Tag: meditation

Be Well

.Reading time 8 minutes.

I met Mary Baker – CFO & Co-founder of Be Well Yoga for Cancer Recovery- earlier this Spring when I attended Be Well’s yoga teacher training. I felt an immediate connection with the program and the founders. I am honored to be a Be Well graduate and am so grateful to have Mary and Heidi in my life. They are supportive, caring, compassionate, smart, dedicated… I could go on! Here is Mary and Be Well’s story!

Tell us your story. What is your program all about and how did you find yourself involved?

Be Well came to life on a road trip home from a 10 day long training that my friend and now business partner, Heidi Borsch, and I attended together back in 2014. Heidi and I both lost parents to cancer and sought out training to learn how to use yoga and mindfulness practices with the cancer population. One year later, Be Well became an official 501(c)3 nonprofit and has been serving the cancer community for over 6 years. Be Well offers 12 weekly Yoga for Cancer Recovery classes that are specifically tailored to the unique needs of cancer patients. Currently we serve the North County San Diego and Riverside County areas, with a brand new class coming in September to the OC!! (Led by two amazing Be Well Graduates – Jessica Beese Filloon and Jenny Jensen!)

Three years ago, Be Well formed its 55-hour Teacher Training Program to help get more Yoga for Cancer trained teachers into the community. Since inception, we have trained just under 50 individuals ranging from cancer survivors to medical doctors, all with a passion to serve the cancer community.

What populations / areas do you serve?

Our primary population is those who are living with a cancer diagnosis. We deal with all cancers, with breast cancer being our highest percentage of students. We also welcome caregivers, friends and family members to attend class with their survivor. We know firsthand the direct impact both cancer and yoga can have on everyone, and we love to see the positive effect our Be Well program has on everyone who comes to class!

What are the main obstacles that stand between you and your mission, and what ways do you find to overcome them?

The biggest obstacle we face on an on-going basis is funding (which is the case with any nonprofit). Finding creative ways to get money to keep our program running and growing is always at the top of our agenda. Secondly, an obstacle we face is continuing to get word out to the world about our program so our classes and training sessions can grow as well!

Program aside, tell us about yourselves. What makes you, YOU!

Heidi and I joke that we share a brain! We are very much a yin/yang pair in personality, temperament, and appearance – but our differences also make us a perfect match like the two hemispheres of one big brain! We are both passionate about what we do and both agree that teaching our Yoga for Cancer classes are the highlight of each and every week. Heidi is definitely the creative one – she loves painting, making jewelry, and other crafty activities. I am more of an active, fitness junkie and when I’m not teaching yoga you’ll find me out hiking or at the Crossfit gym getting my sweat on!

How has C directly impacted your own life? 

For both of us, cancer took away a dear loved one. Heidi was a young mother when her own mom died of ovarian cancer and I lost both of my parents within a 6 month time frame in my early 40’s. This was a life changer for us and we both felt deeply that we needed to give back in some way, to do what we could now and moving forward to help others who are living with cancer and those who are caring for loved ones with the disease.

What are your go-to acts of self care?

There are definitely real side effects of our work with the cancer population. Over the past 6 years, we have lost more than 6 very special students and friends and each one is a challenge. We give ourselves time to feel and to grieve and we also acknowledge that the time we were able to spend with them was time that made a difference in the quality of their life. We also make sure that we do our self-care – meditation, yoga, exercise, time with loved ones – are all part of our daily routine to keep life in balance.

What have you learned about yourself and the C community since starting with your program?

Cancer, whether you have it personally, or you experience it through a loved one, changes everything. It completely alters your outlook on life. Every day is a precious gift. Each breath an unrepeatable moment in time. We both feel that we have been able to really tap into our compassionate, nurturing natures and share our gifts doing something we dearly love.

If you could share any piece of advice for someone who has been diagnosed, what would it be?

DO BE WELL YOGA!!!!!!

Do you have a favorite quote, mantra, phrase, or curse word? 

Hmm that’s a tough one! We use quotes and mantras for all of our classes and over these many years I have found SO many good ones!!! I’ll share with you the very first quote I used at my very first yoga class and which I still feel is incredibly important for everyone to remember: “When you own your breath, no one can steal your peace” Teaching our students, especially our cancer students, to breathe well is one of the most important things we do in our classes. They can take that skill everywhere and into every situation. Time and time again they tell us how much learning to breathe properly has positively impacted their lives.

What are the latest happenings with your program right now? 

Coming up next – our Fall training! We are still seeking a few more qualified individuals to join us on the journey of becoming a Be Well Certified Yoga for Cancer teacher!! www.bewelltherapy.net/teacher-training

How can we contact your program?

www.bewelltherapy.net @bewelltherapy on Instagram and Be Well Yoga Therapy on Facebook

Yoga for Cancer Recovery

.Reading time 4 minutes.

I have loved yoga ever since… I stopped hating it.

