Good morning!  I promise to report out on the trip to Colorado, but for now, I have a need to talk about learning to “go for it” in life.  This past weekend, I took part in the very first step in teaching classical Pilates with a company called Power Pilates.  Despite the name, this is not some over-the-top-go-as-hard-as-you can workout.  It IS as physically and mentally challenging as you make it.

After a tough week last week, the weekend allowed me to refocus and get centered again.  Balance is hard sometimes!  Albert Einstein once wrote, “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.”  So much truth!

Do you ever feel stuck?  I do.  I think most of us feel that way from time to time.  I am a champion at devising methods to keep busy, often wondering if I have time to get it all done… yet I sometimes feel I am going nowhere.  Winter is infamous for that feeling in my history book.  The roots of negativity grow deep within me.  I cultivated them for many years.

February can be a tough month in a cold, blustery part of the world.  The weather is all over the place, with plenty of extra exercise getting the snow moved out of the way.  Jaxon and I have both been grateful that the temperatures have not been bitter cold and we can get outside.  I am so glad that dog loves the snow!  There is good news… the days are getting longer, and soon spring will be knocking on the door. 

It is a blustery winter’s morning here in my corner of the globe.  Daily blankets of snow have once again replaced our wet, muddy winter.  It creates extra exercise for me as I work to keep the driveway cleared.  I got my first workout in well before the sun came up…and some extra at daybreak getting the driveway cleared.

That feels so good. 

Over the past week I realized how many habits I have created in my world.  I am a creature of habit.  I like the routine.  I am comforted by the ebb and flow of predictability.

Sadly, my habits have also reinforced poor choices regarding my life style.

The journey continues.

Despite my upbeat persona and optimism, I am having a tough time with my personal journey. 

As I have repeated many times over these past few weeks, it is simple.

It is not easy.

It has been bitter cold the past couple of days in this corner of the globe.  I am feeling fortunate to have a warm home, plenty of food, and find beauty in snowfall. 

My life is good.

Despite feeling fortunate about my life, and embracing Danish hygge this winter, I find myself struggling a bit day-to-day.  January is a difficult month, despite the newness of the year. 

The holidays are a difficult time for anyone who is trying to stay true to healthy habits… Including me.

The “holidays” are not just ONE day.  They are a string of days lasting from Thanksgiving until New Year’s Day.  The past weeks have been difficult to stay on track given the added stressors of the holidays.

Saturday was weight and measure day.  I have decided that routine checks of my progress with both weight AND measurements will help in the long run.  As someone who has had weight struggles for many years, I have a love-hate relationship with the scale.

Mostly hate