Month: December 2022

advice · cardio · fitness · habits · health · holiday fitness · holidays · meditation · motivation · self care · yoga

Making Space 2022: Day 31

Christine Hennebury1 Comment

Here we are at the last day of 2022, the last day of December, the last day of my Making Space posts.

I hope that you have found these posts useful and that you have found your own ways to make space for yourselves in your days this month. I also hope that you have found (or are starting to find) ways to continue making space for yourselves in the days that follow.

And speaking of the days that follow – tomorrow, I start a series of ‘Go Team!’ posts that encourage you to be kind to yourself as you figure out the habits, systems, and practices you want to take on in the year ahead.

But before we get to that, I have one more thing to say about creating space for your future self and it goes like this:

New Year’s Day may be a symbolic time to start but you can add new ideas, habits and practices to your life at ANY TIME.

And, you can create your own symbolism or meaning around the time that you choose.

For example, even though I like the symbolism of starting new practices in a new year, I had a bit of sideways December so I couldn’t give a lot of thought to things I wanted to do in 2023.

Instead of putting pressure on myself to find time to focus on that, I decided to let December be what it was and that I would figure out what 2023 would look like once it arrived.

Or, to put it another way, I’m choosing to have Planuary instead of January.

By labelling next month as Planuary, I have given it a shape. I’m not going in without a plan and hoping things will just happen – that would never work for my ADHD brain. Instead, I’m planning to spend January figuring out what my plans could be.

And I’m inviting you to create space for your future self by doing something similar.

If you WANT to start something new sometime soon, you don’t have to come roaring out of the gate tomorrow. You can decide on your own terms and your own timeline when and how you want to get started.

You can plan to plan in Planuary.

You can write one thing on an index card and do that until you get bored with it.

You can make a giant list and a big chart and have a grand time with it (as long as you aren’t going to be mean to yourself if you have to change your plan – I can’t get behind that)

You can choose to just keep doing what you have been doing all along but add in the plan to be kinder to yourself in the process (THAT I can full endorse.)

Basically, I want to encourage you to give yourself the space to do things in your own way on your own schedule.

Your tomorrow-self doesn’t need to have it all figured out and doesn’t have to have the perfect plan.

Please be kind to yourself as you make space for future you to develop, expand, and think up cool and fun things to do.

NOTE:Have you ever seen DSri Seah’s Groundhog Day Resolutions monthly personal review system? It’s a cool way that they developed to check in with their resolutions and projects all year long. I love how they worked out a system that works for them without getting caught up in when things *should* be done during the year.

Here are our final videos for the Making Space series. At first I was looking for new year/end of year themed videos but there was such a variation in tone from video to video that I didn’t want to choose something that would be irksome. So, instead, I chose videos for calm and for energy/feeling good – I figured those could be most helpful.

I also chose a yoga video AND a cardio video so you could decide if you wanted to see the year out in a low-key way or in a burst of movement.

Whether you do these videos or do your own thing, I wish you ease, energy and lots of space for yourself as 2022 becomes 2023.

See you tomorrow for our first Go Team! post for 2023.

A video from the Yoga with Kassandra YouTube channel entitled ‘10 Min Morning Yoga for Calm. The still image features the instructor in light brown exercise clothing standing with her legs wide apart and her upper body folds forward toward the camera so she can touch her mat with the palms of her hands and her ponytail has flopped forward towards her mat. Text reading ‘10 Min Morning Yoga’ is overlaid on the upper left side of the image.
A PopSugar Fitness 10 Minute Feel-Good Cardio Workout with Deja Riley. The still image features the instructor standing in a white-walled studio with her arms in the air in a joyful sort of celebratory gesture (that is probably just part of an exercise movement but she looks celebratory to me.)
Another 5 Minute Mindful Meditation for Calm from the Great Meditations YouTube channel (I have really become a fan of that channel during this series!) The still age features light brown text reading ‘Calm 5 Minute guided meditation’ and a cartoon image of a person sitting in meditation with their arms, bent at the elbow, outstretched slightly to the sides in a welcoming or accepting gesture. Behind their head is either their long hair streaming upwards or a thought balloon that contains symbols of thoughts – question marks, ellipses, hearts, emojis etc. and behind their body there are symbols of tangible items like a clock, some gears, and the leaves of a plant.

