check yourself II.

Week 2 of my new physical and mental health goals. How'd it go?

Uhh...well...here's an auditorial interpretation of my efforts this week:

Yeah, so, not my best. I had three goals for Week 2:

1. Do a new physical activity this week - anything.
2. Do a new mental activity this week. 
3. Order the paperback version of The Joy Diet.

One out of three isn't so terrible, right? Because I did do #1, and I did it big-time. First, I went to my old step aerobics class on Saturday morning. I was out of practice, but it was good times. And then, last night, I attended an African dance class with my friend Yanna. It was...unreal. Live drummers, talented dancers, major adrenaline and endorphins, and...me. It was a workout, no doubt. I'm sore from head to toe today, even though I truly don't remember doing anything to exercise, say, my biceps. 

And you know what? I'm gonna go right ahead and count the dance class for #2 as well. I was way, way out of my comfort zone. Par exemple: A major portion of the 90-minute class involves forming two lines and then executing the dance steps I had learned less than 10 minutes earlier. Towards the live drummers. With all the other (super talented muscular intense awesome) dancers watching. YEAH. Yanna...I still am in semi-disbelief that I didn't run away screaming, and that may have only been because then I would have been stuck in Chelsea with no way home, nor did I want to bring shame to my high school kin. 

Some of you who regularly try new, exciting activities (!R, I'm thinking of you, with your acrobat classes and whatnot) might not think this was such a big deal. To that, I can only say, YUH-HUH IT WAS. I looked like a fool 98% of the time (that's 88 minutes, audience members), and my massive ineptitude was reflected in the host of floor-to-ceiling mirrors. I smacked an indoor tree with my hand, and then my foot. It was frightening, awkward, and uncomfortable. (Not unlike the ladybug orgy that's going down around my desk lamp right now...geez, ladies. Let's keep it civil.)

But also? It was invigorating. Empowering. A chance to completely lose myself in the moment, without even having to try. Fun, when all was said and done. And, now that I think about it, definitely a win for Goal #2.

So I didn't do #3, ordering the paperback, but that wasn't the most important one. I did stay on top of my work's exercise program's daily/weekly goals, but my mental health goals pretty much followed the same pattern as the week before - I did one full-out deep breathing session, and the rest were little spurts here and there. Hey, at least I'm remembering to try it when I need to. And I had big mental health success late last week, so I must be doing something right...

Now the challenge will be ramping it up even more, and staying on top of the daily goals. My physical activity goals are good; I may even up my weekly minimum minutes on the exercise program's website. The un-lousy Smarch weather (65 degrees tomorrow!) will help - I'm hoping to actually go for a run, which I don't do if it's less than about 55 degrees.

And, in light of the efforts I did actually make this past week, I'm taking the liberty to change my auditorial depiction to something a little more representative:

I don't know. Interpret at will. I think I'm doing okay after all. This week...I pledge to do one Insanity video, and to get outside tomorrow (while the gettin's good). And, come on, Cathy: How about three ten-minute breathing sessions? Like, it's breathing. It's not African dance.

We'll discuss my (non-) progress on the kitchen reno another time.