Putting my best foot forward
The sun's been out the last two days, and gleefully, my heart pumps steadily, as I stroll through the woods.
The weather influences my mood, although in recent years I've coped well with all seasons and weather conditions. However, having spent most of the winter in Jamaica and then extended warm temperatures in Egypt, I never got the chance to acclimatise to the cold, dark, grey British winter this year.
Rain in Jamaica is liquid sunshine that makes me look outside and wanna dance. Whereas, rain in the UK is cold misery that makes me look outside and wanna
diehide.
To counter all this, exercising in nature is my reliable feel-good activity, but for the last few months, I've lacked the motivation to go out in the wet and cold temperatures for exercise. Fortunately, with these warmer days on the horizon, a sense of optimism is restored.
The power of sunshine, heh? Just a small dose and all the happy neurons in my brain are activated, and my mind sees the world as a happier place.
I was a little hesitant to walk around with a selfie stick because I like to be alert in my surroundings and ready to respond should the need arise. Still, with the blue skies above, with nature shining in all her glory, today called for an exception.
Just simple things such as admiring the sky, the leaves in the trees, the cunning movements of squirrels, or a flock of birds flying high. Taking moments to acknowledge these things has such an impact, and all my troubles in the world dissipate with the wind.
I've always had a wish to be a bear and hibernate during colder months, or for the entire winter, but I might have to alter those wishes. As I failed to acknowledge that nothing is as unpredictable as the British weather; So spring or summer does not guarantee sunshine or even bright skies.
I spent yesterday and today defrosting my body, just stretching in positions that I've never done in yoga. I've been feeling and observing every nook and cranny of my body, which feels like a reigniting of love, self-love.
My muscles are tight, but with each move, I breathe into the discomfort until I find comfort, and my body feels appreciative of it.
I feel guilt-ridden for having been so unkind to my body.
Each stretch feels like a resurrection, as my body is rejuvenated and my body and mind are synchronised.
It's amazing how simple stretches alone helped to release happy hormones.
I felt like I was on a natural high.
My quick series of stretches was the motivation that I need to get back into a positive habit of resistance training, daily stretching, meditation, and just being kinder to myself. With exercise, I like a routine of several different activities to keep it interesting and fun.
Peace & Irie Vibes, Milly xx
PS. Last year when I lived on the narrowboat in nature, I got hoodwinked into believing that I loved winter. Well, it ain't so! I'm an islander and will forever be a sunshine lover.😍
All images were taken by me
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I've been yearning to walk in nature too but it's been gloomy and rainy recently, especially on a weekend that impedes my plans of going out...
I agree that stretching could help release happy hormones. When I feel weary, I usually do that, just inside the house.... It even helps me breathe better. Work is suffocating sometimes, lol.
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Yeah, it's good to stretch inside too, and it doesn't have to be a lengthy session. My cat was afraid of my yoga mat, but she likes it now. So, I have it next to my desk and every time my cat wakes up and stretch, I pause and stretch with her. She absolutely loves it and keeps rubbing on me all the time now.
Win-win, I guess 😍
That's pretty cute. She seems to want to do stretching with you as well..hehe.
Hehe! Yeah, cats love yoga. They are meticulous with their alignment too 😍
#toocute
I, too, stretched today! Must be contagious around here, @honeydue inspired me to start yoga again! I did a 20 minute yoga session with a jog in the morning. Glad I did because it rained today, which is much cherished here in Arizona. Sending lots of Arizona sunshine your way!
Thank you!
Yes, and @honeydue reminded me recently that maybe I should find a new form of movement, which I've archived in my brain. I'm happy that you got back into doing yoga. That's the beauty of yoga, we can always fall right back in. It's gonna take me a little longer because I've been suffering with a frozen shoulder for some time. However, I'm patient when it comes to exercise and I listen and observe my body.
Sending you all the rain you'll ever need in Arizona:)
I hadn't done yoga in about six months, oh boy was I ever so stiff! But it felt amazing releasing all the muscles and blockages that come with it. Then I took down a fence 😆 off grid life!
The muscles have a memory so once they are not active, they revert to what they know. Once we get over the stiffness, then strength training will come easy.
Yeah, tell me it!😁 Work and daily maintenance are neverending in off grid life. It makes you realise how much we take for granted living in traditional homes.