About Making Space 2022

In December 2020, Fit is a Feminist Issue blogger Martha created a tradition – a series of reminder posts to take good care of ourselves during this last month of the year when it is far too easy to get swept up in your to do list, no matter what you are celebrating or not celebrating. Last year, it was my turn and after an introductory Go Team post called Give Yourself Some Space, I created a series of reminders called ‘Making Space‘ that offered a suggested short exercise video and a suggested meditation in case you needed an easy way to find space for yourself in your schedule.

For 2022, I’ll be doing the same thing but I’ll also be including a link to Martha’s post from the same date in 2020 and I’ll offer a few extra ideas for relaxation, creativity, and self-kindness here and there.

These posts are not about insisting that you do more, more, more during this busy season. Instead, I want to encourage you to remember that there IS a *YOU* who is doing all of the things and you are worth taking good care of.

Perhaps the things I suggest aren’t what you need in the moment. That’s totally ok. Perhaps you can use something else to create some space, something that will help you feel more relaxed or more in charge of your day.

blog · blogging · fitness · top ten

Top Ten December 2022 Posts, #ICYMI

Sam B

Sam’s review of Pain and the Human playground was the most read post in December.

Cate and menstruation in her 50s. Her post about it almost always makes the top 10 list. This month it’s the 2nd most read post.

The 3rd most read post in December is Marjorie’s post about recovering from hysterectomy.

The 4th most read post was Sam’s saga about using her phone in the sauna.

Catherine’s post about the latest research on almonds and appetite was the 5th most read post.

Almonds spilling out of a jar on a rough wooden surface. Unsplash.

Every December Carly’s guest post makes the top ten as new year’s looms. This year not my resolution; thoughts on January weight loss from a cheerful chubster (guest post) was the 6th most read post.

There are yoga poses Catherine can’t do and her blog post about what she does instead is the 7th most read post this month.

The 8th most read post was Tracy’s older one on the many shapes athletic bodies can take.

Mostly we’re not new year’s resolution folks here at the blog but my post on some challenges we like is our 9th most read post.

Woohoo, bring on the light is number 10.

It’s the positive potato
fitness

Fit feminists’ 2023 Words of the Year #woty

Tracy I5 Comments
Image description: round-shaped wordcloud containing all the words of the year listed in this post: accept, allow, explore, purpose, create, thrift, growth, welcome, imagine, consolidate. Word cloud is from WordArt.com.

In recent years many of our regular blog crew have chosen a Word of the Year to help guide or define the year ahead. Here are our 2022 choices. I think if it as a touchstone for myself to remind me what I want to prioritize. It’s less directive than a resolution but it offers hope for positive change in some sense.

Here are our 2023 Words of the Year:

Amy: My word is create. I’m so much happier when I have the space to create things, whether that means crafting (knitting, sewing, etc) or creating ideas for writing or planning the perfect trip. Prioritizing time/energy to create also means I need to be mindful of how I’m spending my energy elsewhere to make sure there is enough leftover to focus on creating joy.

Nicole: I was reminded that last year,my word was Blossom. I forgot that’s what it was. I participated in another word exercise and my WOTY really became “Envision”. I said this word to myself,often, while running. This year, my WOTY is PURPOSE. I was worried it might be too much pressure. But, I’ve decided that, it doesn’t have to be purpose laden with pressure. On the contrary, upon leaving my job in September and seeking new opportunities, I am purposefully seeking opportunities in my life that feel purposeful in a way that is organic for me. I want purpose in my days that doessn’t feel forced. Whether it’s continuing my workout routine that serves me well (running, HIIT, strength..) or finding ways to use my caring, empathetic, analytical, relationship-building, facilitating, legal and other skills in ways that feel meaningful and useful to others. Purpose really feels like an extension of Blossom, so hopefully, I am on to something here!

Sam: My word for 2023 is Growth. I want to expand in lots of different ways. I want to learn new things, make some new friends, discover some new music, travel to new places, read some new authors, and think about new problems. I want to challenge myself to think big and take risks. I’m not sure yet what the specific fitness applications of this new focus will be but I’m open to ideas.

