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Posts Tagged ‘challenge’

29 Jun 2011

Do You See Me?

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This is me on Day 20 of the 30 day challenge.  This is me after completing a double class back to back with my friend Melanie.  Pictures are a reminder of what we look like, but a picture doesn’t tell others how we feel.  As I look back through the pictures of my life I see various times in my life when the picture seems to say one thing, but my true emotion was hidden.  The beauty of writing a memoir and using your pictures to guide you is that you can use it as a tool to bring you back to that place and time.  Some pictures are painful for me to look at because I was going through a painful time in my life.  Some pictures are so wonderful to ponder over and remember the memories. 

Pictures of your childhood can sometimes be painful to reflect upon if you had an unhappy childhood.  Sometimes seeing those you have loved that have passed on can also bring up the tears. 

As you look through the photos of the movement of your life be gentle with yourself.  What do you see?  What do you remember?  A memoir written with the perspective of wisdom from passing through your experiences topped off with pictures of the event is wonderful.  As I look at the movement of my life I can see that the woman I am today is not the woman I was 3 years ago or even 3 months ago.  I am forever changing and becoming more clear on who I am.  Even this picture of me taken almost 10 days ago and the picture I will take tomorrow (the end of my 30 day challenge) will look different.  I am different each day as I choose to grow and be. 

Today in your journal I would ask that you really “see” yourself.  Who are you today?  Who were you a year ago?  Are you changing and growing?  If not, examine why not.  Take out those pictures and write about not just the event, but how you felt about the event.

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15 Jun 2011

Half way there! 30 day challenge!

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About a month ago my friend Melanie invited me to try out her Bikram Yoga studio that she has been practicing at.  I quickly agreed as it had been over three years since I practiced Bikram Yoga and I knew how much I loved it then!  Well, as you can imagine after that first class I was hooked again!  Imagine how excited I was to learn that the studio would be having a 30 day challenge (do 30 classes in 30 days!).  I fondly remembered back to my San Jose Yoga days where I did the 60 day challenge in only 42 days.  I quickly signed up and with the encouragement of Melanie we are now half way through the 30 day challenge.  I should have asked Melanie today in class how many she has completed, but on day 15 I have already finished 25 classes! (I believe Mel has around 28, if I am not mistaken!).  So, what have I noticed in these 15 days of consecutive yoga series?  Well, my body is definitely getting slimmer, my skin is glowing and my energy is off the charts!  To bump up the challenge even better, Mel and I have decided for the month of June to not have any alcohol, caffeine or sugar…waaah!  But the difference I feel in my body is amazing!  Kim Tang has outdone herself on making such a beautiful yoga studio.  The teachers are fabulous, I haven’t had one I didn’t absolutely love!  In the picture to the right are two of my faves, Cornelius and Kelli.  Today is the last day to sign up for the 30 days, so if you are in the Palm Springs area give yourself the gift of good health and consider joining us on our 30 day challenge!  Bikram Yoga University Village is where lots of great things are happening, come check it out!  Your body will thank you! 

Also, to celebrate our 30 day challenge join me and Mel at 3rd Corner Bistro in Palm Desert as we congratulate ourselves on a job well done!  We are looking forward to our first glass of wine on the 30th at 4:30!  Thanks Kim, Cornelius, Kelli, Whitney, Keely and Frank for all the wonderful classes and the great energy you share with all of us!

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29 May 2011

What is your challenge?

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This morning as I was walking Courtney I started thinking about the challenges we all face over time.  Some of these challenges are challenges that come to us that we need to overcome.  Other times we challenge ourselves to do something or to be better.  Starting June 1st Melanie (above in the picture) and I are going to do the Bikram 30 day challenge.  30 yoga classes in 30 days.  Not only are we going to set our intentions on completing this challenge but we are also challenging ourselves to a detox of our bodies by not eating any preservatives or alcohol or sugar  for 30 days (sniff, sniff…).  So here we are having a toast to our challenge and marvelling at how great we are going to feel on June 30th. 

What is your challenge?  Is there a challenge placed upon you right now or is there a challenge that you would like to accomplish?  I love these words spoken by Martin Luther King:

The ultimate measure of a person
is not where they stand in moments of comfort and convenience,
but where the stand in times of challenge and controversy.
-Martin Luther King, Jr.

So how about for the month of June you challenge yourself to something for 30 days.  You could challenge yourself to journal for 30 days of June if you are not a regular journaler.  You could challenge yourself to walk every day if you are not a walker.  You could challenge yourself in any area.  I will post a picture on June 30th of me and Mel and let you know how our challenge went.  And I hope you will plan on joining us at our happy hour on June 30th as we celebrate our completion of our 30 day challenge!

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21 May 2011

Celebrate tool for your tool kit

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This morning I woke up thinking of the tool “celebrate” for your tool kit.  I think it is important to remember to celebrate YOU!  As I write through my life and work through my memoir I realize that I have  a lot to celebrate.  Generally we think of celebrations around birthdays or holidays, but there is so much more to celebrate.  Consider the journey of your life and all those decisions you have had to make.  Why not celebrate that?  Look around at all the friends in your life, celebrate them!  Waking up each day is worth a celebration.  Why not choose a page in your journal and mark down all the gifts that you have that you need to celebrate.  Moving to the desert was one of the best things that I have ever done and I celebrate each morning as Courtney and I take our morning walk and enjoy the beautiful blue sky and the rugged mountains.  I celebrate that I have the students I have and that I am surrounded with so much love.  I celebrate even my hard times because I know that through each struggle I will grow and learn and become more of the essence of who I need to be.  So today, let me encourage and challenge you to celebrate all that you encounter today and in your life thus far.  Look for things to celebrate!

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"Because of Tammy I have found confidence in my writing and feel blessed to be honored in such a way. I have found my voice. I have found freedom! I recommend anyone for whatever reason to expand their life and sign up for her writing workshops or classes. You'll be amazed at how good you are and how everyone has a story worth telling. Sign up and set your voice free!"
— Wendy Price, Palm Desert, CA

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Tammy L. Coia is an AWA Affiliate, certified to lead workshops in the AWA method as described in Writing Alone & With Others by Pat Schneider, Oxford University Press.