Take it in strides one day at a time 💪
Thanks for the encouragement! I've been keeping up so far with the daily yoga and the muscles are starting to remember 😁
The sun was out today again, which was pleasant. I'm continuing my stretches too, and it's been good so far 😁
Reading you I imagine those cold climates with very low temperatures and if the cold weather causes wintering, it is good the sun to warm up a little, although here in my land it has been very hot maybe too much, I could use a little of that cold you talk about.
I'm glad your body is getting active and doing toga, it's good to see you. Greetings.
Yes, I need sunshine. I wasn't mentally prepared for such a long winter, and not spring. I overestimated the English weather by thinking that mid to end of March, it would be bright and sunny. This is May!... and we're only just getting peeks of the sun now.
I understand that it might just be too hot for you now in Venezuela. It's the same when I speak to my parents in Jamaica. If only we could strike a balance and barter the weather 😂
Happy week ahead:)
The weather condition greatly influences our state of mind, it is true, nothing better than exercising and staying active to change your condition and motivate yourself. Excellent yoga class @millycf1976!
A question. Could you please provide me with a link to join the discord channel of the Cinnamon Cup Coffee community?
Here's the link to Cinnamon Cup Coffee Discord.
https://discord.gg/BDgJRjfU
See you around:)
Sure, thanks for the link. I will immediately start interacting on the channel with the other users of Cinnamon Cup Coffee and of course with you. See you there! @millycf1976
Oh, hey there!
Yes, it's not good for the mind to wake up and see rain, wind, and cold for so long with no sunshine. Normally I'd wrap up in rain/cold gear and go out but I was sick with the flu for an extended period a couple of months ago, and I've been cautious. I'm happy to be getting back into yoga, and I'll start lifting some light weights to build my strength too:)
The cold and rainy weather puts a lot of stress on the bones. Sometimes I don't feel like ever getting up. Stretching helps, but I need a lot more than that. I haven't been able to get into a daily yoga and stretching routine, but would love to. !LUV
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Tell me about it. I have a bad knee and yesterday I was on my back doing bicycle movement with my legs. I heard amplified sounds of my bones cracking with each move. I'll have to record the sounds and send them to my chiropractor and ask him if he's ever heard anything like it and see what he suggests.
I do hope that you find a routine. In the tropics, I like to do yoga at sunrise, but I also sleep earlier then. Here, there's little motivation to wake up that early in the morning, especially when it's raining and grey 😏
Have a lovely week:)
Enjoy your new day.
Sending the sounds to the chiropractor just "sounds" funny, but I know the feeling.
For the time being I would switch the bicycle movements to just leg lifts. If you want to bed your knees while lying down then bend them together and pull them toward your chest. A foam roller can also help with lying down exercises. If I ever get my act together I will place some videos here of how to exercise for "old people". !LOL
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Haha! This joke made me laugh, first thing in the morning:)
🤣 those videos would be handy. The cracking sounds caught me by surprise 🙃
My body felt so good today though. I just need to get back into a good rhythm. I can jog for over an hour in a pool that's low impact to strengthen my knees... but unfortunately, I don't have a pool 😅
I have some good Pilates videos that I can watch, as well as ballet fitness. I've just been demotivated and frustrated with the weather. I'm happy again and smiling with the sun 😁
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It's good to stretch your body at least once in a while and am sure you will be fine because all the pains are just sign of your body is perfectly stretched
Yes, there are two simple things that are super effective for good well-being - stretching and deep breathing. I feel guilty, because I remember the benefits I got from doing those two things periodically throughout the day, and I made a promise to myself to never stop... yet I haven't been doing it all 😏
I will get back on track:)
That's good if you don't stop doing it then you body won't get still again
I wish I could but I am not the type that fancy exercise
Thank you.
