You Are Special

I want to dedicate this month’s blog to you and to your stories.  Cathy’s comment on my last month’s blog inspired me to think about all your stories, whether I know it or not.  

We all had different paths that brought us here and made us a community - a very strong one.  As I think about the people around me - family, friends, acquaintances, one-time meets, etc. - I see many exciting shades of colors, where not a single one is the same as the other.  We certainly make a beautiful painting that is impossible to ruin.  I believe that it is our story that gives us our color…. It really doesn’t matter how we look outside, there is so much inside to tell. 

For those of you who know me well, you will agree that I love telling stories.  (I can already see the nodes.). Each of my stories from the past (as recent as yesterday) makes me who I am and I am always excited to share those with you because that is my way of finding even more about you. Some stories bring tears to our eyes and at the same time create strong bonds between us.  And some stories bring laughter and make a hard day go by easier.

And some stories can be in books. :))

Interestingly enough, this month I had the chance to listen to even more stories of people around me.  One was a close friend and another one was a security guard at a local Whole Foods store…. I was touched by both.  Then came more… an acquaintance, a colleague, and a new close friend from Kaya’s school…. 

I love that colorful painting made by each one of you who is reading this blog or who is a part of my life.  Every single dot on this painting is special.  You Are Special… Your story is Special… Just keep touching others with your story and let them touch you with theirs…

Our picture is even prettier than this one… And even in this one there is not a single dot that is same as another. :)

With that note… Since you are special and you need to celebrate yourself, I will give you a quick and tiring workout that won’t take too much off your time and that will make you strong.  This workout is inspired by Tabata technique.  We will basically have 8 moves, each will be performed in 20 SECONDS and the full set will be repeated total of 4 times.  Ready?

Moves:

1. Jumping Jacks

2. Squat Jumps - make sure that your knees NEVER go in front of your toes

3. “Burmese” Jumps - start in a hand plank position, while your hands on the ground,  jump your feet towards you hands then back out to plank position then jump up with hands up in the air

4. Lunge Jumps (Left foot forward) - Get into a lunge position with left foot forward.  Jump straight up and back down to lunge

5. Lunge Jumps (Right foot forward) - Get into a lunge position with right foot forward.  Jump straight up and back down to lunge

6. Pushups

7. Dips - Keep your knees close to your chest and go down to dips (both feet and hands on the floor)

8. REST

Basically the key thing to keep in mind is to do the moves back to back and only do them for 20 seconds each.  Since the 8th move is a rest, you will have plenty of time to rest in between sets. :)

A big high five to all of you for being very special!   Thank YOU…

On a side note, ended our ski season in style!