Category: holidays

Carnitas and Cobblestones on Ebikes in Mexico
cycling · fitness · food · holiday fitness · holidays · vacation

Carnitas and Cobblestones on Ebikes in Mexico

elan.paulsonLeave a comment

FIFI readers may recall I’ve written before about ebike tourism – in PEI, Canada and in New Zealand. This time, I had a new ebike experience: my first ever ebike food tour.

My partner and I went during our recent holiday at my sister’s condo in Bucerias, where we also visited family who winter in nearby Puerto Vallarta. Our morning tour group of eleven buzzed slowly through town on pedal-assist bikes, stopping at locally owned spots for cafe de olla, birria, carnitas tacos, and crema dessert. Vegetarian accommodations were made for me without fuss. Our bilingual guide, Pepe, kept stories flowing, including tales of his own cycling tours throughout Mexico. When the annual chalk drawing festival took over the main strip, he adjusted our route without missing a beat.

We wait patiently behind our 11 bikes for enough seats to open up at this local taco cafe.
We wait patiently behind our 11 bikes for enough seats to open up at this local taco cafe.

Bici Bucerias is owned by Canadian expats rather than Mexican nationals. At the same time, tours like the one we took still funnel money and visibility toward the Mexican‑owned cafés, taco stands, and dessert places that make the experience worthwhile. Some of the places we visited were quite small, or out of walking distance from where tourists stay, which meant we likely would never have chosen them otherwise.

One of my delicious meals: soup, tortilla, cheese, beans​, and bread.
One of my delicious meals: soup, tortilla, cheese, beans, and bread.

It was also my first time on a bike on cobblestone, and slow-rolling over the uneven ground with pedal assist felt surprisingly unsettling. I ended up turning off the assist on those stretches, feeling I had more control that way. I also spotted a few road cyclists out along the busy highway and marvelled at their nerve. It’s a good reminder of how much I take for granted the space and infrastructure that cyclists get in many parts of Canada.

Pepe, our guide, reviews ebike technology and safety before the ride.​
Pepe reviews ebike technology and safety before the ride.

This week, I’m thinking about those who ride and own businesses that are shut down due to shelter-in-place ordinances following cartel-related property damage throughout Jalisco, Mexico. I hope Bici Bucieras can resume their tours soon to continue supporting authentic food culture and locally owned businesses in the area. As my sister who lived full time in Puerto Vallarta for 10 years says, Mexicans are resilient and good at recovering from challenges.

An indoor hotel pool with kids and adults playing and others in chairs beside it. Catherine’s new intention for 2026: more swimming with kids
family · fitness · holidays · season transitions · swimming

Catherine’s new intention for 2026: more swimming with kids

catherine w1 Comment

I rang in the New Year (technically, the day after) in a way I heartily recommend: swimming with a friend and her toddler! My friend Rachel and I took her daughter Teagan to a local hotel pool that offers day passes. It’s pretty cold here in New England, and the hotel indoor pool offers a respite from freezing cold temperatures outside and cramped play spaces inside.

When we got there on Friday, there were about five kids in the pool horsing around, with a group of fully-clothed parents lounging and scrolling on their phones. We went into the locker room to change into bathing suits and headed into the relatively warm water.

Teagan isn’t a swimmer yet, being a few weeks shy of 3 years old, but she loved the water, and she loved playing with us. Favorite activities included:

  • Jumping from the side of the pool into the waiting arms of Rachel or me;
  • Bring hurled through the air (well, sort of) between Rachel and me in the pool, making a big splash as she landed;
  • being swirled in a circular motion, clockwise or counter-clockwise (she didn’t express a preference) while squealing, laughing and splashing;
  • blowing bubbles in the water;
  • watching us blow bubbles in the water;
  • pretend/sort-of-actual swimming, with a bit of assistance;
  • bobbing up and down, kicking her feet but not making any forward progress (which bothered her not a whit)
  • being wrapped up in multiple towels, including my rainbow beach towel.