Elan: Mine will be Explore: I like the word “explore” because it suggests no expectations about prior experience or firm end goals. Explore is about trying, testing, inquiring, traveling, and having fun. Explore is not about judging how competent or proficient you are or aren’t. For those in the crowd who worry about sucking or failing at things, give yourself permission to “explore” a new activity, practice, or habit this year.

Diane: My word for 2023 is Accept. This will be my last full year of work and I am starting to think about letting go and moving on to a new stage of life. Fitness-wise, it could be great as I will be able to do classes and activities during the day. And I am still looking at becoming a swim instructor as a retirement project. But it might be terrible unless I can wrap my mind around things that are worrying me about getting older. Am I ready to join the “old lady” fitness groups? Will I be forced to give up on some fitness goals like biking a certain distance, or ballet because of foot issues?

Mina: I’m going to go with Welcome as my WOTY for 2023. I’m facing what will undoubtedly be a year with a lot of personal challenges and that’s the spirit I’d like to bring.

Martha: Imagine: for awhile I have felt I’m on the cusp of something. While I’m not sure what it is, I’m letting myself imagine all kinds of possibilities. The questions that guide me are “what if?” and “why not?” I don’t know where this word imagine will take me; however I believe it will be risky, freeing, exciting and maybe a little wondrous.

Natalie: For 2023 it’s consolidate. I need to bring activities, knowledge and people in new ways to support my wellbeing. I know a lot of stuff and do lots but sometimes it is too compartmented.

Tracy: My word this year is THRIFT. I was hoping a less practical more inspirational word would present itself, but “thrift” just won’t go away. I am entering 2023 with a commitment to do the No New Clothes or Accessories thing that Mina did a few years ago and Sam and Catherine did this year. But I also want to re-group in very practical financial terms this year, making more conscious choices in all of my spending. And not engaging in any impulse shopping or “shopping therapy.” So when I say “thrift” I am tilting more in the direction of “thrifty” than “thrifting.” I am more excited about this than I expected to be, as if it will free me in other ways. I will post separately about the buy-no-clothing-or-accessories challenge further into early 2023.

Catherine: My word for 2023 is Allow. I was very fortunate to be on sabbatical in the second half of 2022, and what I learned was that I’m most happy when I allow myself to take the time I need to do what needs doing, what I want to do, and to do nothing at all. Allowing myself to do nothing, as it were, has translated into spending more time with friends, more time with books, more time with dogs, more time with family, and more time with myself. As I return to my full-time job in 2023, I’m giving myself permission to do things that make my life meaningful.

We’d love to hear about your WOTY. Please feel free to jump into the comments with it.

Happy New Year!

disability · fitness · Guest Post

Part 2: The mystique of choice feminism  (Guest post)

Sam B
Image description: Book cover, Ivanka Trump: Women Who Work: Rewriting the Rules for Success

In my last post, I argued that beauty culture, which is supported by beautyism (a preference for “beautiful bodies”), is an artefact of ableism eugenics. In this post, I will explain why I think that choice feminism supports this ableist system. Choice feminism treats women’s choices as inherently justified and politically acceptable. If women choose to cosmetically alter their appearance, this is nobody’s business but their own. There are two main problems with this view.

First, choice feminism ignores the intersectionality inherent in the category “women.” It is patently false that women’s choices cannot be criticized as racist, heteronormative, ableist, and oppressive in other ways. Nondisabled white women, in particular, are complicit in the prevailing system of white-supremacist eugenics, because their choices routinely contribute to this system of oppression. Choice feminism shields privileged women from accountability for their ableist preferences and values. It says that women should be allowed to fear and scorn disabled (black, fat) bodies with impunity from judgment. In other words, choice feminism denies the force of the critique from Black, queer, and disabled feminists (as outlined in my last post), that the beauty industry promotes a white, thin, nondisabled appearance, and people who use cosmetic products to achieve this look are participating in a system of able-bodied privilege.

