Another one for the list

I wrote the phrase "appropriate precautionary measures" in an email this evening, and now I keep thinking about using that for my exercise metaphor, and snickering. I'm not sure it will be what I say in my head to motivate myself, but it sure is a fun thing to say. So...maybe I need a public metaphor in addition to my private/internal one? Maybe all the disruption from having company has triggered some need in me to have something funny or clever to say next time, about why I'd be deserting my visitors for almost an hour a day.

Moment of hmm, anyone?

Hmm.

More metaphor mousing

So I asked an online group of friends for help with the metaphor. It didn't go so well, but I got a few extra words that I'd like to add to the brainstorm. In addition to what I already have, we've got:

healing

rejuvenation

therapy

makeover

blessing

dance/movement

wellness

ahimsa (Sanskrit for do no harm)

well being

vitality

strength

flexibility

health

balance

"me time"

I also thought it might be helpful if I start thinking about the qualities that I want from my metaphor:

cheerfulness

fun

energy

expansion (or perhaps spaciousness)

depth

vitality (there it is again!)

POWER.

relaxation

cessation of pain (oh this very much yes please.)

I'm really feeling like there's something to be had here. We'll definitely be coming back to this.

Legs and metaphors

I have had visitors in my house for more days in November than not. So my routines (those tiny sweet things that are still brand new) have been disrupted a LOT. Smashed to smithereens, I'd say.

Anyway, I didn't do a lot of Shiva Nata in the past 6 weeks. Nor did I ride the exercise bike, take my vitamins, or go to bed on time. (Or blog.)

Tomorrow's always a new day, right?

However, it's not all gloomy news. I started doing the leg rotations in Level 1 the other day, and they are sufficiently challenging that I'm pretty sure I'll mess up plenty. I even had a little moment of hmm yesterday while reading.

Background: I've been really down on myself about my weight, and feeling guilty about being down on myself, and throwing in all kinds of bad depressing thoughts about what I'm modeling for my kids - unhealthy habits and concerns about my superficial appearance! But I started thinking that maybe I could try Havi's metaphor mouse trick, and start thinking about why the concepts of "dieting" and "weight loss" are such non-starters for me. So now I'm brainstorming the qualities of those words that are negative for me:

superficial

denial

deprivation

discomfort

admitting I'm fat

bland, boring food

fake sweeteners

And also starting to think about what words or ideas might, just might, have the right positive connotations:

healing

rejuvenation

therapy (interesting, that's a positive for me)

makeover

blessing

I might have to go consult the Visual Thesaurus on this one. Hopefully I'll come up with just the right thing.

Ain't No Thing

I don't have a "thing."

Some people have a way of describing themselves. "I'm the person who, in x situation, does y." Like my friend said tonight that she's the girl at the party who always starts picking up empty cups and bottles, three-fourths of the way through the party.

I'm not one of those people. Sometimes I help to pick up, sometimes I leave early, sometimes I crash on the couch, sometimes I wander outside and stare at the stars.

Each situation is different, and so I do different things every time. Is that my "thing?"

Or do I just not pay enough attention to myself to know who I am in different situations? Do I have a "thing" and I don't know about it? Am I predictable to everyone but myself? And would that make me happy if I were? Do I want to be known, or enigmatic?