Is Yoga Really an Adventure?

This month I have been reflecting a lot on my adventures. This blog which was started in 2012 is a way for me to reflect and gain insight on who I am am and where my life is headed. Since 2012 I have been in a phase of self discovery.  Even though I am a planner and love routines every so often someone will mention how adventurous I am or how rich my life is.  Since I have been really been honing in on my adventurous nature the past week or so, I have started to realize quite possibly - this is true. And that brings a smile to my face.

Because I strive with a routine and sometimes I fumble around with really wanting to change, and I am one of the only people from Holt in my generation not to move away, and I am not married I guess I have allowed myself to think that I am kind of just ordinary.  But I am beginning to view things a little differently.

So, on Sunday I began thinking, it's almost yoga Tuesday. Is yoga an adventurous component on my life? In a shallow sense, no. It's ordinary and very easy to say that I go to class each week because I feel less sore and I can see changes in my body. I attend the class rather than you tube videos for the social component and that structure/follow through that I can stick with the challenge for 60 minutes each week.

But when you begin to learn about the philosophy and foundation of yoga and what it provides for the human body, mind and spirit your perspective changes.  It's truly your own personal counseling session and roller coaster ride.  Last night 5 of us worked on hugging the wall and the easy peasy tree pose and planks for 1 minute.  I know all of you are thinking tree pose is not that hard, it looks so easy. I will say it now those individuals doing tree poses and down dogs perfectly have put hours of practice and have the calmest, most focused mind sets of anyone else around you. In class we have also worked our way through preparing ourselves for the wheel pose and shoulder stand (among others).


Was I able to do any of these poses correctly?  Well there lies the adventure! As well as the self discovery!

Unless you are 8 months to 4 years old I would suspect that grabbing your feet and standing on your head is sort of an adventure! Some adults truly feel that sitting or laying on the floor is a bit odd!

The History of Kim's Adventures

I have to admit it is hard being crazy adventure lady everyday! I had to ask myself, does this mean I don't have a passion for life?

After I thought about the adventure challenge I had everyone think about last week, old pictures and memories started popping up on my Facebook newsfeed every morning. And this allowed me to think about my memories and my past.

17-18 years ago - traveling to Europe for the first time without my family; riding one of the biggest roller coasters at Cedar Point at the time.

13 years ago - signing karaoke, speaking in front of legislators at the capital regarding the state assistance I received to receive my education and become employed. millions of first dates (not really an exaggeration)

5-9 years ago - canoeing, kayaking in the Bahamas, tubing, horse back riding in different states, sushi eating, bourbon drinking (ick) to parasailing in California

In the past 3 years I have gone zip lining, stood on a glass floor at the top of a skyscraper and rode a bus line alone in Chicago (yes - this scared me to death, I've always lived in small cities and when I travel I tend to be a follower.)

From signing an offer on a house to attending singles mixers and meet up groups alone I often get "Oh I would never do that." as a response from people.

Writing all of this down and reminiscing has given me the opportunity to reflect on everything I have done so far and it's only the middle of my life! The past couple of weeks have been a quiet shift. It just allows me to realize that there needs to be a balance and the gratuity for everything that I have done so far is slipping into that realization.

Yay! The purpose for maintaining this blog is shinning through!!!

Getting to Know Yourself Through Hobbies!

Our theme for this month is..........Hobbies.....Play/Leisure.........and Adventure!

I have a few questions for you regarding how you view hobbies. It is okay to answer these questions to yourself. Maybe you will want to keep a little notepad or book of answers and thoughts to these questions. If you want to share them personally with me or with everyone else, that is always encouraged too!

1. I have several hobbies that I participate in on a regular basis.

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2. I have enough time to participate in hobbies.

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3. The hobbies I have encourage a healthy body and fitness.

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4. The hobbies I have encourage positive socialization.

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5. I have enough money to participate in hobbies.

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6. The hobbies I have provide me with some sort of a challenge (mentally, physically, emotionally).

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7. I participate in a wide variety of fun and recreational activities with my family members (kids, siblings, parents).

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8. The hobbies I do have help relax me.

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9. I am able to enjoy myself and the company of others and have fun without extra assistance from substances (alcohol, prescription drugs, caffeine, illegal drugs).

