Signs of Change

Well, it’s December, and as I both predicted and anticipated, there is change. A lot of change. Please let me catch you up on what’s been happening since September.

Shortly after my little camping adventure, I lost the key to the restaurant. I was at work teaching fitness in our local senior center. I had all of my keys dangling from various little rings on my big key ring and I closed my fingers around the one I needed. As I moved to open a closet, something caught somewhere and three keys flew off of one of the smaller rings. Two fell right at my feet. The third whizzed across the room and fell through a crack in the floor. That was the first sign. There was no way to retrieve that key. I had to confess to my boss that the key was gone. She offered to have another key made, but I chose instead to use the combination lock box to get in to work. I’ve never lost a key before and felt guilty; asking to use the lock box must have been that part of me deep inside that knew I was not going to need that key anymore.

Around the same time that I lost the key, I started receiving a lot of calls for private fitness training work. I had taken a break from private clients for both a change of pace and also to take the job at the restaurant. Because it’s hard for me to say no to folks who need help, I began to accept private clients again. The work is rewarding in every way—to see someone who was unable to get out of bed progress to being able to do that seemingly simple movement—or to see someone who had trouble with balance begin to walk once more with confidence, rather than fear—or to be able to work with someone who is serious about their fitness and health goals and moves forward with unrelenting drive and commitment—it brings me great joy. And income. It’s a win-win that I seemed to have forgotten, with all the excitement around being lead cook in a restaurant.

Then, in November, my dear life partner Bill had a biopsy resulting in a diagnosis of cancer. Treatable, probably, and also a wake-up call for remembering how much I treasure him and our time together. It only made sense to end my time at The Whale’s Jaw Cafe so that I could focus on the other passions in my life—Bill and senior fitness. Guess that’s why I didn’t ask for another key…

It’s hard to do everything. I was working so many hours that I barely had time to relax at home, to take care of myself (and Bill, and my mom) and experience the other aspects of life I had been missing while I was putting in so many hours in someone else’s kitchen. I’ll also have more time and energy to work on growing our nonprofit https://www.foreverybody.life which, by the way, is offering a free month of classes right now!

I guess what I’m trying to say is that there are signs. All the time. We just need to pay attention to them and decide what those signs mean. For me, the loss of the key was blatant. I pushed against that sign for a little while before the other signs began to wave like impatient battle flags, signaling me to make my move.

I know there is more change coming. I’m waiting and watching for what is coming next, all the while being in the moment, loving being present with Bill, my clients and classes. Winter solstice and the darkness of the season bring the opportunity for reflection, seeking light and the best of what is real in this life. I’m waiting and also not waiting; more focused on being. It feels good. Better than good. It feels right, and exactly where I want to be.

In other news, I made this beautiful cranberry pear pie with candied pecans to take to a holiday party tonight. I had time, my own amazing kitchen and the desire to create. I know you can’t have a piece, and I likely won’t get one either, but it sure came out pretty! If you’d like the recipe, leave a comment and I will share it with you.

Wishing you a happy, peaceful winter solstice, a glorious holiday season, and the desire to recognize and act on the signs of change in your own life.

Namaste,

Elizabeth

Change is in the Air

Happy Tuesday!

So far, I seem to be on track with my goals except for writing blog posts, so that is where I am going to give more energy and attention. Change is challenging. It’s hard to start/restart new habits and behaviors. Hard to let go of what gets in the way of change. Summer has flown by (have you noticed that the older you get, the faster time goes?), I’ve barely written a thing, and autumn has fallen upon us right on schedule.

Each of us is different, so it only makes sense that each of us must find what works best when we are trying to change our behaviors or make changes in our lives. I am the kind of person who functions best when I have schedules and routines. There is something comforting in knowing what I am going to do, and then doing it as planned. Letting myself down is not an option. I use the calendar on my phone for appointments and work schedules, so it makes sense to add writing posts to my calendar. That being said…I’ll be right back after I schedule some posts.

