Your Definition of Beauty?

A favorite coach/fitness expert of mine -- who I've followed for several years, who's uber creative with choreography, and whose energy and spirit exude optimism, light and confidence -- has made some changes to her appearance that make me stop, pause and think. She's beautiful now and she was beautiful then, but it makes me question: How much is too much? Where does one cross the line from loving movement and strength and energy and some soft makeup, to living off plain grilled chicken breasts and drowning themselves in beauty products and procedures?

I still adore this woman -- she's gotten thousands of women (and men) off the couch and into their bodies in a loving, enthusiastic way. She's one of those who taught me how not only movement or physical activity tunes us into our bodies (therein our lives) but also more specifically how resistance training teaches the invaluable lesson of body awareness. (And, no, not sculpting-perfect-body-awareness, just the good old-fashioned knowledge of becoming familiar with one's own structure, frame, muscles, strength and flexibility.)

Since I, like you, am bombarded with beauty messages and get-happy-quick tips on a daily basis, I think we have to define what truly works for ourselves on an individual basis. Through my personal training, I teach that we can find peace, joy and freedom through listening to our bodies, but that's not a quick fix to put you on a Milan runway overnight -- nor does it promise the "perfect" weight, Mr. Right around-the-corner, job security, 2.5 children, and a sense of peace for daily levitating. I believe we all have to define our sense of beauty -- from how far we'll go using beauty products, etc., to letting our inner light be Enough.

*Where do you draw a line in having pride in your appearance v. letting your beauty shine from the inside-out?

*How do you listen to your body, your energy, on a daily basis -- and sometimes a moment-to-moment basis -- to guide your sense of truth and peace?

*And, if you have a hard time listening to your body -- or if it's a foreign concept, why not give it a shot?

You might have seen this before, but someone sent this to me today, and it's a good reminder for us all to exhale -- and thank Dove for keeping it real!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kh7jsxi79pc

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Translate P to T and E

Wow, I'm about to take my own advice here, except it's not really my advice but from Natalie Goldberg, author of Writing Down the Bones. Instead of justifying or explaining my lapse in contributing to my own blog, I'll write some notes Goldberg gives:

Writing Ideas and Tips from Writing Down the Bones:
*Pick up the rhythms around you.
*Breathe deeply.
*Go for the jugular. If it's scary or naked, dive right into it; it probably has lots of energy.
*Capture the oddities of your mind.
*First thoughts have tremendous energy.
*Sit down with the least expectation of yourself. Say: "I am free to write the worst junk in the world." Give yourself the space to write a lot without destination.
*If the process is good, the end will be good. You will get good writing.

These tips correlate to your body/spirit energy, too. If you're like me, the P word haunts you. Perfectionism. So, whether you're writing or dancing or brainstorming or organizing, use these tips. Go with the flow. Allow some room for the T word. Trust. And, while you're at it, get to know the E word. Enough. You are enough. You can trust your work, your ideas, your being. Your flow is enough.