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10. Play/recreational activities/leisure time/hobbies are priorities in my life.

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11. My life feels a little richer because of the hobbies I do have.

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12. I am able to participate in hobbies without feeling exhausted.

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13. Participating in hobbies do not make me feel anxious.

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14. I have the physical ability to participate in hobbies that I think look fun.

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15. I have chosen the hobbies I participate in (they were not the decision of my significant other, friends, parents/other family members).

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International Yoga Day!

As a side note of our 6 weeks of Adventure - today is International Day of Yoga! I am also going to try and discuss Yoga and other forms of physical fitness every Tuesday regardless of the themes for each month. Since January I have been going to yoga class every Monday night. So I thought it would be fun to discuss yoga the next day.

My questions for all of you are..........
Have you participated in different forms of yoga?

What are your favorite types of yoga?

What are your favorite yoga poses?

How has yoga changed your life?

The past week while practicing yoga at home I noticed I was able to stand on my left leg as a counted to 107 seconds! It wasn't a full 107 seconds because I was counting too fast. But, this is major improvement! I was only able to stand on my right leg 24 seconds. Because I am an OT I am just fascinated how everyone has a strong side, a more coordinated side and more flexible side to their body. I am still working on exhaling longer than I take a inhale and I have learned that this actually allows for more flexibility in the body parts I am focused on during each pose. My fingerstips are now touching during forward folds whereas before I was used to touching the top of my ankles. I do believe this is better than ever having surgery tendons/muscles/bones/nerves which is a common practice for people with cerebral palsy.

Comment. Let's make this a discussion each Tuesday.

Namaste!

It's Summer - The Adventure Challenge!

I have decided that each month I would like to do a theme to focus on. It is pretty obvious that November can be "gratitude" and February can be "love."

I am just in the mood for June/July (6 weeks) of pure adventure. Now wait? You are saying "I golf, camp at the same campground every year and bike ride for fun." That's nice. But just for a few weeks I would like everyone to think about whether or not they are up for trying some new things?  Don't be shy....you know you are up for 1, 2, or 3 things like this!?!

In 1999 there was a song that came out around the time I graduated. "Everybody's Free To Wear Sunscreen" by Baz Luhmann and actually it would be fun to expand my blog just based on the phrases/advice this song gives. but one of the lines is "Do one thing everyday that scares you."

So, could you do it?  If not, how come?

When I think about this, I think I would have to put effort into this but I have no doubt a challenge like this would suit my personality.  I'm such a practical person but some of the happiest experiences in my life have been when I tried something new and pushed my boundaries.

Try new foods; get to know new people; attempt the highest level of education as possible; attempt to start a business or write a book. Then there's the obvious...traveling, zip line, sky diving, etc. Life is about risk. Don't you want to be the person telling the best stories when you are older?

Today I was going to ask my facebook audience what I should do or try for myself to get the most bang for my buck during this journey.........then I realized I have a few tricks up my sleeve.

What adventures are you up to this summer? What types of adventures have you experienced in the past? Please respond...........the winner gets to dare me (within reason)!!!  

I'm going to be keeping a running list and I strongly encourage all of you to do the same.

I was ready to put this "idea" of adventure into the area of Plan and Leisure. But really if you are seeking out adventure daily, maybe an assigned hobby ends up being a little on the boring side.  But hey whomp it up and add a little spice...........to doing laundry and work! We all only get one chance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5giWfpANMac

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/08/embrace-adventure_n_5947300.html

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/happiness-in-world/201004/trying-new-things

Getting to Know Kim

So, here is another quiz!

With this quiz I really hope I am able to gain your trust. Maybe by reading my posts you will be able to think to yourself, "Hey, I can really relate to this." or "My friends should really try this idea or technique to make their lives easier." or "Now I understand people with mild physical disabilities better."

 I am committing to this blog for very personal reasons but on the flip side it is my belief that is what a career truly is!