I got a decent upper body workout, lifting, holding, and catching her, as well as working on my high-speed circular swirling technique. And it was very good for my heart. And soul…

Here’s a picture of them enjoying the pool. I was the photographer this time. I expect my participation to be documented in future pool explorations (of which I hope the next is soon).

Teagan (on left) and Rachel (on right). Both very happy.
Teagan (on left) and Rachel (on right). Both very happy.

When my youngest nephew Gray (now 20) was born I looked after his two older siblings (5 and almost 3) for the first few weeks while my sister was getting settled in with a new baby. Our most joyful outings were to the pool– there no one was sad or grumpy or tired or bored. We splashed and played and hung out and ate snacks and enjoyed the water and each other. Honestly, is there anything better?

This winter season, if you’re feeling in need of a pick-me-up, borrow a kid or a friend or take yourself to a pool. Splash around. Do a handstand underwater. See how long you can hold your breath. Dive for random objects thrown to the bottom. Oh, and don’t forget to bring snacks and fluffy towels, too.

A table set for dinner, no pne seated yet. Catherine’s family holiday: free from food concern trolling
eating · fitness · holidays

Catherine’s family holiday: free from food concern trolling

catherine wLeave a comment

CW: discussion of comments made about people’s eating habits, especially in family circles

While browsing Facebook yesterday, I came across a post from a FB friend expressing their frustration and anger over food concern trolling comments from their family. The comments mainly consisted of observations on the amount of they ate or put on their plate. When confronted, family members said they were “just kidding”. Right.

I am so done with this behavior, and I’m glad this person called out the comments for what they were– body shaming, food concern trolling, toxic fat phobia. Enough!

Reading this made me reflect on what my family holiday eating atmosphere is like these days. I’m very happy to say that it’s fun and satisfying and supportive and respectful.

One really great thing about my sister and her kids is that we all eat what we want and how much we want. There’s really no judgement, except that I occasionally make fun of them about how much they love sauces on the side. Remember this scene from When Harry Met Sally? Their orders are often like this:

Ordering things on the side, taken to its logical conclusion. From When Harry met Sally.
Ordering things on the side, taken to its logical conclusion. From When Harry met Sally.

I feel completely at home with my sister and her kids– at home in my body, at home with my plate at mealtime. My sister and I do talk about nutrition— protein and fat in particular— as we both have gut issues. We offer advice to each other in the form of “I was having this gut problem, ate or didn’t eat this, did that, and the following happened. Maybe that info will be helpful for you.” That works for me.

My mother is experiencing cognitive decline, and it’s hard for her (not remembering things) and for us (trying to figure out what to remind her about and when to go with the flow). She is eating less, a combo of lowered appetite and forgetting to eat. But she hasn’t forgotten about the foods she likes. She takes real pleasure in a burger, turkey sub sandwich, or a snickers ice cream bar (yes these exist). And we’ve enjoyed a bunch of nice meals together, talking about the food, how good it is, and what it reminds us of— other meals, other friends and family members, other times. Connecting with my mom through food is a pleasure I hope will last for a while yet.

I wish for all of you, dear readers, days and days of happy meals with family and friends through the rest of this holiday time and in the new year to come.

Smiling cheesecake with chocolate sauce. On the side, of course. By Insung Yoon for Unsplash.
Smiling cheesecake with chocolate sauce. On the side, of course. By Insung Yoon for Unsplash.
s small drawing of the number 26 Making Space 2025: Day 26
fitness · holiday fitness · holidays · meditation · self care

Making Space 2025: Day 26

Christine HenneburyLeave a comment

Hey Everyone,

I hope that today is a good day to find a little space for yourself with movement, meditation, or something else that makes you happy.

I don’t have a lot of advice today but I do have a question:

What kinds of small things can you do over the next few days to either feel more restful in the moment OR to help yourself start the new year with more ease?

