if you need that regular accountability, set yourself an alarm and stick to it!
Is your schedule a little fluid and unpredictable? Ya? Well you're in good company! Ours too! The key here is creating structure around random structure. What does that mean?
Take a look at your schedule - a month, a week or a day out - and get a loose idea of what you'd like to do, but be willing to change course if you need. One way to think about this could be, "Okay, I have 3 breaks today: 11am-12pm, 2-4pm and 7pm on. On one of those breaks I want to go for a run." So, you know your goal and can hold yourself accountable but are giving yourself (and your life) some wiggle room
Do you just go with "I live on the fly now" and fit it in when and how and where you can? That feels a little tough for our accountability factor, but if you set yourself a broad goal, it could still work! Like maybe you have a certain amount of classes you'd like to hit in a month. That gives you lots of time and wiggle room to accomplish that goal.
Or maybe (and the one we're going to encourage) you can prioritize your movement practice in the same way you prioritize other things. Maybe you commit to signing up for classes well in advance so that they are automatically worked into your schedule and routine. And remember, we personally have a 12 hour cancellation fee, so if anything comes up (which it may...but also probably won't), you have lots of time to get out and reschedule!
I'd be reminisce to not mention that it is EQUALLY important to plan your rest time too. There are days that I look at my calendar, look at my breaks and say "Okay, on one break I will run but on the other one I will nap." And more often than not, just making that mental note helps me succeed at BOTH.
Also, fun news, if you're an Aligned Video Member we're coming up with monthly calendars with suggested videos to do each day! We're hoping these help you navigate our vast collection of workouts AND hold you accountable to whatever your movement pace is - wanna workout every other day? Great! Just check out the suggested videos for your "on" days! Every day, once or twice a week? Don't worry - we've got you too :)
Those monthly calendars will be released each month beginning this February and we are SO EXCITED to share them with you!
So let's go for it! Keep catching the pitches and find your way to anticipate the curves, making sure you have enough left over for yourself so you can keep on giving to everyone you love.
Take care, friends. The world needs you, and more importantly, you need you.
All our love, always.
Cassandra + Pilates People