Second, choice feminism treats beautyism as a purely personal and private choice as opposed to a response to a system of oppression that compels obedience and submission. Choice feminism, that is, gets things backwards. Beauty culture isn’t the outcome of many private consumer choices, but rather a political economy that sells able-bodiedness as the onlyreasonable choice. As Robert McRuer puts it, able-bodiedness is “compulsory” in the sense that it is a condition of being seen as normal, but “compulsion is here produced and covered over with the appearance of choice…, mystifying a system in which there actually is no choice.” Choice feminism papers over the system of compulsory able-bodiedness that demands physical conformity from everyone. When women participate in this system, they are contributing to the politics of eugenics. Their choices are not independent of this system, but integral parts of it.

Having said this, it’s important to recognize that we can and should resist beauty culture. But in order to do this, we need to do two things. First, we have to admit that beauty culture is a system of oppression that stigmatizes and eliminates socially disvalued traits, which are labeled as disabilities. Second, we have to recognize that ableism, racism, fatphobia, and other prejudices intersect with each other and contribute to a eugenics culture. In this culture, being “beautiful” simply means being able-bodied, and being able-bodied overlaps with being white and gender-conforming. Having these traits confers social capital and status. Beautyism, then, is a pillar of ableist eugenics in that it selects and favors these traits. It is not a “mere preference” that consumers happen to have. It is a component part of a system of ableist eugenics that punishes and eliminates disability. Choice feminism mystifies this system by denying that women’s choices have political import. It prevents us from criticizing women’s ableist choices.

Bio:

Mich Ciurria is a queer, disabled philosopher who teaches at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Her/their research interests include moral psychology, Marxist feminism, and critical disability theory. She/they is the author of An Intersectional Feminist Theory of Moral Responsibility (Routledge) and a regular contributor to the blog BIOPOLITICAL PHILOSOPHY.  

Dancing · holiday fitness · holidays · meditation · self care

Making Space 2022: Day 30

Christine Hennebury

Before you read this post, I dare you to make some space in your body by:

  1. Rolling your shoulders back and dropping them away from your ears
  2. Relaxing your jaw – maybe even moving your lower jaw back and forth
  3. Releasing your breath with a sigh and then inhaling slowly

Okay, now that you have a little extra space in your body, let’s get back to making a little extra space in your future for you.

What can you put in place now (or at least soon) that will make it a little easier for future you to take the space that they need?

Could you clear a corner for your yoga mat to stay rolled out?

Could you make sure you are stocked up on your favourite teas?

Could you put your journal and your pens next to the space where you usually write?

Could you put a recurring ‘meeting’ on your calendar that is actually some time for you to spend doing something that refreshes you?

Could you make a playlist of songs you like or exercise videos you want to try so it is waiting for you when you need it?

Could you plan time with a friend?

Could you book an appointment with your counsellor/therapist/social worker/psychologist/chiropractor/physiotherapist/personal trainer? (Only you know which one(s) you may need in the future.)

I know that most of us *need* space in our lives for ourselves but, of course, I can’t know what kind of specific space you need – that’s up to you.

And if you also don’t know what you need, perhaps you can start with a little extra time in your schedule to write/draw/meditate/walk/roll/dance – I’m sure you will be able to figure it out as you go.

No matter what, starting out with a plan – even a very loose one – will help make you feel like making space for yourself is just one of the things you do on a regular basis. And, once you feel that way, it should get easier and easier to make that space – even if it is just a few minutes at a time.

And, of course, when I mention future you, that could be the you of 30 seconds in the future, it doesn’t just have to be the you of next week.

In fact, I hope you can find ways to make space for all of the future yous and I hope you can find ease and joy in the process – even if it gets tricky sometimes.

Here are today’s videos – for now you and future you – have fun with them!

A seated workout from the Improved Health YouTube channel entitled ‘Bee Gees SEATED Workout | Chair Exercises for Seniors | Stayin’ Alive & Night Fever | 1970’s Workout. The still image features the instructor wearing exercise clothes and sitting on a chair in front of a circular wall decoration. She has her left arm extended with her finger pointing at the ceiling and her right arm extended with her finger pointing toward the floor. Her right leg is bent with her toe touching the floor near the chair, her left leg is extended out in front of her with her left toe touching the floor.
A meditation from the Great Meditations YouTube channel entitled ‘Guided Meditation to Enjoy This Life.’ The still image features a cartoon image of a person seated on a dock with water behind them. Their legs are crossed and the backs of their hands resting on their legs (their palms are upward) with each of their thumbs touching the index finger on the same hand.