Please don’t put a lot of pressure on yourself to figure this out!

But if you can think of a few things that will make life a bit easier for future you, please try to do them.

(Somewhat related: I thought this list of tiny experiments for the last week of the year sounded interesting. No pressure though! Take good care of yourself!)

Anyway, Team, no matter what you are doing today or what you have planned for the next week, I wish you ease and peace of mind and as much space as you need.

And with that, let’s get into our suggested practices for today:

Since this is Boxing Day, I had decided to post a boxing workout and a box breathing meditation. Boxing Day has nothing to do with the sport of boxing (nor about breathing practices) but I do like a tangential theme!

Then, on a less tangential matter, I realized that today is also the first day of Kwanzaa so I wanted to post a meditation and movement practice related to that celebration as well.

(There are a lot of holidays and cultural events throughout December and I don’t mention them all because I don’t always have the time to do proper research and determine if it would be appropriate for me to reference them in this type of post. If you celebrate something in December that you think would be appropriate for Making Space 2026, please let me know in the comments and I will include it next year.)

Here’s one of our movement practices for today.

In the still image of this 10 Minute Kickboxing Quick HIIT Workout from BodyFit by Amy, the title of the video is on the left in black and the instructor, a person with light skin and freckles and their blond hair in a ponytail and cloth hairband, is demonstrating a punch with their right fist towards the camera and their left arm close to their body in a guarding position (upper arm close to the body, elbow down, forearm leaned slightly across their chest, fist near their chin. They are wearing a blue cropped tank top and you can see the black waistband of their pants (or shorts?)

Here’s our first meditation practice for today:

In still image for this Box Breathing Relaxation Exercise from Hands On Meditation, a variation of the video title ‘5 Minute Box Breathing Relaxation Exercise Beginner Pace’ is in the middle of the screen with the first two words in yellow, the rest in white. The first four words are in larger text than the last four. Behind the text is a silhouette of a square with thick lines for each side and the background is a sort of patterned blue that gives the impression of being underwater. In case you are interested, here’s a good explanation of the benefits of Box Breathing from Sunnybrook Hospital.

Here’s our second movement practice for today:

In the still image for this Kwanzaa Quick Workout video from Uhuru Dancers, Atlanta the instructor, a black person with curly hair pulled upwards away from their face with a yellow and brown patterned scarf, large hoop earrings, a black tshirt with the word LEGACY in white, a hip scarf in the same pattern, and red leggings, is standing on a white and red patterned rug with their hands on the back of their hips. They look calm and determined. In the background, next to a red wall, are several tall drums, and a wooden table. There are posters and other hangings on the wall.

And here’s a Kwanzaa meditation from a few years ago:

In this still image from Principles of Kwanzaa, 7 Day Meditation Challenge Day 1: Umoja – Unity from Manii Dot Calm, the instructor, a young black person with their hair covered in a brightly coloured scarf is sitting on a couch that is covered with yellow fabric and there are two windows with blinds closed behind them. They are wearing a white sleeveless blouse over a burgundy tank top, and they are wearing gold earing and bangles on both arms. Their eyes are closed and their arms are raised so their elbows are away from their body, their forearms are closer to the camera and their hands are palm inward at face height but maybe 6-8 inches away from their face.

If you are interested in more Kwanzaa meditations, her other videos are available at Manii Dot Calm but they are not in a separate playlist.

A drawing of the number 25. Making Space 2025: Day 25
fitness · health · holiday fitness · holidays · mindfulness · self care

Making Space 2025: Day 25

Christine HenneburyLeave a comment

Happy Holidays! Happy Christmas! Happy Thursday!

Or, if you aren’t feeling any of those things, I wish you a perfectly acceptable day with no unpleasant surprises.

I have gotten myself a bit tangled trying to write this post because I was trying to say just the right thing to everyone.

But since that is impossible, I am just going to say this:

No matter how this day finds you, I wish you ease, I wish you space, I wish you peace.

