Now that my decisions are made and my anxiety has lessened considerably, I can feel my creative juices coming back. I know this because I feel a strong urge to learn something new. I also find myself saying to myself and others, “I wonder if…?” That is one of my favorite questions and it drives my husband a little nuts sometimes. The other day I said, “I wonder if the sun is solid or is it gas?” I had listened to a video about that and I became fascinated. Of course, he can’t answer that question and neither can I. This indicates to me that it is time to ponder about some way to channel my energy and mind. Overall, I am happy to be in this curious mindset again.

When looking back on five years worth of blogs, there are just a few that still feel important for me to read over and over for myself. I think this one especially is worth revisiting. I changed the name because it applies to everyone.

Dear Everyone,

This is difficult for me to write, but I am a big believer in transparency. I would rather people know the truth and not be left wondering about the details and reasons why.

Having a therapeutic massage is absolutely one of the best ways to take care of yourself. I admit that I am biased since I was a massage therapist for 32 years, and back rubs were also a favorite activity in my house growing up. A back rub could cure most anything it seemed. I carried through with the tradition with my own sons. I firmly believe that having a therapeutic massage as often as you can will help you feel better in so many areas of your life.

We have been hearing so much lately about how awful sitting is for us. The phrase is, “Sitting is the new smoking.” Well, sitting in and of itself is not bad. It is how and why we sit that is important.

We all experience physical pain sometimes. It is part of being human. Pain frightens us, so we avoid it like the plague. Often we run to the medicine cabinet as fast as we can to pop a pill to make it go away. There is certainly a place for pain medication, and I am not suggesting that medication is never necessary. What I am suggesting though, is that we take a moment to ask why is this pain showing up now?

Have you ever encountered a staircase with no rails and felt that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach? Or what about very rough ground that made it hard to get a solid foothold? Something like this happened to me recently when I found myself needing to cross a fairly narrow bridge with water on both sides and there was nothing to hold on to. I had my cane to mark the edge but it freaked me out all the same.

Do your wrists hurt or feel vulnerable when you perform certain exercises like planks or push-ups? Are there yoga poses you feel you can’t do because of your wrists?

Well, my intention for the blog post this week was to write about Hyper-mobility Joint Syndrome and how it can cause painful joints. Now that I am sitting down to write it, it just feels way too academic and frankly, boring. I am very interested in the topic and I think it is a subject worth addressing, but not today. I feel like laughing. I hope this post will make you laugh too. It is the best medicine after all.

I discovered a really cool way to locate the balance point in my body. Well, actually my physical Therapist encouraged me to do this little exercise whenever I think about it. I have been playing around with it for a couple of months now. It is powerful enough for me to want to share it with you. It will seem crazy simple, which in my mind is elegant. I will tell you how to do it.

Each month, we feature  and discount one of our programs. Being the whimsical person that I am, there is no rhyme or reason for what I choose or what the price will be. I don’t even tell myself until the last minute.

You asked for more yoga and we created a brand new flow for you. This one is strengthening and soothing. The movements are combined with breathing, which strengthens your entire body while sending oxygen to every cell. There are no standing poses, so once you are on the floor, you can stay there. The guided relaxation at the end will leave you feeling calm and alert. This one is ideal for use in the morning, evening, or anytime in between.

Hi Everyone,

I made a mistake in the title of the last blog post. A reader called it to my attention. I admit I am rather embarrassed by the whole thing. I am compelled to say something so I can let it go and also maybe some of you will learn something by my mistake.

The word in the title should have been “eavesdropper” not “ease dropper.” I can assure you I will never make that mistake again.

Here is the link to the blog - Are You A Secret Eavesdropper? Closed Doors Can Change A Life

Good health to you,
Mel

It is a cool, rainy day and Jingles, my guide dog is curled at my side keeping me safe and warm. Fear, anger, and sadness have been running high these last weeks and I decided that today is the day to go digging around in my inner terrain to find out why. These deep explorations are not much fun, but in order to free myself, I have learned that these trips are necessary. Emotions are not supposed to take up residence in a body. They are supposed to be “energy in motion,” so they need to keep moving. It is up to us to keep them moving through, so they do not get stuck, and set us up for depression and disease.

Sore muscles can ruin a great vacation, especially if you are being active in unusual ways. Maybe you are walking barefoot in soft beach sand and your muscles start complaining, or  maybe you got a little too rowdy in the swimming pool. We don’t want you hurting, so we are offering The Whole Body Stretch as our featured workout for June.

Your body has a language and you can learn it. It speaks to you in every moment in so many ways. Learning to listen to what your body is saying can keep you in better shape for longer. It will also keep your medical bills down.

I had the privilege of speaking to the AER Division on Aging about Eyes-Free Fitness® programs and how they can be incorporated into the lives of senior citizens with vision impairments.

The question I get most often is “Which of the Eyes-Free Fitness® programs are safe for seniors at home and in various group settings?” I think the answer might help you choose a program for yourself or a family member.

Denial has been my dark best friend for almost my whole life. I am coming up on 60 years now, and I am ready to let it go. Denial isn’t working for me anymore.

One of my preoccupations these days is my knees. I have been going to physical therapy to strengthen them because they have become unstable. I decided to be proactive and walk my talk. That means I need to take care of my knees so they will continue to take care of me.

I suppose it is pretty obvious by now that group classes are not my favorite thing. After all, I make audio fitness programs so I can help people avoid group classes. However, I understand that many people with visual impairments do want to benefit from the support and camaraderie that can be found in these settings. They also provide social interaction and they are motivating.