To be interactive I will make this a True/False Quiz:

1. True/False: I really love helping others.
2. True/False: Observing people and society is something I find boring. I'm not a very observant person.
3. True/False: Trouble shooting a computer is more interesting than studying and following through with the effects rest, exercising and eating healthy can have on a body.
4. True/False: When I was first introduced to email I would spend hours writing to my closest friends about my day. It helped me process things.
5. True/False: I feel that yoga will prevent me from having to take prescription drugs and having future surgeries.
6. True/False: I feel that using appropriate time management skills will allow me to stay in my current job position.
7. True/False: My body works faster than my brain.
8. True/False: I made it through the OT program by going to Rics and The Dirty Dollar every Friday and Saturday, watching the Soparino's and maintaining a job at Celebration Cinema. I fit in homework when I had time. It's important to keep a balance.
9. True/False: Having extra things such as hobbies and a group of girlfriends are essential to maintaining a healthy balance. These things are just important to me as a stable job and obtaining a nuclear family.
10. True/False: I do not value receiving help from professionals (counselors or tutors). It's important to be strong and learn self awareness and conquer your weaknesses on your own.

I love it when you comment below!

What's Going On?

Why is Kim posting everyday, she's just talking about non-sense?!? Very true...I might be!

Let's see if there might be some good points has to how The Siesta Hut could be a real deal. These questions are for you to answer and also your feedback and responses may help me as well.  I encourage you all to respond below...it can be fun! In the future, it will be okay to just use scrap paper and/or respond to me privately with your answers.

Today, I will give a little fun quiz to see what you all know about Occupational Therapy and Rehab Counseling based on what you have learned from my posts. Here we go:

1. Rehabilitation Counseling is:
a. a profession that helps individuals with substance abuse issues overcome their issues
b. a professional counselor that helps individuals with physical, mental, developmental or emotional disabilities gain independence while going through the process of finding gainful employment which often times works on improving psychological and social components in an individuals life.
c. it's the same thing as a social worker...don't be silly.
d. working in a school setting with students who are struggling in more than one area and can help make the IEP process run smoothly.

2. OT stands for:
a. I don't know.....Ms. Kim is just another teacher at school.
b. Other Things the Physical Therapist doesn't do
c. Occupational Therapy
d. Over Time

3. Occupational Therapy is:
a. Helping individuals with disabilities find jobs
b. Helping kids learn how to cut with scissors and hand write
c. Having a background in psychology, OT's have the ability to focus on stress management, time management and relaxation techniques so individuals can preform ADL's to their maximum potential.
d. All of the above

4. Play, Work, Education and Rest:
a. Are areas that an individual could discuss with a Rehabilitation Counselor if they feel like they are struggling.
b. Are areas that an individual could discuss with an OT if they feel like they are struggling
c. Are not that important and should not be areas that individuals should worry about. As long as someone can walk and use the bathroom independently, they should stop complaining.
d. Both a and b.

5. It is Kim's belief The Siesta Hut should be based on:
a. Sleeping every afternoon to make up for insomnia
b. The Motto: Holistic Approach. Productive Results.
c. A time every afternoon to consume Latino alcoholic beverages.
d. Maintaining health and well being, determining what is most important to you as an individual and then using techniques to fulfill your passion, enhance productivity and find a balance.
e. both b and d

I think I should give a prize for those who have a top score. I have no idea what that prize is, but I'll think of something!    A round of applause? A great smile? A hug from me? Or a summer lunch with me on a patio? Latino beverages? Stickers?    

COMMENT BELOW.

Let's Make This Interactive!

My thought is, it's time to take the topics I have been discussing for myself and make them interactive for all of you. I am going to start asking all of you how you are feeling about these topics. Over the next several blogs I will be forming survey's and quizzes to see how you feel about the following topics:
1. Truly knowing yourself and what you want out            of life
2. How is work going
 > I am doing what I want to be doing
3. Can you kick back and PLAY?
           4. SLEEP/REST and making it a priority
           5. Having good time management skills in this crazy world we live in
           6. Good financial skills


First, I just may think of a few questions about how my educational background and personal

experiences can help each of you "shed light" on some of the daily things that maybe preventing you from living a happy, healthy, well balanced life!

Enjoy and at this point in the game I would love any feedback, ideas or things to experiment with! I would like you to be just as awesome as this elephant!

Time Management

I feel like this is a term or idea that has not always existed. Prior to technology advances people had to work to put food on the table, heat their houses and to clean their clothes. There was really no question how individuals spent their time. At 7 or 8 years old, kids didn't have the option of playing organized sports or video games or watching TV. They helped around the household. Therefore parents had less running around to do after work. There weren't many households with two incomes so collecting/hoarding items wasn't an issue so people had to spend less time sorting and cleaning out their houses.