About Making Space 2022

In December 2020, Fit is a Feminist Issue blogger Martha created a tradition – a series of reminder posts to take good care of ourselves during this last month of the year when it is far too easy to get swept up in your to do list, no matter what you are celebrating or not celebrating. Last year, it was my turn and after an introductory Go Team post called Give Yourself Some Space, I created a series of reminders called ‘Making Space‘ that offered a suggested short exercise video and a suggested meditation in case you needed an easy way to find space for yourself in your schedule.

For 2022, I’ll be doing the same thing but I’ll also be including a link to Martha’s post from the same date in 2020 and I’ll offer a few extra ideas for relaxation, creativity, and self-kindness here and there.

These posts are not about insisting that you do more, more, more during this busy season. Instead, I want to encourage you to remember that there IS a *YOU* who is doing all of the things and you are worth taking good care of.

Perhaps the things I suggest aren’t what you need in the moment. That’s totally ok. Perhaps you can use something else to create some space, something that will help you feel more relaxed or more in charge of your day.

fitness

Dame Vivienne Westwood, many things but also a cyclist

Sam B

Dame Vivienne Westwood died. She’s best known for her work as a fashion designer and for her role in the punk aesthetic. You can read more about the life of Westwood here.

I love these images of her on her bike.

And here’s a video about her life.

fitness · goals

Starting, Stopping, and Continuing: What the Fit is a Feminist Issue Bloggers Are Up To

Sam B1 Comment
Red Yellow and Green lights

Many of the Fit is a Feminist Issue bloggers reflecting on 2022 and thinking about the year ahead. I’m sure you are too. It’s that time of year. Even if you’re not big on new year’s resolutions, end of year reflections are hard to avoid.

I asked the blog team what’s one new thing you want to start in 2023? What’s a thing you want to stop doing in 2023? And what’s a thing you’re doing now that you want to continue?

Here’s our answers:

Diane

Start – figuring out a health care option as one of my feet is getting more painful. Is it getting to be time for that second bunion surgery? How do I access that without a family doctor to refer me to a surgeon?

Stop – I hope not to stop anything, but I fear ballet may need to go if the foot doesn’t improve. I’m going to try to hold on for at least another year.

Continue – doing things in the cold weather. I want to be braver on my bike, and there are new winter cross-country trails I can reach easily from my house. I have found plans for a storage system so I can carry my skis on my bike, which would be awesome.

Elan

START – Learning something new

STOP – Being so hard on myself

CONTINUE – Taking deep breaths

Tracy

Start: new bedtime routine that starts at about 9:15 and ends with lights out at 10


Stop: shopping for clothes and accessories (that is a one-year project)Continue: daily meditation.

Continue: daily meditation.

Sam

Start: group fitness classes other than aquafit at my fancy new gym, read more, regular meditation
Stop: late night scrolling
Continue: riding my bike and physio, obvs.

Martha

START: Swimming again — I stopped because pools were closed during the pandemic.
STOP: Taking on so much more work.
CONTINUE: Adding more vegetarian meals to my diet. I can’t do tofu or artificial meats but I love pulses and have started finding creative ways to use them.

Amy

Start: getting outside more
Stop: taking on roles I don’t really want
Keep: meditation practice

Cate

Start: better sleep hygiene

Stop: looking at my phone in the middle of the night

Continue: doing even a little yoga most days

Nicole

Start: Getting out of my comfort zone a bit more – whether adding sprints to my jogs or adding weight to my load.
Stop: Paying attention to people who irritate me (who don’t matter to me). I could use some pointers on doing this effectively.
Continue: My current workout routine really works for me and I am happy to continue (I go do strength/HIIT a few times a week, running 2/3 times a week (sometimes that becomes a spin if weather bad), yoga here and there and lots and lots and lots of walking.