So. I spent a couple of nights glamping in Little Compton, RI. There’s something about sleeping outdoors that truly brings me closer to nature and the earth. I’m not afraid of bugs, squirrels, deer or a little water. (No bears in RI, thank goodness.) The weather forecast promised a hurricane, so I thought I was about to start a new adventure sport and went around telling my friends I was going “hurricane camping”. It turned out to be no more than a bit breezy the first evening, began to rain a bit during the night and through most of the second day, but it definitely was not a hurricane. I was a tiny bit disappointed and also a tiny bit relieved, as I would not have enjoyed the tent blowing away and jumping into my truck to sleep.

Sunday morning sunrise left me in awe of the world once again. I woke up very early, unusual for me, especially sleeping outdoors, where I have been known to sleep late into the morning. I wandered around the property where we stayed, taking in the morning stars remaining in the sky, then settled down by the fire pit to watch the day’s light come, feeling the warmth on my skin, still shivering a bit while I waited for my best friend to join me. Over the couple of days we were away, I had time for some introspection—to think about my future and the dreams I still carry about how I want to share myself and my talents/skills during the time I have left in this life. The clarity that comes to me when I am away from work and all other responsibilities and have time to relax and unwind outdoors is the best. It feels cleaner. Untarnished by distractions of daily life. There are opportunities coming my way and I am having a difficult time choosing what is best for me and for my family. After just a few days away, I know now to follow my heart, move forward and prepare for what’s next. It will be more change, and that is good.

Our host at the site told us there was a solar shower. Here I am, deciding I do not need a shower enough to hang this from a tree and pour cold water onto my already chilled body.

I feel strongly that the changes coming will happen in December. I’m not sure why, but I’m going to go with it and see how it all unfolds. As we move through this autumn, I will bring awareness and focus to the details of the opportunities coming, as I know that paying attention will help me make decisions.

Are you experiencing change or anticipating change? Are you preparing? If so, how? Please feel free to respond in the comments here.

Love + Namaste,

Elizabeth

A Special Event For You

Hi everybody, and happy Wednesday!

The plantar fasciitis is getting better, day by day. Thank you to all the folks who sent me healing energy, suggestions and good wishes. It’s wonderful to have kind readers who comment and respond—makes me feel like you are on the journey with me, which, I guess, you are.

Today, I’d like to take the time and use this blog space to share a special event with you. Our nonprofit, For Every Body, Inc., offers a series of wellness workshops (among other things—have you checked out our website?) that relate to different aspects of the Wellness Wheel.

Wellness Wheel? What’s that?

Here’s a great (and giant!) graphic of our version of the Wellness Wheel:

Nice, huh? We like to have fun with our graphics are are lucky ducks that the amazing Rosa has helped us create this fun one. As you can see, there are many aspects of wellness. Our goal is to address all of them. Last spring, we began to offer a wide variety of workshops addressing different areas of the wheel during spring and summer, then we took a break to focus on other business areas. We are back with more Wellness Workshops this summer.

Our next Wellness Workshop takes place on Zoom on Wednesday, June 21, at 4:00 pm Eastern time. You can attend for free. (And if you can’t make it, you will be able to watch a recording at a later date.) Read on, then click on the link at the end of this post to join us for this terrific event if you wish. Be sure to add it to you calendar.

Our guest presenter is Nathan Ives. It is my good fortune that Nathan is my neighbor, as he is one of those truly good people who gives his all to his family, his job and his community. Nathan is an Episcopal priest, as well as an environmental activist. He is currently working on a massive project to bring American Elms back to Cape Ann, particularly to Rockport and Gloucester. He’s the Johnny Appleseed of American Elms—and his mission is called Project Elm. We are blessed to have Nathan give us some of his precious time to talk about why he has chosen this Dutch Elm planting project and how it has meaning for Cape Ann. Here’s an article from the Gloucester Daily Times with more information about the project. One last link for you to check out: an interview Nathan did with Gloucester’s very own Heather Atwood in her series Cape Ann Today, from Studio 1623 in Gloucester.

