Wednesday, February 22, 2012

When you are in over your head

those hiking poles will come in handy!   Thanks to CJ we have some new insights into hiking;  keep your weight over your feet both going up and down, leave the little black shoes for another time and during the winter you can go places you can't get to in the summer.  When talking about what gets her out and what keeps her motivated she said she has been hiking and skiing since she was three.  That is so important is this day of video games and computers, if you have young children or access to young children as a grandparent, aunt, uncle, Big Brother, Big Sister, take those children outside and help them to love the outdoors and moving. It's easy to love the beautiful outdoors in Haines.  

You might want to reread the the last few blogs to be ready for this week. 

Please put the Luna Bar Film Fest and Silent Auction on your calendar for March 9th.  It is a fundraiser for the Haines Cancer Travel Fund sponsored by WISEWOMAN and South East Alaska State Fair. 

Sunday, February 12, 2012

"The best way to predict the future is to create it." ~ Peter Drucker

The book  "brain rules" by John Medina  includes "12 principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home and School." .  Rule #1:  Exercise boosts brain power.  We hear more and more about how activity helps us learn.  Medina says "Aerobic exercise just twice a week halves your risk of general dementia.  It cuts your risk of Alzheimer's by 60%."   Jeanne talked about how our brains are plastic which refers to the plasticity or neuroplasticity, which is the ability of our brains to change with new experiences and to create new neuropathways so we can remember the new things we are learning. 

 The second book she talked about was "Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us" by Daniel H. Pink. Pink talks about three elements that motivate us; autonomy, mastery, and purpose.  Jeanne says autonomy is deciding what we want to do and with whom, mastery is finding something that is "just right" for us, "like Goldilocks", and purpose is something with a meaning to who we are in the big picture.  She also talked about the theory of "flow" which is getting lost in something you enjoy. 

Hope you all saw the "four tips for staying fit" also from the book "Drive" on the back of the handout:  1. Set your own intrinsic goals; 2. Ditch the treadmill, unless you really like treadmills; 3.  keep mastery in mind as" getting better at something provides a great source of renewable energy";  and 4.  reward yourself the right way with a "now that" reward. I hope you take some time to read it. 

We are into week six, are your 12 week goals still where you want to go?  Do you need to make some adjustments?  How can the group help you? 

Sunday, February 5, 2012

"Discipline....Who likes that word?"

Chorus taught us the three fundamental principles in Seibukan Jujutsu: Awareness, Assessment and Action. Awareness is being honest with yourself and looking at the situation you are in.  Assessment is making a connection with what you know about yourself. Action is making a decision to change or accept your situation. 
The Martial Arts Culture brings together people with a common goal and teaches an increased ability to meet the demands of life.  Sometimes there is no escape but to fight back and this brings feeling of anger, fear and frustration.

I think these principles and culture can be said about "The Challenge" as well.  We have come together with a common goal: to try to make some change in our lives.  There is an awareness that we need to make a change.  Have you been honest with yourself about what that changes needs to be and made the connection with what you know about yourself?  Sometimes we come to awareness from something someone else may have said and we jump right to action.  It is important to take the time to be honest and own that awareness before we can really take action.  Look at your twelve week goals again and again and make sure they are what you want and if they are, set those weekly intentions to meet those goals.  If not, take some time, rewrite the goals and again set those weekly intentions to get you where you want to go.  Be honest, figure out what you really want and then go for it.  You are investing 12 weeks, so make it worth your time. 

The Dick Hotch Basketball Tournament is this weekend and WISEWOMAN is sponsoring a "Pack the Gym Red" Day on Saturday, 2/11.  This is an "awareness to action campaign" to increase your knowledge of the #1 Killer; Heart Disease. If you come out on Saturday, 2/11, wear Red!

The Southeast Alaska State Fair & Well & Fit Community Council is partnering for the Winter Olympics on Saturday, February 18th, starting with a Community Skate at 10:00am (weather permitting), ski & sled races, softball and golf in the snow, and a Chili Cook Off.  Put it on your calendar and watch for further details.