May you have a little extra breathing room.

May you have a little more peace of mind.

May you have joy in your heart – even if it is just a flicker right now.

If you want it, may have company to help you celebrate or to help you carry what needs to be carried.

If you want it, may you have solitude so you can hear yourself think, so you can find ease, or so you can choose how to spend your time.

May you know how much you are loved.

Please be just as kind to yourself as you are to others, today and always.

Please know that I am thinking of you and sending you warmth and kindness and spaciousness.

On that note, I feel like it’s a good idea to put our meditation practice first today:

In the still image from this 5 Minute LovingKindness Meditation from Unearth Compassion, what I interpret as small green tendrils are poking up from frozen ground on a misty day.

And here’s our movement practice for today:

In the still image from this from Holly R Jahn, the instructor is wearing blue leggings and a grey shirt and trying on the floor on their back next to a large white pot for a houseplant. They are side-on to the camera and they have their arms outstretched and their right leg is crossed over their left. Their left is outstretched on the floor and their right foot is placed near their left knee.

If you would prefer more seasonally-themed choices, here are a few choices:

Christmas-Themed Workouts Playlist

Christmas-Themed Mindful Drawing Video

Festive Spirit Meditation

Finding Peace During The Holidays Meditation

Wishing you a day of fitness, family and fun!
alcohol · celebration · dogs · eating · holidays · snow · winter

Wishing you a day of fitness, family and fun!

natalieh (she/her)Leave a comment

This year is the first Christmas of being empty nesters. Our youngest is in British Columbia. Our eldest is over for a couple days. His beloved is on military deployment. So it’s just the 3 of us and we are finding new traditions.

Last night we had Tortiére, a savory meat pie, mashed potatoes and green beans. We made homemade apple fritters in the air fryer. Not too shabby. It’s a nod to the French Canadian tradition of Réveillon, celebrating the start of the holidays with food and family.

Today we are having turkey, wild rice & apricot stuffing, sweet potato casserole, bronzed onions and cranberry sauce.

If we get real ambitious we will make Cracker Candy. It’s a quick and easy dessert where the butter and sugar candy is poured over saltines and topped with chocolate and pecans.

One thing that is definitely on our agenda is giving Lucy and ourselves a good walk.

Our neighbourhood is quiet with students gone home for the holidays and many people traveling. It’s like we have the city to ourselves. I enjoy the peaceful, unhurried way everyone is going about the day.

Lucy the dog sits patiently by the door waiting for a walk.

As part of doing things differently this year there’s no alcohol involved. In previous years we’d have wine with meals and cocktails in the evenings. I’m surprised that I’m not missing it.

We’ve scaled way back on gifts as we are investing in house renovations next month. It’s a big change but one that feels good and aligned with what we really want.

Snowy walks are better in Santa hats. Nat and Michel smile while dressed in warm jackets covered in snow.

If where you are has today as a holiday I hope you are getting the day you need. I hope it includes the perfect balance of fitness, family and fun.

A pile of brightly wrapped gifts. Pic by Val Vesa for Unsplash. Catherine’s favorite gifts from 2025, for 2026
celebration · fitness · holidays

Catherine’s favorite gifts from 2025, for 2026

catherine wLeave a comment

Yesterday we shared with you, dear readers, some of our plans for holiday giving and receiving this year. Most of us are reporting downscaling or transforming the practice into acts of love and kindness (shout out to Elan in particular), regifting with purpose (yeah, that’s me) supporting loved ones (anyone know of deals on snow tires, tell Sam) and also those who weren’t expecting much from Christmas this year (Christine, what a lovely idea you’re carrying out!). Also, I’m totally buying The Imaginary Alphabet for some littles I know and love. Thanks for the tip, Tracy!

In my blurb, I talked about what I was giving, but not what I wanted to receive, or gifts I had bestowed on myself. So here are a few of my favorite gifts (from me or others), and my plans for them in 2026.

