Tag: Camino

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Fertilizing My Soul Uncategorized

Starting and Finishing

Today I had the opportunity to hear Jon Acuff on a Zoom Call. I am so grateful to Corinne Crabtree for making it happen. All my life I have struggled with finishing and being a perfectionist. During the last couple of years I have began to rewrite my story about how I show up for myself and really knowing that it is better to show up and and do something, than to not show up because we want to be perfect at what we are doing.

During the last few weeks since I returned from the Camino de Santiago I have been struggling with so may irons on the fire. This of course leads me to my pattern of in-action.

As I revisit my goals and my irons, I know that it will be important to create a consistent routine for myself. There is such comfort in the routine. The routine of planning meals, the routine of making my bed in the morning. Like the Camino in Spain, the routine of the day creates such great momentum. It allows for deeper introspection and helps to achieve the goals we set out for ourselves.

Summer is quickly becoming a distant memory in the rear view mirror of our life. As the days begin to lose daylight, and the crisp hint of fall is more prominent in the air, I want to continue to make little changes that can add to bigger momentum for my goals.

Life is passing me. I have been keenly aware of this during the last month.

Senator John McCain passed away this past weekend. I may not have agreed with a lot of his politics but I do agree that he was a hero with a lot of love for this country. In the last couple of years I gained new respect for him an for the man of integrity that he was. He understood that there is no black and white. There is just a lot of gray areas that we need navigate in order to serve those around us.

I feel sad for his children, but mostly for his daughter Meghan who I feel I know since she is on The View. I remember how lonely and uncertain life seemed for me when I lost my dad. I guess I understand that she too must be feeling the deep void every daddy’s girl feels when their hero is gone.

Tomorrow is a new day and a great opportunity to work towards the me I want to bloom into.

Today I am in Miami with my sister after her surgery. I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to be here for those I love. Never take this for granted people.

Categories
Camino De Santiago

Flexibility, Strength and Miles

There is a phrase I use too often with Dan: “Functional Fitness”. This phrase was born out of my fear that I will one day be an old woman and fall, and not be able to pick myself off the floor.

Functional fitness as my #pnpcoach Corinne says, it the ability to get off the toilet without help or assistance as you get old. During the last few weeks, I have not done any type of fitness activity and I have noticed that not only am I in poor shape physically, but I also have aches and pains that will surely not fair well in the Camino.

I have taken the first few steps to build my walking, however, I decided I needed to ensure I was doing all I could to be in the best shape for my pilgrimage. It did not take me too long to find a podcast about the Camino de Santiago and how to train for it.  As I listen, it all began to come back to me… training was not only going to be all about walking, building my miles and such, it was going to be about strength training and flexibility.  YES, I told myself, Corinne did tell me this before I went on my first phase of the trek.  How could I forget that it takes strength to carry a pack, lift it over your head. It takes strength to pull yourself up as you walk uphill, it takes balance and flexibility to navigate rocks, branches, and other road obstacles.

So tonight, I reworked my training plan. I need to head back to yoga, I must begin adding core exercises and making sure I plank the hell out of this body.

The funny thing about strength and flexibility for me is that over the years I have had to learn to be flexible in life. Flexible with others, circumstances, and most of all with my expectations for Julie.  From an early age I have been known to want things done my way, in my time, and no other way.  Over the years, God has laughed at me and my lack of flexibility. I guess, for this reason, many of the major lessons in my life have revolved around this major skill.

I have also learned to never underestimate my ability to be strong when needed. I also know that I am passionate and strongwilled. This served me well during the first leg of my trip in 2016. I had my moments, I wanted to quit, I may have cried on the side of the road because the mountain was high, my aches and pains may have seemed insufferable, yet I pulled myself up and kept going. Yes, the promise of wine or a hot shower helped a lot too.

So today as I continue on my prep for the journey, I strive to become flexible physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  I also seek to gain strength to carry myself with enough ease so that I can enjoy the beauty of the journey in Spain and in my life.