Please join us for this presentation! Here’s the Zoom link:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86423577960?pwd=UWprMm9aaXA0dFBEREFYY0tQN1BzUT09

Passcode: 974425

A Little Setback

All of my dreams are still coming true, which is exciting! Our nonprofit For Every Body, Inc., is continuing to change and grow. My classes at the Rockport Senior Center are full of folks excited to move their bodies and make gains in strength, balance and endurance. The Whale’s Jaw Cafe grows busier by the day as summer approaches and I am cooking up a storm, using plant-based recipes for our dinner special every Friday night. I am motivated, constantly thinking about new ideas for our website, new music and choreography for classes, new recipes for the cafe. My mind bounces between all three with joy and passion. When all the stars are aligned and everything is going along so well, why do things have to change?

I am on my fourth round of plantar fasciitis in my left foot. Have you ever had plantar fasciitis? If not, you are fortunate. It’s painful. It’s hard to treat and heal, especially for someone who relies on their feet for work. The pain is the absolute worst first thing in the morning when the tissue has been resting during sleep. So, I hobble out of bed and begin to rotate my foot from the ankle, trying to dynamically stretch it until it’s flexible enough to walk.

Am I going to allow this setback to take away my joy? Will I slip back to that place of being stuck? Absolutely not! My goals to move forward are still intact. I add more self-care to my evenings, icing, massaging and stretching my foot. I am taking a break from running, and this weekend cycled around the whole of Cape Ann with my best friend. I teach my classes and go easy on that poor, sore left foot. I have done this before and I can do it again. More energy will go into planning. And to family time. And writing and playing music. Creating new recipes. Working with my new intern! (That’s a topic for another post so keep an eye out for it.)

I am going to keep going. I am not stuck, just hurt. I will heal, one day at a time, until I am ready to return to beautiful long runs in the forest and return to days without pain.

Here’s a pic from my bike ride. This one was taken at the Annisquam Bridge, a fun little addition on a perfect day to cycle!

Unstuck

Hey there. How’s it going? It’s been quite a while.

Have you ever been stuck? Well I sure have and just now am feeling particularly unstuck. So much of my life has changed in the past ten years that I can barely keep up with it myself, let alone take time to share it with you. Today I have decided it’s time to come back here. I’m ready. I can squeeze it in. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It can be what it is, just like life.

I had been feeling stuck mostly because my days were the same for so long. They oozed into each other like oil puddles in the rain. I’ve been teaching fitness classes, running, writing a cookbook, then my life partner had a massive health crisis and with all that has entailed, care giving for my partner and my mom—I could go on, but I trust that you get the picture. The pandemic certainly mixed things up, although I did enjoy the isolation, being at home (I wrote 17 songs!) and some superb time with the my tiny bubble of six, including us. We definitely all grew closer in a good way.

The pandemic also changed my fitness classes. I had to learn how to use Zoom and prepare all new release forms so that I could continue to service the fitness community I had created through our local Council On Aging. As that evolved, my list of participants grew extensively. Husbands, cousins, sisters, friends, parents all joined and came to classes even beyond the U.S. Shortly after that, my dear friend Steve presented me with the idea to co-found a nonprofit online wellness community called For Every Body, Inc. Steve and I share the almost insane goal of leaving a legacy of wellness through this online community. It is inclusive, focused on older adults, addressing all eight aspects of the Wellness Wheel. We are ambitious dreamers!

Well. There’s a good start. I have so much more to share and envision several short posts each week, sharing more details of how I became unstuck and the catalysts that were successful for me, as well as share some details of the journey along the way. I will give you a broad hint: All of my dreams are coming true.

Love + Namaste,

Elizabeth

P.S.

I’ve been into making photo cards lately, and have some great shots to share—as soon as I have time to figure out how WordPress works again..or get my wizard offspring to help me. xo