To me time management is now a term that our society has embraced as so many other things have changed. It's a term that bureaucratic administrators and human resource departments love because if it's done correctly productivity will increase. It's an

idea that will keep me employed in the current position I have.

How do you plan on maintaining a stable job, raising kids, getting appropriate amounts of sleep without managing your time? Do you feel your time is used wisely? How are your time management skills? I know for myself I start with a "to do" list or a schedule and then after a few days or even a week or 2 I will go off course and stay off course until I feel stressed or behind with the things I want to accomplish. Then I will start over again with fresh goals and ideas on how to manage my time.

SLEEP/REST.

When I think of a true Siesta Hut, I feel like Rest is important to think about and discuss.

This area became it's own separate area to the OT uniform terminology after I completed my undergrad degree. I think it makes sense this is an actual performance area that OTs can focus on and assist the populations they serve with their expertise. Many individuals with illness, acute injuries and chronic disabilities have difficulties sleeping. Actually most of us start out by not sleeping enough as young adults and we are thought of as unusual if we are keeping track of appropriate amounts of sleep. Then, as middle aged adults it is the social norm to add as many responsibilities and obligations as possible to our lives. Sleep is never really an obligation until an illness, injury or chronic health problem enters our lives. How do you think this effects work performance/productivity or more importantly the ability to play and enjoy things that bring happiness to our lives?

There are many mattresses, pillows and even prescription drugs on the market that help assist people with a better nights rest. But how much do we really value sleep/rest in our society? With my physical disability my mom took my rest/sleep patterns very seriously. I think she could tell a difference in my walking and sleep patterns. As an adult I take my sleep patterns a little less seriously than I should but I think we all do. It seems like when good or bad stress occurs my body is physically and physiologically effected which disturbs my sleep. Then a couple of weeks will go by where I am playing catch up. It amazes me that sleeping in longer on the weekends (not waking up at the same time everyday) and falling asleep to a screen (TV, laptop or phone) are all inappropriate sleep patterns.

I feel like my favorite time to sleep is midnight to 8:30am and this is during the summer. I am a creature that could truly hibernate because I am totally effected by the daylight in terms of when I like to sleep. Why not listen to my body and go with the flow? Because of that other performance area.,..work.

What would it be like to have a job or a role researches sleep and rest? Shall I just continue to find out??

Turning Play into Work!

What if we could do our favorite thing all the time and earn money while doing it? Earning money to do what we love? Of course this idea would be even better if we could set our own hours and rules!


As I look around at our current work culture I see this happening more and more. Young people are striving to become computer gamers. Individuals who have worked as social workers, teachers, principals and other professionals are striking an interest in entrepreneurship so they can sell bags, skin care products, their own bake goods or even products from their very small farms such as eggs or veggies in the summer. How about athletes/musicians/actors/writers/artists? These people more than likely "work" or put effort into their talent/passion much more than just 40 hours per week.

Why not? If you are able to find something that you want to spend the majority of your time doing and earn money while doing it, then you are one of the lucky ones.

It's Play Time!!!

Just like the work world, OTs are able to break apart the world of play and leisure.  Even though work is very important to our lives, I find this topic much more fun!!! We all need to have fun, so this is important to leading a full and balance life.

OTs have ability to break apart the physical and cognitive skills necessary for people to complete their favorite hobbies. In certain instances we can write reports and recommendations to provide equipment for individuals who have had a change in their health or disability status to still participate in their favorite activities.

Hobbies help individuals to relieve stress, be active, avoid illegal or dangerous substances. They give us a chance to have exercise and express our creative side with our loved ones.  While we are learning about ourselves hobbies can also shape our society and culture.

Work, maintaining a house hold, raising a family and paying bills are all very time consuming but without hobbies and time to play what type of balance do you have? What type of effort are you able to give these other components of your life without a hobby?

http://www.wimp.com/what-hiking-does-to-the-brain-is-pretty-amazing/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/career-coach-the-value-of-hobbies/2013/05/03/ffa53f2c-b294-11e2-bbf2-a6f9e9d79e19_story.html