I do hope you have other ways to maintain your cardio health and that you're active enough with active mobility throughout the body. My mother would never ever do exercises, but she's 75 fit and fully able. So I guess there are other means to maintaining health:)
My work is more stressful than doing exercise I guess I do burn a lot of calories every day that's why I still keep fit 😁
That's true and you're still young:
Yes very young
Enjoy your youth. However, I don't want to dampen your enthusiasm, but the years fly by. So, it's never too early to start taking extra care of your body:)
I will take note of that ma'am
This is just such a lovely post from beginning to end <3 I love everything about it. You can tell you're enjoying yourself -- you look so happy. And I love the idea of defrosting your body. Hell, reading that sparks an entire sensation, very well-put.
it's an interminable adventure, isn't it? I always feel a bit like a kid when I turn my attention to nature -- like anything is possible.
It's wonderful that you took this step, really, and I'm wishing you a warm spring (what's left of it) and summer, to allow you more time in nature!!
p.s.: that's my favorite yoga pose :D
Thank you 😊
Haha! You should have seen my face when was sitting in the sun. I felt so much tension releasing from my body. I need sunshine, not just because I love it. But I have a Vit D deficiency and need to be in the sun for at least 10 mins every day. I take supplements for it, and I think my Vit D level is up to par, but gosh, grey wet days for so long are no good for me.
I do feel like a kid in nature too, and I play by myself, just like I did as a little girl. I'm so looking forward to bright sunny days.
Doing that yoga pose yesterday: My balance was bad, my quad and hamstring muscles were not cooperating, and my shoulders are tight and sore. I'll have to do mild stretches on the shoulders daily.
Thanks for inspiring me to get back into my yoga 🤗
Damp, cold winters are very hard to take! I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, a term used to describe the US states of Washington and Oregon (specifically the western side of those two states which borders the Pacific Ocean and is separated from the dryer eastern side by a mountain range). I remover long, wet, cold winters where the damp cold and gray just seemed to settle into my bones. I wish I had known about vitamin D back then! That “sunshine in a pill” might have made all the difference. I moved away after college and have never gone back. Now my winters are snowy, but bright! Sun on snow is very uplifting. Plus I take the magic sunshine pill. ☀️
Glad you are feeling revitalized by springtime and movement!
Oh my! That's no joke. I've been feeling that, and it's scary. I think I need to go back to taking Vit D religiously.
Bright winters are different from grey, dark, wet ones, indeed.
I'm happy to know that you found somewhere beautiful to live 😍
I have a small stretching routine, one that I perform after waking up and before going to bed. Thanks to Covid I've become very rusty, and this little stretching routine along with a few freehand workouts really do help.
But I still can't deny it, I do miss the gym and all that equipment. These freehand stretches and workouts do make a difference, but my heart truly yearns for those heavy weights haha. I need to get back and pump some iron again. 💪
Stretching is powerful. I like that you did some first thing in the morning and at night before bed. I'm gonna start doing that again.
I've never been big on lifting weights. I've always been keen on Calisthenics training. I'm gonna kick my ass in gear.
I hope that you'll go back to your heavy weights, and then you can show me your muscles, instead of a gif 😆
I like calisthenics too, I never mastered it, but I did practice it every now and then.
I've got some plans, but with my current routine, it's close to "impossible". Even if I do get a membership, I won't be able to workout as religiously.
I might flex my muscles, but a little GIF will bet there to assist it, bet on it haha. They don't call me the GIF master for nothing. 😂
🤔Surely, you Bangladeshi men are ingenious and can create some DIY heavyweights? So you could work out at home.😆
Oh, we had some of those, my uncles and cousins made those actually. They were made out of concrete mostly, some were filled in tins, metal bar in the middle haha. Handy stuff, but not so balanced, a lot of rough edges too, which made them very unsafe. Then there's also the lack of space in our apartment.
For now free-hand workouts and a bit of stretching are both my bestfriends. 💪😏
I saw many of those homemade weights in the Philippines. I can them being unsafe, for real.
The sun is out today again, and just a few stretches out there, and my body feels a few years younger. 😊
I wish I had such immense love for the sun as you, Milly. Alas, the version of the sun we have here isn't as kind, it's merciless. We really need some rain over here. On top of that, because of the cyclone Mocha, we're now facing 5 to 6 hours of power outages every day, which makes things "hotter".
I feel your pain. The sun must be tired and frustrated with the different demands across the planet.
When the sun is in full force in regions like yours, there's little you can do to cool down... and no power is just a bummer! In Philippines, everyone hung out at local malls on powerout days, because they had generators with air con. It's always a bonus having a pool on such days.