Catherine


Start going to a gym with a pool this January to see how that feels again. Looking forward to a salt water pool and resuming weight workouts.


Stop signing up for extracurricular evening activities like writing classes, webinars, etc on heavy teaching days; letting myself downshift into reading, relaxing, cooking, etc after a hard day seems like a better idea.


Continue counting workouts, paying as much attention to Feb/March/April as October/November/December. I always make my workout count, but wouldn’t it be interesting not to have to rush so much in December? Just a thought.

Kim

Start: regular silent meditation. I’ve been doing guided and sounds-based every morning since September, but my mind easily wanders. I’d like to practice focus.

Stop: telling myself I am alone in all this because I am clearly not. 😊

Continue: Zwifting with abandon!!!

How about you?

Photos from Scopio

holiday fitness · holidays · meditation · self care · yoga

Making Space 2022: Day 29

Christine Hennebury

I have to tell you that it made me VERY happy to find a short yoga video about creating space to include today. The video, of course, is about creating a feeling of space in your body and my advice tends to be about creating a feeling of space in your mind but, since we are all very wise and sage people, we know that that distinction is arbitrary, don’t we?

(If we were talking in person right now, I would be giving you an exaggerated wink so you’d know that I, too, know that while the difference is fairly arbitrary it doesn’t always FEEL that way. I do think that we are all wise and sage though, even when we feel foolish.)

ANYWAY!

For these last few days of December, I have been inviting you to consider ways to make space for your future self – even as you use self-kindness to make space for your current self.

NOTE: If you are just here for the videos, please scroll on down. I’m about to get chatty.

Today, I want you to think about how to make some mental space for future you by removing or changing a recurring hassle . That is, figuring out ONE small annoyance or frustration you can remove for your future self.

I’m thinking about things like the basket in the corner that is not *quite* big enough for the things you want to store in it so things keep falling out.

Or about the fact that your measuring cups are on a shelf that’s a bit too high for you to easily reach so you end up either making do with a regular cup or you take down all the measuring cups and then leave them on the counter.

Or the fact that everyone in the office keeps asking *you* for the same piece of information (a phone number/copier code/person’s name) over and over because they can’t seem to remember it.

Or the fact that something needs its batteries charged or that there’s a branch that makes a weird noise against the house when the wind blows a certain way or the fact that there is nowhere to lay your keys down near your front door so you end up misplacing them on the regular.

I don’t know what kind of recurring hassles take up your mental space but these kinds of low-key hassles end up occupying a lot of my mental real-estate – both in the moment and whenever they cross my mind.

But the thing is, those are the kinds of hassles that often don’t get dealt with because they seem like they shouldn’t be a big deal or that they aren’t worth the effort to fix or that they wouldn’t be a problem if we ”just” did…whatever thing that we clearly have trouble doing.

But it IS worth dealing with these things if they free up your mental space.

You have enough things that you *have* to think about without letting this stuff crowd its way in, too.

You don’t have to deal with every hassle at once though.

Today, I’m inviting you to just consider one thing, whatever pops into your mind first, and then make a plan to take care of it.

Get a bigger basket or store some of the things elsewhere. Find a new spot for your measuring cups. Write down the number or the code or the name. Charge the batteries. Cut the branch. Get a hook for your keys.

If you can’t enact your plan right away, schedule a time when you will take care of it.

Knowing that you have a plan and a schedule will immediately create some room in your brain because you will be able to stop asking yourself when you are going to take care of the thing and you will stop admonishing yourself for not having taken care of it yet.

By the way, if this is a thing you have been meaning to get to for a while but you just couldn’t do it, please be EXTRA kind to yourself if it ends up only taking a few minutes. Yes, the task was small but the obstacle was large and hard things are hard – being mean to yourself in the process doesn’t make them any easier.

If you have multiple things to take care of but none of them have a deadline and none of them seem obviously more urgent than the others, pick the one that is first alphabetically or the one that will make the most visible difference. When there is no obvious place to start, it doesn’t really matter WHERE you start, it only matters that you start somewhere.

This is about reclaiming some of your own mental space for your future self. You don’t have to pick big things, you don’t have to pick obvious things, you only have to pick things that matter to your current self and your future self.

