Challenge Day 3 - Finding The Beauty Within

Feeling Centered in Myself

I just got back from 1 1/2 hours of Traditional Hot Yoga : )  The class was small (just the way I like it) and I had a front and center view of MYSELF!  Before I left, I gave myself a goal and told my fiance of my goal so that I would have another person to hold me accountable.  What was that goal, you ask?

* To do my best and try to hold the balancing stick pose*

I started my yoga with focusing on ME, breathing and looking DIRECTLY into my own eyes.  Do you ever just sit and look at yourself....well anyone other than the wicked witch in Snow White???  I am not what you would call a real..."primping" type girl...I can do my hair and a bit of make up in like 10 minutes.  I don't just sit and look at myself, and this was a challenge!  I wanted to judge myself; your thighs are like tree trucks, your midsection is "rolling" and gosh, you .......

STOP IT!

Each time I started to think negatively, I looked back into my own eyes.  I saw the way the low light danced across and enhanced my cheeck bones.  I saw the way my calf muscles have toned.  I saw my elongated spine.  I looked deeper and saw ME...my heart, my beauty!  I am gorgeous! My curves are a little more ample than I want, but I am SEXY! (and I know it....LOL for LMFAO! )

Yoga today felt so natural and smooth for me.  I still struggle at some poses.  My body is bigger.  My thighs don't want to cross just right to be aligned they way they should.  My arms and chest are bigger, so my arms won't quite go into the eagle pose. ( I will talk more about that pose another day)   But I do them, I stretch and do them the best I can and it feels great each and every time!

Today, well since I have started, I have REALLY struggled with the bow poses. (Standing and Floor)

For one, I can not *YET* grab my feet in any pose, but I continue to work at it.  My balance it better somedays than others, sometimes I have one balanced side and my other wants to FAIL, but I keep at it!

I hope to one day be able to do this!

Now, back to my goal.

My goal was to be able to do and hold (balance) the balancing stick pose.

  AND I DID IT!

I stretched, I engaged my core, I balanced in a "T" position and when it was over....

I smiled at the me in the mirror.

The beautiful ME, accomplishing my goal : )

I feel rejuvinated and ready for my Positive Body Image Event tonight!  And I can't wait for Yoga tomorrow  : )



Yours Truly,

A BIG Balanced Stick

Charmaine

aka Puddles