I didn’t forget last week, I was just stuck in Richmond due to a huge hail and rain storm.  I was supposed to get home last Thursday but instead I got to spend another night with Connie*, this time at the Chicago Airport. Last week I was going to be thankful to be home and in my bed, but that didn’t happen, so I was actually thankful for my American Express Corporate card

This week? I’m thankful for BIG HUGS.

Watch. You’ll smile. Promise.

*Anyone get the Mad Men reference? LOVE that show.

Today is a BIG one.  Today (and everyday) I’m thankful for BIKRAM YOGA! I finished my 60 in 60 today. Sixty classes in sixty days.  It was amazing and I had my best class yet.

Yesterday I went out and bought my “reward” which is a new (and my first) Lululemon outfit.  I got groove shorts and a pink top:

[source]                                            [source]

I also got a new fittoes pink towel

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It was really fun to indulge and reward myself for my hard work .

I started class by going in early to meditate in the room.  I wanted to make sure my mind was calm so that I could have a really good class. At first, I was so excited that my mind wouldn’t calm down but eventually it did.

Class started and I was extremely focused and getting really deep into postures.  I think my back bend was the deepest I’ve ever done!

Every posture was going well and I was so happy.  Yesterday, during Standing Bow Pulling Pose I got a really bad cramp in my right calf and it didn’t go away until late last night.  I was unable to do some of my favorite postures yesterday because of the cramp so I was really worried that it would happen again today.  I made sure to hydrate and when I would feel my right calf start to tense up, I would imagine that I was breathing right to that area.  It worked! I even briefly touched my head to my knee in Standing Head to Knee (my ability NOT to is all in my head-I can totally do this but I always fall out the minute I think “I CAN’T do this”).

We get to the floor series and I’m just so happy.  During the last belly down savasana, Courtney, the teacher asked me if I had gotten a new costume.  I answered “yes.” She asked if it was a reward for something. I said, “yes”. She then told the class that I had completed my 60 in 60 and everyone clapped.  It made me smile and reminded me why I love Bikram Yoga Boise SO MUCH. One of my teachers was practicing next to me and she gave me a little floor clap to let me know she was proud of me.

During Paschimotthanasana (Stretching Pose) I had my forehead touching my thumbs and Courtney asked me if I could do that at that beginning of my 60 day challenge and I answered “No.” Jamie, the owner of the studio, was also practicing and she said, “Chelsea has great proportions.” To which I replied, “That is the FIRST time anyone has ever said that about me.”

It’s true, my legs have always been a “hindrance.” They are incredibly short which makes cycling, running, and even swimming just a little bit harder.  With a 27 inch inseam, by body and head is longer than my legs by 4 inches.  I’ve always hated my legs but I’ve been consciously working on LOVING my legs through this journey and I was almost there.  After that comment and after thinking about it some more, I’m there.  I LOVE my legs.  Who knew? Yoga is something where my legs don’t limit me!

During our final savasana the class cheered for me again and Courtney asked what the 60 day challenge had meant to me.  I got choked up but answered: “I started the challenge with the goal of getting my pre-baby body back. Very quickly, I realized that it wasn’t about that.  It was about the peace and acceptance it brought me.” Which got some applause

Courtney then said some fabulously nice things about me including how my body has changed (it has!) and how it will continue to change.  She then dropped off a shirt, note, and a pen and I got to sign the Challenge Wall!

(Crappy phone photo warning!)

It says: What will be, will be. Remember…YOU are beautiful! ~Chelsea Titus 3.3.11

This saying came to me about 2 weeks into my 60 day challenge.  I was in the shower thinking about how skinny I could get doing Bikram.  I stopped myself and said that.  It’s been my mantra ever since.

So yes, I’m very thankful for Bikram, it has changed my life.  I love my studio and all the friends I’ve made. The instructors and all the people who take classes are so encouraging and make me happy that I’m part of such an amazing community.  I can’t wait to go to class tomorrow.

Front:
Bikram Yoga Boise
I did the Bikram Yoga Challenge
and all I got was…

Back:
A Better Body
Peace of Mind
Lower Blood Pressure
Stronger Core
6 Pack Abs
Reduced Stress
A Coconut Butt
Increased Flexibility
More Stamina
Increased Balance
Mental Clarity
…and a lot more!

60
in sixty days

Today I’m thankful for The Artist’s Way. I’m almost done with the course and it has brought so much perspective to my life.  I just finished Week 10 and it may have been the most impactful chapter that I’ve done.  My therapist was pleasantly surprised with how much I got out of this chapter.  Some gems:

“When we are clear about who we are and what we are doing, the energy flows freely and we experience no strain.” (p163)

“For some people, food is a creativity issue.  Eating sugar or fats or certain carbohydrates may leave them feeling dulled, hung over, unable to focus-blurry. They use food to block energy and change.” (p163)

“We turn to our drug of choice to block our creativity whenever we experience the anxiety of our inner emptiness.” (p165)

“When we are ogling the accomplishments of others, we take our eye away from our own through line.” (p172)

“…We cannot afford to think about who is getting ahead of us and how they don’t deserve it. The desire to be better than can choke off the simple desire to be.” (p173)

“The need to win-now!-is a need to win approval from others. As an antidote, we must learn to approve of ourselves.” (p175)