OK that was dramatic but let’s be real, it’s not super inviting to head into a swanky studio for your first time with all those bendy bitches balancing on their heads… making yourself feel super self-conscious because you can barely touch your knees. At least, that is one of the most {highly paraphrased} reasons people tell me they don’t like yoga.

My yoga beginning was a little different. I started with a class at the Tracy Sports Club. It was me and my step-mom rolling around on the floor in somewhat of a “crack the egg” pose while elderly folks were ripping’ ’em all around us. Then I began to dabble again in high school PE {shout-out to Mrs. Hannigan!} It was cool. Slow but cool. But I just couldn’t focus. I was used to playing sports and slowly moving through poses and focusing on my breath was super rough for me. Then off to SDSU, practicing at the school gym and something clicked. I actually liked sitting with my own thoughts, focusing on my breath, and noticing the mental, emotional, physical benefits of yoga.

Fast forward to January of 2018. I was nearly done with active treatment. I was navigating a new body, a new normal- taking only very gentle yoga classes when I attended my first day of Yoga Teacher Training at Yoga Sol. Immediately I knew that I was right where I needed to be.

Top: Yoga Sol Grads
Bottom: Be Well Grads

The E X A C T same feeling came over me on my first day of Yoga For Cancer Recovery Teacher Training with Be Well. And if you have never fully been able to trust that you were making the right decisions at the right time, let me tell you- it fucking rocks. Not only did that training help me to feel seen and understood but it also lit a serious fire under my ass to start manifesting and working towards bringing Be Well to OC.

Gratitude fills me as I write this- both of these AMAZING programs are coming together beginning this September! My great friend Jenny Jensen, who completed Yoga Sol’s 200 hour and Be Well’s 55 hour training along side me, and I are officially going to be teaching Be Well inspired classes at Yoga Sol!

The Deets:

  • First class will be Monday, September 9th
  • Classes will be held each Monday from 4:30-5:30pm
  • Open to all C survivors no matter where you are in your journey or your yoga experience!
  • Donation based- We understand that a diagnosis often comes with serious financial burdens. Pay what you can!
  • Survivors can bring along a caregiver, supporter, cheerleader, partner, or pal!

Classes will integrate mindful yoga, deep relaxation, visualization, breathing techniques, and meditation – all in a compassionate and supportive environment and with your optimal well-being in mind.

We are all so excited to be able to offer this weekly class at the gorgeous Yoga Sol studio in Yorba Linda. If you feel like you or someone you know could benefit from attending, hit me up!

Fun Fact:

BOTH Yoga Sol & Be Well are offering trainings this fall!

Simplify

.Reading time 13 minutes.

A while back I wrote myself a note.

I do this often.  If you were to look inside my purse… car… pocket… desk drawer… you’d find several pieces of scrap paper or sticky notes.  Sometimes with reminders, sometimes to-do’s, sometimes blog ideas, sometimes I just frantically jot down something that a person has said or lines from an audio book or podcast that really resonated with me.

But this note was different.  It was a question to myself.  It asked “Is it possible to live a simple life while being a busy and working mom?”

I scribbled it down one day while at work and stuck it to the back of my phone so I knew I’d revisit it later.  I had asked myself this question because I truly didn’t know the answer. At that time, I felt like I was failing at being a good mother and wife.  Overall, I felt like I was failing at life.  I should mention, this question came about during one of my “stress spells”- a time where I had spread myself too thin and the stress began to get the best of me.  During these “stress spells” I usually begin sliding down a slippery slope.  Stress becomes anxiety.  The anxiety becomes fear.  And the fear becomes deep sadness.  Eventually I find my way out, only to write myself similar notes later on.

But that’s a whole different deal.

Back to the question… I didn’t have an answer for myself, so what did I do?  I consulted Google.  Of course there was no simple answer but the searching made me sit with the question and actually begin to work it over in my head.  I started to make a list of things that are important to me and ways to give them the attention they deserve, while really looking at things that are not worthy of so much of my energy, in order to start living a simpler and happier life.

Like I said I would- eventually I found my way out of the stress spell but my list stuck with me and I found myself actually taking {tiny} steps to live a simpler life.  Then came a little health scare (things are OK) and it was the swift kick in the ass I needed to really focus on simplifying and reevaluating what’s really important to me.  It all really came down to my hub, my core, my heart center- John and the kids. Hopefully, living a simple lifestyle will allow me to be a happier and more patient mother, a nicer wife, and a more present person with less stress and distractions.  I want to spend quality time with quality people and I want to be satisfied with what I have rather than focusing on what I don’t have.

In order to help guide myself and stay on track, I have created an ongoing and quite large Google Doc with actual steps to achieve the simple life I strive for. Now, I know that you’re probably thinking that making lists and Google Docs doesn’t sound like simplifying, in fact it sounds like more work.  But it actually is a form of simplifying for me.   And I really LOVE lists.