And, as always, I wish you ease in the process.

⭐ <<<<This is for your efforts in figuring this out.

A video from the Yoginimelbourne YouTube channel entitled ‘Create Space 7min yoga flow’ and the still image features the instructor from the waist up, leaning their upper body and outstretched arms to her right while looking upwards to the left. They are indoors and the leaves of a houseplant can be seen on the lower left while the video title appears in black on the upper right.

The yoga video about creating space made me happy but so did the fact that this meditation video is specifically about breathing space. SPACE! We all deserve a bit more in the places where we want and need it.

A video from Teik Yen Ko’s YouTube channel entitled ‘Mindfulness Meditation: 3 Minute Breathing Space’ by Professor Mark Williams from the Oxford Mindfulness Centre. The still image features the light green cover of a book by Mark Williams called ‘Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World’ and the image on the cover is the silhouette of a city skyline reflected in a body of water.

About Making Space 2022

In December 2020, Fit is a Feminist Issue blogger Martha created a tradition – a series of reminder posts to take good care of ourselves during this last month of the year when it is far too easy to get swept up in your to do list, no matter what you are celebrating or not celebrating. Last year, it was my turn and after an introductory Go Team post called Give Yourself Some Space, I created a series of reminders called ‘Making Space‘ that offered a suggested short exercise video and a suggested meditation in case you needed an easy way to find space for yourself in your schedule.

For 2022, I’ll be doing the same thing but I’ll also be including a link to Martha’s post from the same date in 2020 and I’ll offer a few extra ideas for relaxation, creativity, and self-kindness here and there.

These posts are not about insisting that you do more, more, more during this busy season. Instead, I want to encourage you to remember that there IS a *YOU* who is doing all of the things and you are worth taking good care of.

Perhaps the things I suggest aren’t what you need in the moment. That’s totally ok. Perhaps you can use something else to create some space, something that will help you feel more relaxed or more in charge of your day.

Re-positioning my team sports positions
fitness

Re-positioning my team sports positions

elan.paulson

As I have discussed in some of my other FIFI posts, learning to play sports in mid-life means slowly and awkwardly developing new skills as an adult. It also means managing my expectations because I lack some of the durable motor memory skills that other players may have already developed during their childhood play.

However, I’ve been thinking about how some “durable” learning from my own childhood sport, baseball, perhaps has not been entirely beneficial for me as an adult player today.

When I started to play softball at 9 years old, my coaches put me straight into right field for the season. I remember standing way, way outfield, watching the tiny players running around infield, and looking up at the sun shining down on me from the sky.

In following seasons I improved my catching and throwing skills. I was moved to other positions infield (eventually to pitcher). From this experience I took that infield position was where the power and glory was. Right field was where you put players with little skill or game know-how. You couldn’t mess up the game too much from way out there.

After changing up my playing positions in my two rec team sports over the past few months, I noticed that I have brought this childhood assumption—my “right fielder thinking”—that novices should play certain positions.

Now in my third year of curling, I tried skipping during a few “fun” nights. I have an interest in game strategy, but I realized I couldn’t easily adapt when rocks were thrown in ways I wasn’t expecting. I also tried playing the second position, thinking that because I was a better player than when I started I would contribute more. But without the rhythms I had established for myself in the lead position, as second I had the worst game in my 2.5 years!

In soccer, we’ve been short some players as the Christmas holiday season approaches, so I’ve tried playing midfield and striker. I still don’t have consistently strong cardio or ball-handling skills: I watch my own feet like a novice ballroom dancer. But overall, I have had more success shifting positions. It turns out I like running to get open and try to receive a ball rather than wait for opposing players to come to me, as I would in a defence position. My impatience helps me to want to find solutions to problems.

Playing in these new positions has allowed me to watch players in my old positions. In soccer, I see some defenders not as novices but as tough players and strong kickers. In curling, my skip tells me that while the least seasoned player is often put in the lead position, that position is critical for starting the ends, reading the ice, and calling the weights. I am slowly getting better at those key skills with practice.