  1. Two pairs Levi’s blue jeans, midrise boot cut, ordered from JC Penneys (yes, they still exist) on sale, about $35 each

I used to order fancier jeans (why? I honestly can’t tell you), but I got the idea that maybe I should revisit Levi’s. And I’m so glad I did! I’ve already gotten some nice wear out of them this fall, but I am hoping/planning on donning them for some horseback riding in 2026. Yes, that’s the plan.

Two models wearing bootcut Levis, from the JC Penney site.
Two models wearing bootcut Levis, from the JC Penney site.

2. Color markers and a notebook for drawing and writing

My friend Gillian gave me a beautiful Italian-paper-covered journal for writing, to which I’ve added drawings of flowers, trees, and whatever strikes my fancy. I never in a million years would have guessed that I would take up drawing. I have no training at all and never saw myself in an artistic light. I’m all words all the time, right? Well, no. Turns out I take great pleasure in creating little color compositions of objects in nature and imaginary geometric scenes. Who knew… All made possible by some markers and a book. I plan to keep it up in 2026, setting aside more intentional time for this happy pastime.

A 24-pack of colored markers and my precious journal.
A 24-pack of colored markers and my precious journal.

3. New purses for no reason other than I love them (one on left free from Yankee swap, one on right bought at church fair, $10.)

Anyone who knows me knows I love me some purses. Yes, it may seem like a hassle to change them out all the time, but when you want a little pop of color or a way to finish off an outfit, nothing does it for me like a cute purse. I tend to buy them used at my favorite consignment shop Wearovers, in Bedford MA (I know the owner and my friend Pata used to work there). But these two I scored in more felicitous and unexpected ways. Yes, they’re small. But, for me, that is a feature, not a bug. I use them when I am on the go and want to travel light. And in 2026, I’d really like to travel lighter– in body and spirit. Here’s to that.

Two cute purses with handy cross-body straps, all for me...
Two cute purses with handy cross-body straps, all for me…

4. Not going to a conference in India but instead one in Vermont, in June 2026.

My university is co-sponsoring a conference on innovation in higher education in June 2026 and soliciting abstracts. They will cover some (most? dunno) of the travel expenses and also offer tours afterwards. When I first saw this, I thought, “oh yeah, India! Gotta go!” But then I saw that there was a conference in Burlington VT at the same time, on food studies. This is a conference I have been to many times (including last year in Oregon). Also, I can drive there in four hours, instead of flying and traveling for more than 27 hours. And, the VT conference is on topics related to my research, unlike the India conference. So, I didn’t submit an abstract for the India conference, and am instead submitting one for the VT one. This makes so much sense, and is the perfect gift from present-me to future-me.

Google maps route from my house to the conference in VT.
Google maps route from my house to the conference in VT.
Call for abstracts and view of VT agriculture
Call for abstracts and view of VT agriculture

These gifts from myself or others to present-me and future-me reflect my hopes and plans for 2026 and beyond, namely that I want outfit myself physically and mentally for movement, creation, ease and connection. What about you, friends? What do you need to get yourself physically and psychically kitted out for 2026? I’d love to hear from you.

A card with the number 13 on it Making Space 2025: Day 13
ADHD · advice · fitness · habits · holiday fitness · holidays · mindfulness · rest · self care

Making Space 2025: Day 13

Christine HenneburyLeave a comment

Hey everyone,

Sometimes, especially when I am busy, I forget to simplify.

I’ll end up following an old plan, doing something in a complicated way, or making a task much bigger than it needs to be, just because it doesn’t feel like I have time to think it through and/or make new decisions about it.

This can result in me doing a lot of unnecessary work or being needlessly stressed and it definitely reduces the possibilities for enjoying the process.

So, for a while now, when things feel complicated, I have been going back to one quick reminder:

Do the easy thing!