Below is my list to myself, in no particular order:

Be Careful With Commitments

It’s ok to say no sometimes.  Do not overbook, ie; appointments, play dates, subbing classes, outings with friends, etc.  Create boundaries around my time while maintaining kindness.  If I really don’t want to do something and I do it, I will end up resenting that person and that is not fair to either of us.  I want to be able to give all of me instead of part and in order to do that, I need to be able to set boundaries and respect them.  

Quality Family Time

Put the phone down and enjoy these moments.  Enjoy more adventures and create more memories, do not accumulate more things. Focus on doing instead of spending. Wake up an hour earlier each day and in that extra quiet time, take care of any chores that might lead me to tell my kids, “one minute, let me finish this real fast…” if they were awake.

Choose to be Happy

Maintain an attitude of gratitude.  Let go of what no longer serves me and understand that this may be ever changing. Let go of toxic relationships and energy vampires- you know who they are. 

Do Not Compare Myself to Others

Less social media- PERIOD.  They only show you what they want you to see.

Purge

Purge and donate more often- aim for once a month.  Remember that I cannot take things with me whenever the day comes to travel to the great beyond and I don’t want to burden my grandkids with crap that grandma kept in the garage that no one has a clue as to why she kept it.

Family Calendar 

Create and abide by the Family Calendar- add To-Dos here, grocery items that are needed, important reminders, dinner menu for the week.  (“sync” with my personal planner and online calendar) 

Bedtimes

Start a mellow bedtime routine for the kiddos 1 hr before they get tucked in.  After they are in bed, prep for the next day to make the mornings easier- lunches, backpacks, etc.  Keep my To-Do list in one place, write items down before bed so I can try to clear my mind.  No phone use before bed- Read a book instead.

**Set my alarm 1 hour earlier to avoid rushing in the morning and enjoy the ‘me time’.   

Work Space

Shred papers that create clutter, file ones that absolutely need to be kept.  Take pictures of documents if I just need the info for a later time and then toss the physical paper.  Clean my desk and use it for writing and not for my piled up books that I am going to read (ha!), the clothes that are too clean for the hamper but too dirty to be put away again (you know you have those too), and all of the bobby pins that I can never seem to find in the mornings. 

*** While I am at it, keep the kitchen counter free of crap and piled mail that I’ll just eventually toss.  This is be the saving grace for my marriage.

Unsubscribe!

Go through emails that I trash before ever opening and unsubscribe from them.  While I’m at it, unfollow peeps on social media that cause me to think negatively of myself or others, or make me feel inadequate, or like I need to create a life that does not actually serve me or my family. 

Reactions

Take AT LEAST one deep breath before responding to something that irked me.  (DO NOT roll my eyes during this breath) This will give me a chance to clear mind before I say something I might regret.  It’s better to respond kindly and clearly than to yell and freak out- this way I don’t have to fix things later. 

Self Care

Remember that self care is ok and so very necessary.  “You can’t pour from an empty cup” – This can be scheduling a massage, going to yoga, taking a bath when the kids are asleep to avoid toys being hurled at my head while trying to relax. I am worth the time.  Utilize the hour when I wake up early to meditate, move my body, write, savor my tea/coffee- anything that fills my cup and sets the tone for a good day. 

Laundry

Do a load if I have the time to avoid spending an entire day on laundry (and to avoid running out of underwear).  Put the folded clothes away immediately because looking at that shit is stressful enough. 

Food

Eat slowly. Drink slowly.  Savor the flavors. PUT THE PHONE DOWN. Meal plan for the week with quick, yet nutritious meals and enough leftovers for lunches.  Pack lunches the night before for work.  Eat out less.

Finances

Create a budget and actually stick with it. Avoid impulse Target and online purchases by holding the item in my hand (or ‘add it to my cart’ when online shopping) and seriously contemplate if this is something I need to survive or will it make me a better and happier person.  Ask myself- Will I just end up donating it in a few months? Will it be one more thing I have to pick up when I clean the house?  

Let go

Let go of trying to please everyone. Focus on my hub- John and the kids. Remember that I may not be everyone’s cup of tea, cup of coffee, glass of wine, shot of whiskey…. and that’s ok. Remember that that’s ok.

Fun Fact:

I tried digging through my purse to see if I could find the note that was the catalyst for this post.  It has since disappeared into the black hole, just as so much has before it.  Though I did find- two dinosaurs, only the spring and the ink portion of a broken pen, the plane ticket from when I flew up north for the birth of my niece Aubree, some microblading ointment (did mention that I got my eyebrows microbladed and it’s awesome?!?), expired DayQuil tablets, a $10 bill (score!), crumbled up Post Its (of course), rocks (lots of them), 95 cents (tiny score?), and flattened pennies from- the Santa Ana Zoo, Cafe Du Monde, Gettysburg, Dodger Stadium, Hunting Beach, the San Diego Zoo, Monterey, and Disneyland.

So, no note but my purse is now clean.