New positions have brought into relief the errors of my old right-fielder thinking that tells me certain positions are my only option. That logic falls down in many ways. Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, and Roberto Clemente were all right fielders, and they were some of the best players in the game ever!

Another small but clear memory surfaces of 9 year-old me standing in own home field outfield. I remember how, when a ball did come, I was the only outfielder who had to make the catch with the sun directly in my eyes. I still managed the catch once in awhile, and that was something.

cardio · Dancing · fitness · holiday fitness · holidays · meditation · self care

Making Space 2022: Day 28

Christine Hennebury

Today, I am still thinking about our future selves but while yesterday’s thoughts were about timing, today’s thoughts are about traditions.

It’s stating the obvious, of course, but this time of year tends to be very tradition-laden.

Basically, there are all kinds of things that we do because that’s what we have always done. Those things can take up a lot of space in our lives – even if we enjoy doing them.

And whether those traditions are about celebrations, end of year tasks, or about our work, it can be a good idea to stop every so often and make sure they are still serving us – still serving the purpose we want them to serve. 

Traditions that make us happy are great. 

Traditions that serve the purpose we want them to serve are useful. 

Traditions done for tradition’s sake? Those are a burden.

And it’s ok to put burdens down when you don’t need to carry them anymore.

But it’s logistically and emotionally tricky to stop a tradition that other people enjoy. (Especially if and when that tradition involves a lot of unseen work that you do but they benefit from.)

And it’s even trickier to halt or change a tradition if it usually happens in the near future.

However, right now, you have an opportunity to think about the traditions you follow each December and start to reconsider them.

You don’t have to make any big decisions or start any arguments right now but you are close enough to your traditions to remember which ones you really treasure and which ones upset you or make you tired.

And you have time to plan how and when to talk to everyone involved about changing, removing, or enhancing those traditions for next year. You don’t have to have those conversations right now but you can start to consider when would be the least emotionally-challenging time to have them.

And while most of these thoughts will be about creating space for your future self, even considering changing or stopping traditions will probably give your current self a little extra space.

Just please be kind to yourself in the process. ⭐️💚

Of course, as always, I want you to do what works for you, what creates a sense of well-being in your mind and in your life. You don’t have to take my suggestions and you certainly don’t have to consider removing any traditions – you can make space in any way that works for you.

Here are a couple of videos that you might want to use to create space today.

As I was searching for a short cardio workout, I came across this villain-themed dance video and I thought it was hilarious. We aren’t evil because we are thinking about changing up some traditions but we might *feel* like villains – might as well embrace the role and have some dance-y fun with it.

An 8-Minute Villain-Era Dance Cardio workout with Sheela Awe from the PopSugar Fitness YouTube channel. The still image shows three people dressed in black workout clothes standing in a pink/red lit studio. The all have one arm extended toward the camera in a vaguely evil beckoning gesture.

And for our meditation, I thought cultivating a calm mind was a great way to start contemplating future changes.

A 7-Minute Guided Meditation To Cultivate A Calm Mind from the Tricycle YouTube channel. The still image shows the instructor wearing glasses and a pale blue shirt, sitting on a chair in front of a white mantlepiece above an unlit fireplace.

About Making Space 2022

About Making Space 2022

In December 2020, Fit is a Feminist Issue blogger Martha created a tradition – a series of reminder posts to take good care of ourselves during this last month of the year when it is far too easy to get swept up in your to do list, no matter what you are celebrating or not celebrating. Last year, it was my turn and after an introductory Go Team post called Give Yourself Some Space, I created a series of reminders called ‘Making Space‘ that offered a suggested short exercise video and a suggested meditation in case you needed an easy way to find space for yourself in your schedule.

For 2022, I’ll be doing the same thing but I’ll also be including a link to Martha’s post from the same date in 2020 and I’ll offer a few extra ideas for relaxation, creativity, and self-kindness here and there.

These posts are not about insisting that you do more, more, more during this busy season. Instead, I want to encourage you to remember that there IS a *YOU* who is doing all of the things and you are worth taking good care of.

Perhaps the things I suggest aren’t what you need in the moment. That’s totally ok. Perhaps you can use something else to create some space, something that will help you feel more relaxed or more in charge of your day.