And, sure, that could be interpreted in multiple ways but in this case it means to find the easiest way to accomplish what I am setting out to do and only add extra things if I know I will have time and energy.

So, for example, if I was hosting a dinner for a group of people, I might initially have the idea that I was going to cook a bunch of stuff.

But if that starts to feel too stressful, I would look for the easiest way to accomplish my task (which, in this case is finding a way to enjoy hanging out and feeding with those people – it’s not usually about the specific food.)

That might mean ordering a meal, or buying some precooked items at the grocery store, or making pancakes, or switching to a dessert party, or any other solution that reduces stress and scales the task to a manageable level.

And if I decide that I am making pancakes and then have the time/energy/inclination to make side dishes or dessert, it’s a bonus, not a commitment or an obligation.

So, Team, today I’m inviting you to consider what ‘Do the easy thing!’ might look like for you.

Is there something coming up – a task, a commitment, and event- that you could pare down to a simpler version?

Are you putting pressure on yourself to do something perfectly that you could challenge yourself to make as easy as possible instead?

And, yes, I know that you may get pushback from people who are counting on you to overexert yourself so they can enjoy something stress-free but they can just shut-up. Decide on a response in advance (“This is what I can do this year.” “I know you prefer it the other way but this is how I have to proceed this year.” “If you would like something different, feel free to take this on yourself.”) and stick with it. Try not to make excuses or waffle about it, that gives people the idea that you will give in if they push – just state it as plainly as possible and forge ahead.

You deserve to enjoy your December and to minimize your stress.

You deserve to have more space in your own life.

You deserve kindness, care, and consideration, just the same as everyone else.

And I wish you ease in the process of finding it.

In the spirit of doing the easy thing, here are our practices for today:

My favourite warm-up routine! It’s not fancy but it is pretty easy and I feel great when I’m done.

A five minute warm-up video from Fitness Blender. The still image shows a person with long light brown hair in exercise clothes standing in a white room. They are in the middle of one of the warmup exercises so they are standing on their right foot with the lower part of their left leg lifted up behind them.

And here’s an easy, short, visual mindfulness practice from SunFlow. It’s a YouTube Short so it can’t be embedded but it’s worth following the link and watching on repeat.

The image shows a pink ball moving back and forth through an open-ended spiral against a green background while directions to breathe in or out appear near the spiral. If you are just listening, there is a breath sound to follow – they begin by breathing out.

https://youtube.com/shorts/bIu5yiAgTHk?si=aDq-rCgTQZh69q8r

A bunch of brown paper wrapped gifts with peppermint stripe ribbon. BY Juliana Malta for Unsplash. Silly fitness gifts, the 2025 edition
fitness · holidays

Silly fitness gifts, the 2025 edition

catherine wLeave a comment

Weeee’re back! Here are some of the newest (at least to me) silly so-called fitness gifts that you don’t need– either to give or receive– in 2025. All of them made some media outlet’s top fitness gift list this year, so beware.

By the way, here are some of my previous posts about silly fitness gifts, from 2019 and 2023.

Now, to this year’s picks:

A Smart-rope— that is, a jump rope with a smart-phone-app connection.

Overly fancy jump rope with slippery handles, nausea-inducing special effects and obligatory app.
Overly fancy jump rope with slippery handles, nausea-inducing special effects and obligatory app. But you do get a choice of handle colors…

So many complaints:

  • The handles are smooth plastic, which look like they will slip when you start sweating (as I do).
  • It has leaded beads that are LED lights, so you have to recharge it.
  • Why would I willingly buy something that requires me to install yet another single-purpose app? I know, okay boomer, but still. I don’t like app clutter.
  • It displays the number of jumps you’ve made through the LED thingies, so you see flashing lights going on and off in front of you the whole time you’re jumping. Hello, nausea!
  • It relentlessly keeps track of how many jumps, how fast you’re jumping, how long your jumping. And will tell everyone on the internet if you aren’t careful about your settings. No.
  • It’s $79. No. I can buy a regular jump rope for $4.97. It works just fine and doesn’t increase my risk of a seizure.

