Emotions as Currency
/I can’t believe that May has already come to an end... I wanted to wait until the last day of the month to write this blog to represent May but now it seems like I waited for too long... It is midnight and I couldn’t get this blog out on time. Well to be honest, trying to make my kids happy kept me away from my computer all day. And that brings me to the main subject of this month’s topic - Parenthood...
No one ever says that it is easy... Everyone admits that there is no user manual... Gut feeling becomes the only direction to follow... And emotions are the only currency for all the work that goes into it...
As we finished our second full month, at home together, we experienced even more ups and downs with the kids! Some days were unexplainably great while the others were so low that all I wanted to do was to cry all day long. Derek and I constantly talk about ways to reduce tantrums. Penalties for wrong doing vs gifts for good work? Losing the calm and yell vs. taking deep breaths to speak more gentle? Be logical vs be emotional? I feel like whichever way we choose, the kids would learn something but is it the right thing? At the end of the day, our goal is to get them ready for the life ahead while showing them how much we love them and how much we will support them. As parents, we want them to think before they do something - especially when they are angry... And as parents, sometimes we forget that one of them is just 5 and the other one is 2.5. :).
We are all aware that parenthood is a full time job that we do not have the option to quit and the only form of payment is via emotions - and NO, there is no option of “contactless” payment. Getting paid in positive emotions makes you richer than a millionaire while getting paid in negative emotions puts you down lower than a homeless person. The bummer is that sometimes you know that you will be paid back with those negative emotions but your gut says that this is for the best. Basically this occupation teaches you how to deal with a super volatile currency but still embrace it with the highest value possible. At the end of the day, I still would like to focus on collecting more of the positive emotions in my Parenthood Piggy Bank because I know that their value grows exponentially over time. (Keep in mind that a cry on your shoulder is also a positive emotion in my book)
Our Wednesday and Saturday training sessions are definitely helping me in filling my bank. All the smiles captured over the last, almost, two months are those positive currencies that I save. As I mentioned in last month’s blog - one smile at a time! I hope those who join me in those trainings and those who read my blogs do agree.
Now that all those emotions are released, here is another glimpse into our training sessions - an abbreviated version of one of the May workouts:
(For the below exercise, you do need a pillow from your sofa)
Speedy feet: Put the pillow on the floor. One foot on the floor, the other foot gently on the pillow. Switch your side. Keep switching sides as fast as you can. After 30 secs move to #2.
Squat Jumps with Overhead Pillow: Start with a squat while holding the pillow with both hands, in front of the knees. Touch the pillow to the ground and then jump up bringing the pillow overhead. Land back to the starting position. Continue for 30 seconds. Then move to #3.
Arm openers: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and the pillow parallel to the floor at shoulder height. Palms facing in and the arms straight, open left arm towards the left side while holding the pillow. Then bring the left arm back to the middle and grab the pillow with the right hand to open the arm to the right side with the pillow. Continue for 30 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds.
Repeat #1 through #3 total of 3 times.
Lunge Pulses: Get into a perfect lunge position with your front knees behind your front toes, front knee at a 90 degree angle and your back leg bent. Place the pillow right under the back knee and with each pulse gentle come down to the pillow without resting on the pillow. Pulse 8 times per leg. Then move to #5.
Squat sits: Keep the pillow on the floor. Bring your legs CLOSER than hip-width apart and hold a perfect squat, making sure that your knees are behind your toes and your butt is sticking out while your chest is as up-right as possible. Then come down to a low squat where your butt touches the pillow - NOT SITTING. Pulse it for 10 times. Then move to #6.
Plank with Pillow Raise: Come down to a plank position - either on your knees or on your toes. Make sure that the pillow is in between your hands. Grab the pillow with the right hand and reach it forward as if you are passing it to some on in front of you. Then bring the pillow back to the floor. Repeat the move for total of 8 times for the right side and then change sides. Repeat the move on the left side for 8 times too. Then move to #7.
Sit ups with Pillow Throw: Lay on your back with knees bent and feet are GLUED to the ground. Hold the pillow on your chest. Throw the pillow straight up while coming up to a sit up. Catch the pillow once you are up or on the way up. Repeat it for total of 10 times. Rest for 20 seconds.
Repeat #4 through #7 for total of 3 times.
Please feel free to ask questions about the move. I would be more than happy to connect with you and show you the moves either on Zoom or via FaceTime.
Either you are a parent of a pet or a kid, I wish you all good luck in collecting as much as positive emotions into your Parenthood Piggy Bank. Let’s grow those savings to spread more of those positive emotions to everyone we interact with. :). We all deserve that virtual high five every day...