I’ve realized that sugar is my drug.  Doing some introspection and looking to where I’ve felt the best about what I’m putting into my body and how I feel about my body and life was when I was not eating sugar.  Ever since I made the decision to eat sugar in “moderation” I have felt out of control about food-like an addict.  I haven’t been eating sugar now since February 5th except for 1 day a week where I don’t have any restrictions on what I eat.  I feel like a different person!  The difference in me is AMAZING.  My therapist was worried about that one day a week and thought that I may crave sugar after that day.  I’ve found the exact opposite to be true. It makes me feel awful and so I stop eating it and want nothing to do with it. Last Friday I had some fries (high carb=sugar) and they made me feel ill so I threw them away halfway though.  Who is this person?!?!?! I’m not ravenous all day anymore and I feel good about how I’m fueling my body so yay!

My other vice was my Droid and we all know what I did about that .

So thank you to The Artist’s Way for helping me to see these things and thank you to ME for putting in the work

I’m thankful for focus.  I’m making a big leap today-I’m going to Verizon to get a Non-Smart Phone to unplug a bit.  I’m tired of being so connected and I’m tired of paying a huge phone bill every month.  I find that it’s hard to put my phone down even when I say I am going to.  The pull of the phone is too great so I’m getting rid of it.

Wish me luck!

Today I’m thankful for my Mom friends that I met because of Lucy.  I talk to some of them every day and I don’t know what I would do without them.  They help keep me sane.

I was in Seattle on business on Thursday and didn’t get a chance to post.  Since getting home I had work explode, I got puked on by a 2 year old that wasn’t Lu (good thing I love this little 2 year old with all my heart), and thought Lu had pneumonia but it ended up being “just” a bad cold and ear infection. It’s been a crazy week!

What’s important to me though, is that every Thursday I stop and think, and know what I am thankful for.  The truth is that I’m thankful for so many things in my life that this isn’t hard but I still think it’s a good exercise and it’s good to be mindful of what I am truly thankful for.

This week?

I’m thankful for my BFF Elaina.

(Warning-crappy cell phone photos ahead!)

We used to see each other every.single.day.  We sat right across from each other at work and talked all day long-no joke.  Either with words or with IMs.  Now that we’ve both moved (we actually both moved from the Bay Area within 2 weeks of each other) we hardly ever get to see each other.  We do IM, video chat, email, and text message but NOT ENOUGH!  The last time I saw her in person was SEPTEMBER!  Thankfully we had a team offsite in Seattle this week and we got to see each other.  It still wasn’t enough time but it was great to see her.

Shaun, Lu, and I NEED to make the drive up to see her and Richard and Brea (their sulky dog that I used to see everyday). We have to wait until the snow has melted some but then it’s ON LIKE DONKEY KONG!!!!

It’s just nice having someone that gets you and that you can be silent with.  Or someone that you each talk over the other and with each other and come to the same conclusion.  Or come to different conclusions but see why they came to the conclusion they came to.  She gets me and accepts me for who I am.  I am extremely thankful for that.  I miss her already.

Today I am thankful for Porter Rainn:

Isn’t he beautiful? He made me want a baby again…for about 5 minutes-a record I think!

We got to meet him on Tuesday and it was amazing.

I love him SO much.  Way to go Mommy and Daddy!

How did I forget 3 weeks in a row?  Suckage.

1. I’m thankful for beautiful Megan and Baby Loaf. NOW GET OUT!

2. I’m thankful for the lessons that Lucy teaches me everyday.

(No that’s not wine, it’s grape seed oil.  I SWEAR…or something.)

3. I’m thankful for the clarity that Bikram yoga is bringing to my mind.

In class, my eyes would be open but that’s a freaky picture so I won’t share it.  I always wonder (when my mind wanders) if it’s freaky for the teacher to see the 30 or so people in class laying there like dead people with their eyes open?  Maybe I should ask.

A bonus thankful thing?  You see my forehead wrinkles up there?  Either I’ve become much more accepting OR I think they’re not as bad since I started this whole zen yoga thing.  Either answer is A-OK with me!

You get a twofor today since I totally spaced and forgot last weeks!

First, I’m thankful for my beautiful Christmas tree and the experience that we got to have finding it.

Second, I’m thankful that my dear husband is learning how to cook.  Not because he wants to but because he wants to make some of my evenings a little bit easier and to take some of the cooking burden off of my shoulders.  What a guy!

(Tell us how you really feel honey.)

Last night I taught him how to make Green Curry and it was seriously delicious. 

I walked him through the steps but he made it all.by.himself.  Recipe to follow!

I have so much to be thankful for, here’s to NOT forgetting Thankful Thursday again!!!

I’m thankful for yesterday.  Family, friends, great food, great fun!

The table:

The appetizers (my guests said that the sausage and cheese plate from the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Hickory Farms box was good):

The ham (the star):

Apparently carving a turkey is very serious business:

My little “helper”:

The “helpers”:

My loves:

I love that Shaun took this picture. Great company:

My sister and I, ever competitive, wanted to see who could make the uglier pie:

I really do think my apple pie won the ugly contest:

Good thing, they were both DELICIOUS (or so I was told).

Couldn’t have been a better day!