Magnetic sling bag for your water bottle

Water bottle sling bag. It does come in two colors-- you can buy both for $118.
It does come in two colors– you can buy both for $118.

Honestly, who needs this? Can’t we just put our bottles in our gym bags? Also, my water bottle has its own handle, specifically for carrying. Just sayin’.

Third, a favorite, but at an unbearable price: Peloton bike (retail!) Price $2695

Really? Does some editor think it’s May 2020? You can get a used Peloton bike for $500 on ebay, and less elsewhere. I saw this one for $350 on Facebook Marketplace.

Used peloton bike. $350. Membership extra.
Used peloton bike. $350. Membership extra.

When did Beauty advent calendars become a thing? And a very expensive thing at that! Here’s one a list-maker recommended: the Alo Yoga Advent Calendar.

A bunch of boxes containing "Magnesium Reset Spray, gel shots, supplements, accessories, and so much more". For $280. No thank you.
A bunch of boxes containing “Magnesium Reset Spray, gel shots, supplements, accessories, and so much more”. For $280. No thank you.

Also, it’s for the workout novice? Is it an advanced workout to open all those boxes? Again, just no. By the way, this is among the less expensive of the beauty advent calendars. I’m completely bumfuzzled about this phenomenon. Do you know any more about this? Please let me know in the comments.

Honestly, if you’re looking to give gifts or give hints to your loved ones about gifts you’d like, there are so many other choices, including donations to organizations that are doing good and needed work. Also, books are nice.

Hey readers– have you received any silly or wildly unnecessary fitness-y gifts for the holidays? I’d love to hear about them.

Happy holiday season, folks!

A small drawing of the number 6. Making Space 2025: Day 6
fitness · holiday fitness · holidays · meditation · self care

Making Space 2025: Day 6

Christine HenneburyLeave a comment

Hey Everyone,

Welcome to the first Saturday in December!

I hope that today finds you with at least a little time to yourself, even if it is just taking a little extra time with your cup of tea, a little longer in the shower, or going a little slower when doing some routine tasks.

I know I am not alone in this but I hate, hate, hate to feel rushed so when I am feeling hurried, I always try to figure out small ways to reduce that feeling of pressure. Sometimes, taking my time at the grocery store or choosing a slower way to do something helps my brain to recalibrate and see the difference between feeling rushed and any actual urgency.

I know that isn’t the same as actual rest or actually changing my to do list but when I am in the thick of things, I may not have the time or brain space to do either of those.

And I also know that some of you may not have the freedom or capacity to change the order or nature of your task but I hope that you can be kind to yourself about the facts of your day, that you can eke out a few minutes rest, and that you can recognize that feeling rushed at a busy time is not a personal flaw. You are doing what you can with the resources you have and that’s all anyone can do.

Whether you are rushing, relaxing, or doing something in between today, I wish you ease in your mind and in your body.

May you have a little more space when you need it.

Here’s today’s movement practice:

This video from Yes2Next is called “Easy 5 min Wall Pilates Workout (No Weights): For Ages 60+ and Beginners” and the still image shows the two happy-looking participants in a very light squat with their arms slightly extended behind them. Their photos superimposed over a purple wall and they are standing on a wooden floor. The participants are a mother/daughter pair and the Mom, an elderly woman with short grey hair, is closest to the camera and is wearing a black track suit. The daughter, who is middle aged, is in black leggings and dark peach t-shirt.

And here’s today’s mindfulness practice:

The still image for this Headspace video “Grounding Exercise for Racing Minds” shows a cartoonish yellow circle with googly eyes looking upwards and the the left. There is a white circle and a dark orange circle layered around the yellow circle character and the background of the image is a warm orange. The video title is on the upper left with the first few words in white and the last two in yellow.