As I walked into Target the other day, I saw a lady sitting on a bench while her 3 year old son was LOSING HIS MIND due to the fact that his mother would not buy him the Star Wars Lego set that he “NEEDS to LIIIIIIIIVVVVVVVE!”
I watched, in awe, as she just sat there, looking straight out into the abyss, not letting this miniature demon rattle her.
I feel you, lady.
She takes a sip of water.
Godspeed.
May the force be with you.
I smile at her…
I am smiling now.
Somehow, I feel validated! A shift, and one I welcome.
Some days are harder than others. Some days you feel empty, it’s difficult, and that is okay. Some days you feel stiff, unmotivated, almost frozen, sitting on a bench outside of Target, while “someone’s” child is having a meltdown over the Lego crisis that is 2020! That’ s okay too… You just can’t camp out there for the next month.
Perspective. COVID fatigue is hitting us HARD! Fighting it is HARD! We’re tired of being cooped up, tired of being careful, tired of being scared. Our collective fatigue is making some people super cranky! We need to call upon our coping skills to prevent ourselves from throwing ourselves on the floor at the grocery store because they ran out of Nutella (trust me…it would be a scene if that ever happened! I can’t even let my mind go there!).
How to Cope
Self-Care is Not Selfish!
According to an article from US Davis Health (yes, I read articles in my spare time!) facing this fatigue is important for our personal health and for beating the Coronavirus that has shaken our life so completely.
We need to help ourselves. We need to take care of ourselves! We’ve heard this before, but it’s true; It’s time to take care of yourself first.
According to Dr. Kaye Hermanson, a UC Davis Health psychologist, here are a few tips:
Exercise: “It’s the No. 1 best thing we can do for coping,” she said. “Any exercise – even a simple walk – helps. It releases endorphins, gets some of the adrenaline out when the frustration builds up. Just getting out and moving can be really helpful for people.”
Talking: “This really helps, too. Just saying it out loud is important,” Hermanson said. “Find the right places and times, but do it. Ignoring feelings doesn’t make them go away. It’s like trying to hold a beachball underwater – eventually you lose control and it pops out. You can’t control where it goes or who it hits.”
Constructive Thinking: “We may think it is the situation that causes our feelings, but actually, our feelings come from our thoughts about the situation,” she said. “We can’t change the situation, but we can adjust our thinking. Be compassionate with yourself and others. Remind yourself, “I’m doing the best I can.”
Mindfulness and Gratitude: “The more you do this, the easier it gets,” she said. “Try being in the moment. You’re right here, in this chair, breathing and looking around. We put ourselves through a lot of unnecessary misery projecting into the future or ruminating about the past. For now, just take life day by day.”
She said coping can start by just being aware, and by being easy on yourself.
You heard her…get to a class!
(that’s what I heard). We can do this.
Yoga offers us a chance to both look inward, and to expand outward all in one breath. It offers us the tools to stay present with ourselves and to be present with one another in the NOW. Now can be uncertain, uncomfortable, and at times, not fun. We long for time with friends, activities that feel supportive, we miss togetherness, and we fear for the future.
Take time to fill your cup, practice feeling your own presence, and share sacred space with one another! Share this practice with family, a friend, or your exhausted child. Use it to connect and reset, and move in the direction that makes you feel alive.
Visit our schedule page HERE to sign up for a class. Check out all the new classes in our VOD library. It’s all fun, and a great way to get ready and set for a new month.
May today be lighter than yesterday, and may you follow the pull to move and care for yourself better, and better.
I’m here if you need me. You know where to find me.
You are doing great.
What’s new at TCY
Class schedule:
If someone were to ask me what’s the most challenging part of owning a studio…my answer would be: “figuring out THE PERFECT schedule”. (I know…first world problems!) When we re-opened the studio in June, we wholeheartedly decided to keep the Zoom/Virtual classes going. With our state’s social distancing requirement, our studio is allowed 8 people in its classes (ugh). Which means, of course, that live Zoom and virtual offerings are a huge part of how we continue to serve our members.
As much as we wish we could flood the calendar with in-studio and virtual classes, giving everyone plenty of options, it’s not financially possible to keep classes on the schedule that only get 1-3 people per class.
So, let’s just talk about the elephant in the room for a sec… the schedule is an evolving puzzle! Classes averaging 1-2 participants for a few weeks will need to be evaluated and temporarily taken off the schedule until things stabilize. Everything is temporary, and we are always open to suggestions. Please know we are doing our absolute best to try and figure this out all while making sure we keep our doors open!
Up next, we are working on live-streaming our in-studio classes. This would help create more openings in classes and keep our community together. As always, this is a work in progress and involves planning, equipment, training, etc. Stay tuned. I’m no quitter…I WILL figure it out.
Thankfully, Jill, Patsy and Lisa have been hard at work recording new videos to add to our VOD library! If there’s not a class on the calendar, check out one of their videos. They are AMAZING! Patsy added a couple great 30/30 classes, and Jill is coming up with some amazing specialized sculpt classes (that I am STILL feeling in my quads today!)
Please keep an eye on the schedule for updates to the class schedule. Again, thank you for your patience as we work through this and try and come up with a schedule that works for everyone.
Personal Training
November Special: 2 sessions for $99
Want help defining your fitness goals? Personal training can help! We are so excited to be able to offer one-on-one personal training sessions at TCY! Our passion is “functional fitness”. We take into account your current fitness level and discuss what you want to achieve through your workouts. While you may have some idea of the goals you want to set, we can help you break them down into smaller goals that are specific and realistic.
During your sessions we will create a specific workout plan just for you based on what you want to achieve. We work on the proper way to perform each exercise movement in your routine. Learning how to perform exercises properly reduces your risk of injury. You also will be able to do the exercises on your own at home or at the gym after getting professional fitness instruction.
For more information on scheduling a personal training session please email us at info@thecyclingyogi.com for more information!
Member Spotlight
A HUGE congratulations to Tamara S. for making it into The Cycling Yogi’s 1,000 Club! Yes…that mean Tamera has not only attended 1,000 classes – she gave 100%, encouraged her fellow members, and graced us with her bright and fun personality! We are so grateful that you joined us for 1,000 classes filled with sweat and smiles. Here’s to 1,000 more!
As always, thanks so much for opening (and possibly reading) our emails! We appreciate each and every one of you! Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or anything you may have.
We’re in this together!
With love,
Susie