That's how #TheOtherHalfLives
This is a common scene over here too, you'll see people visiting the big malls just to cool off. Even I myself have done it a few times haha.
There've been countless moments where I've randomly thought about jumping into a pool, pond or lake. Just COWABUNGA, you know. YOLO! This happens when all the heat reaches my head. 😂
Sadly, there is no pool or pond close by, and then there's the trouble of me not being able to swim. I've tried countless times, practiced a lot too, but I guess I'm not built for swimming. I feel I'm what they call "thick-boned" or whatever. For the others around me swimming is effortless, but when I try I just sink like a brick. 😬
🤣 I love your expressions - COWBUNGA 🤣
I cannot swim either, but it's because I'm fearful of the water. I panic if my feet leave the ground 🤣
My husband gave up on trying to teach me to swim... I'm sure I could do it, but even in a pool, I panic thinking there's an ocean current to take me away.
It's a Ninja Turtle thing, you know, surfers use it too hehe. 🏄♀
I don't panic, I like being in pools, I love pools, but after over 2 decades of trying to float and swim, I now have accepted the sad reality that my body is just not float-material. 😂
I'm more familiar with booyakasha, but I like cowabunga too 😆
I'm sure that you can float. You just need to relax 🤣
The closest you get me off my feet in a pool is on a lilo or a truck inner tube for floating:)
I wonder how you'd react to a pond in the countryside over here, they're much more "mysterious", whereas pools have no mystery at all. At least you can see the surface in a pool, in a pond you see absolutely nothing.
And most of my swimming was done in such ponds. 😬
Haha! No, you won't go me into a pond at all!
I spent my days by the river in Jamaica, as a little girl. I loved holding onto the river banks, but the water was clear and I could see right to the bottom.
I avoid going in the canals here in the UK, not just because they are polluted, but because I cannot see the bottom. In the Philippines I spent a day chilling in a river at the bottom of the waterfalls, I was extremely sick for about two weeks after. I had to get tested for typhoid fever and Dengue Fever. Luckily it was none of them. The doctor told me that I needed to be careful doing such things there. Then I realised why I had the entire river to myself 🤣
I love how the Caribbean waters look, the clarity is unmatched. The water alone is one of the reasons why I'd like to step foot on the Caribbean lands one day.
The ponds we used to swim in were our own, dug up inside our own land. For which it was always clean and well taken care of. So, diseases weren't much of a threat, but insects though, they'd sometimes pop up to say hello haha. 😂
Phew! Thanks for the heads up, I'll make sure to never tread around lonely and unknown waters from now on. 😬
You're right! After visiting other beaches I realised just how much clarity I was used to in Jamaica.
That's pretty cool that you have your own manmade pond on your land. But I bet you probably have snakes too.
It was the last thing that crossed my mind. The location was truly stunning, lined with palms and high coconut trees. I fell asleep on rocks in the river and I got some lovely photos, but it was too high a price to pay for how I felt the following days 🤣
Nope, our village area is well taken care of now. There used to be snakes, a long time ago, but not anymore.
With my old relationship with diseases, I'd rather not pay that price. 😬
How did they eradicate the snakes? Mongoose?
More people moved into our area, bigger houses, people started cleaning all the shrubbery too. I guess every step combined helped in reducing the pests, and made all the reptiles move out.
Ah, ok! So there's still a possibility of seeing an odd snake.
Well, the mongoose was brought into Jamaica from India in the 19th Century to kill off snakes and control rats.
Last time in Jamaica I saw many mongooses playing in the garden. I love them!
I think some of the mongooses are still around, not as many, but whenever we visit our village home we see some of them running and crawling away into the bushes as fast as they can.
I love how fast they are, and who would've thought, that something this cute can annihilate a snake? 😬
I remember seeing a clip on YouTube, by Nat Geo, Mongoose vs Cobra. There was a comment, that went something like - "As a mammal, I have to congratulate this mammal for its amazing victory against a reptile." 😂
That's so bloody true!
