Day 55 -- Use What You Have

Today was my last double, heaven willing and the creek don't rise.

Sometimes, when you state an intention, the Universe seems to conspire against you. A bad night's sleep, hormonal craziness, a freezer with only one Vitamin Water left in it, a very full weekend ahead--let's just say that it wasn't the ideal day for a double. The Challenge ends next Wednesday, so in theory I could have put it off, but I didn't want to tempt Fate.

So I just did it. And now it's done. And I'm all caught up. Knock on wood.

My other doubles went better; maybe today it was all about the cumulative fatigue. Fortunately, I had two favorite teachers: Brook and Jeff. They got me through it, as did friends like Roxanne, Corinne, Philip, and Megan. And Eva! She rocked the 9am class today.

I loved something the ever-wise Brook said today. Every day, we bring what we have into the studio. It's not always what we wish we had; sometimes it's less than what we usually have. But when you use what you have, what you have gets stronger. And that's a comfort on a day when it felt like I didn't bring very much. No worries; just use what you have.

Day 40 -- Showing Up

Well, today I should be two thirds of the way through the Sixty-Day Challenge.

Except I'm not.

Last night, I went to bed pleased and hopeful--glad that I'd done that double, and feeling confident that I could do two more to finish the Challenge before April 29.

And then this morning, my six-year-old woke up with yet another fever. I'd planned to go to the 9am class this morning--and a newbie friend was going to come with me--and I had to cancel. The ground I gained yesterday is lost again. I'm back to owing three doubles in the next twenty days.

On other days, I might be able to do an afternoon or evening class once my teenagers are home, but not today. Not with two kids having orthodontist appointments at 3:30, three kids having swim practice at 5:40, and one receiving his Cub Scout Arrow of Light at 7:00 tonight. I'm booked up solid with kid stuff.

When I'm being rational, I remember that my family is my first priority, and that taking care of sick kids is a) part of the job I chose; and b) fulfilling in its own way.

But this Challenge is important to me. I didn't know whether I could even get this far, and now that there's light at the end of the tunnel, it's hard not to resent anything that gets in the way of my momentum.

So here I am, trying to let it go. I can show up for my family, and hopefully tomorrow my daughter will be well, and I can show up for another back-to-back double at the yoga studio.

Day 16 -- Best-Laid Plans

Well, I had planned to do a double today. It's Spring Break for my kids, so except for my 16-year-old's early morning swim practice, the day was pretty unstructured.

I went to the 11am class. Brook taught; it was awesome. I've come to terms with the fact that Bikram class will never not be hard, and I'm even looking forward to the daily challenge of getting through the postures with grace and serenity. Fixed Firm pose went great today! And after it was over, I savored my slushy Vitamin Water on the way home.

(Pro tip: get your favorite flavors of Vitamin Water at the warehouse store. Put them in the deep freezer. Before class, take one out and take it into class with you. By the end of 90 minutes at 105 degrees, it'll be thawed enough to be Slurpee-ish. I never drink the VW in class; it's my treat for the car ride home. Plain ice water is all I want/need during the class itself.)

I came home and took a nap, ate, and hydrated, planning to go back to the 4:30 class. (We have Family Night on Monday nights, so later classes weren't an option.) I felt rested and serene and ready.

And then at 3:30, my six-year-old, Anne, ran across the hardwood living room floor in her socks, slipped, and face planted. Chin to floor. Split it right open. After I iced it for a couple of minutes, I could tell it would need stitches, so off we went to the Emergency Room.

Even though we got right in, the visit took nearly three hours. But Anne was a trooper, and the doctors and nurses were very kind and competent. I felt calm and completely not anxious. Anne and I read and played clapping games and talked about our upcoming trip to Disneyland. She's resting comfortably at home now, and I just ordered pizza.

Sometimes life takes over, and you just have to go with it. I can try again for a double on Friday or Saturday. It'll happen.

Day 8 -- Respite

Today because of church commitments, I can't make one of the four scheduled yoga classes. That's okay. I've already talked to Jeff about strategies for doing "doubles," meaning two classes in a day, because I'll have to do at least two to complete the challenge.

Let's face it: as out of shape as I am and with Daylight Savings Time starting, my body was glad for the respite.