That's hilarious. I will take the saying as it is. Wouldn't wanna see it:)
C'mon! You know you at least wanna have a little peek at that video. 😂
😂 NO! That's one thing that I'm 1000% sure of 🤣
A good ole Samuel Jackson stare off. Classic 😂
Gosh, I just love Samuel Jackson. He doesn't need to speak to be funny 🤣
I liked him in Jackie Brown
For me it's the burger scene from Pulp Fiction. 😂
Ah, I went to see Pulp Fiction with my girlfriend as a teenager, but she didn't like it and we left the cinema early. I've never had the chance to rewatch it, but I'm curious and will do one day.
You should give it a go, I think it's a hilarious movie, a bit hardcore too sometimes. A lot of theories and concepts have popped up over the years, which makes it even more interesting.
That is why I'd really want to see it again.
My friend and I were not appreciative of that kind of movie as teenagers 😆
I'd say the same about myself haha. 😬
Sunshine is such a glowing motivator, isn’t it?
You look determined in your photo to get the stretching “fix”. Looks as if you’re on the rejuvenation path and that’s a good path to be on🤗😊💕
Thank you 🤗
Yes! Fitness is something crucial to my well-being. I was fearful that I would lapse coming back to live here in the UK, but I've acknowledged it now. I probably won't get back to my rigorous daily routine, but some moderate stretching and more activity will be added to my daily agenda 😍😊🤗
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Its great u do alot simple things to feel good... I like taking a walk at evening hours as a way of exercising my kinetic skills😁
Thank you! You have some great habits and a love for looking after your body. That's awesome!
Have a lovely week ahead:)
Hahahah yeah taking care of the body is a priceless activity... Sports helps me alot with that. 😁
Thanks for the vote 🙏😁 im deeply thankful and looking forward to a great connection with you😊
I'm glad that you got at least one day of sun. Gloomy cloudy weather can be a real damper on a person's mood. Nature and doing exercise is a good way to combat that though 👌
I feel like a new person, and my body remembers me, as my limbs and muscles have mobility again.
You'd laugh if you saw how I stop to test my limbs now and then, and happy to see and feel that everything works 😆
I'm miming rowing a boat, in between typing this message 🤣
Haha yeah I hear you I do the same sometimes. I wish I remembered to stretch more actually so I wouldn't injure myself doing small mundane tasks. Lol
Yes, stretching is powerful. I made myself a promise when I was in the Philippines, to just do stretches daily... don't have to be yoga, but just to stretch the body... You'd be surprised at the big health improvement. Just observe how often your cat does it every time she wakes up... we should do the same :)
Yes that is true the cat and dog stretch often. I need to start doing it more
Yeah, you might find that you grow a few inches taller with continuous stretching. For me, that's no problem... I will always be able to walk upright through any doorway (even hobbit ones) and also fit on every bed without my feet hanging over (even on a round mattress)... Things might be different for you.
#JustSayin'
😅😆
🙌🔥💖 That really is an important part of self-love... I like to lean into the tightness in my body too, sit with it and let it work itself out... Yoga and dancing, that's my jam! 😁 This was a brilliant and much needed read. We are all of the parts of ourselves. 😍
We all feel guilty and icky and... just off sometimes. When other people talk about that, we all grow 💕! You're inspiring to me, thanks for the soul fuel. 🤗
Thank you 😊💕
I never saw you as someone who is into yoga 😁. What type of yoga do you do mainly? I prefer vinyasa, but I did Ashtanga religiously at sunrise overlooking the sea in the Philippines for about 6 months. My body was in top form then.
I really need to work on improving the range of motion in my shoulders, then flexibility, and some strengthening. Dancing? What kind? 😁
You know, I had to look up the types of yoga. So, you're spot on! I'd say I'm a hobbyist at both dancing and yoga. I know a few sets of motions from an old friend who was an instructor for a time, and I like to work through them. After reading up a bit, I'd say I like vinyasa style— I am certainly not performing any complex sequences. hehe 😄
Both for me are about taking a moment to honor my body and allow it the space to express... almost free of me? I dance terribly I'm sure, but my kids love my moves! 🤣 I'll have that for at least a few more years... 😅
My son is a big fan of early 2000's hip hop style dancing, my daughter is more of a techno vibes girl. We zip through the genres, and sometimes we do yoga too 😂! There are kid geared yoga videos that are 100% my speed ahahaha!
Thanks for asking 💞🤗 I have a feeling you will conquer your shoulder goals! 😎💪