So you think you can dance

Three flowers!

I remember, very well, being on a happy hour zoom call with 2 friends back at the beginning of the pandemic.  I held up a nearly dead plant and said I had started watering it and was going to save it.  We all laughed.  And today, roughly 60 days later, I have a healthy plant with beautiful green leaves and 3 (THREE) flowers!  

You know what else I've done?  I'm so excited about this!  A few months ago I was writing "I took a creative arts class" as one of my goals.  Then I changed it to "I took a hip hop dance class."  As I researched this, and by researching I mean I asked my friend Joyce where I could talk a hip hip dance class, I came to the conclusion I might never reach this goal.  Joyce has choreographed some dances for You Night and also taught us a dance at our Leadership retreat.  She recommended a few resources and the more I looked, the more I decided I probably wouldn’t actually  go to a hip hop dance class, mostly because of time but also because of my insecurities.    I definitely had a limiting belief that this white girl can't dance.  This was all in January.

On Saturday, April 4th I hosted my first Saturday Morning Dance Party on Zoom.  We find dances online and learn them, or do our best.  We get our 30+ minutes of exercise, we laugh at each other and ourselves and we're learning dances.  We started with RIGHT FOOT NOW LEFT FOOT TIK TOK  and have since attempted The Electric Slide, The Chicken Dance, The Git Up by Blanco Brown and any other wedding reception dance song we can think of.  Last Saturday we stepped it up and started learning a Janet Jackson dance.  I'm so excited and proud of myself.  I realized I'm not only learning hip hop dances but I'm hosting my own class!  I knocked that limiting belief out of the park!

From <https://www.instagram.com/tv/B_f0PSDFVsF/>

In the beginning.  I think it'd already been watered a bit

First flower!

Two Flowers!

Challenges

During this quarantine time where we can't really do much outside the home, I've been taking on challenges.  I am trying to plan how I will continue challenging myself once the world reopens.  I know I can do it but it might take time to figure out when.  After all, we're 51 days into quarantine and I still haven't figured out what time I should get up when I don't have to be anywhere.

  

I'm doing the Next 90 Days Challenge which is free.  We're 44 days into this one but you can still start. https://thehollisco.com/pages/next90 Practice Gratitude, move 30 mins a day, drink the water, give up one food item/group for 30 days and get up 1 hour earlier (this was so much easier when I had to go into the office!) to help us live intentionally and with joy.

I'm starting the Start Over Challenge with Dean Graziosi and Tonny Robbins.  This starts today so I don't know yet what I've gotten myself into! www.startoverchallenge.com

My friend Rikki has shared a few of the workout challenges.  Check her out on Facebook   https://www.facebook.com/groups/girlonfirecoach/   and her website:   https://www.girlonfirecoach.com/   The first challenge I participated in was a push up, squat, jumping jack and burpee challenge.  Ugh I made it through to the end.  Right now I'm doing a lunge, Russian twist, squat jump and push up challenge.  I decided I'd do the lunges, squat jumps and push ups in the church parking lot that I walk by. 

There are two parking lots.  One for lunges...

  

I've made up a story about what people must think when they see me doing squat jumps and lunges by myself.  People must think "wow she must be an athlete doing her drills."  You guys, they probably don't even notice me.  Right?  I'm trying to think where this mindset came from and I've decided it stems from the non-cancer related surgeries I've had.  Right shoulder surgery, right wrist surgery, left wrist surgery and two surgeries on my right hip.  If you read that and didn't know me, wouldn't you think to yourself, "she must be a football player!"  Again, probably not but let me tell you, making up these stories helps me get through these crazy challenges that I've decided I should do.   

The second parking lot is for squat jumps and push ups.  I've finished!

What do you think about when you do workouts you don't want to do?  How do you get through tough workouts?  I've been learning that you don't necessarily have to be motivated, you have to create habits that propel you to do certain things.   So I've created habits that work for quarantine and I will have to create new habits for when we can go places again.  All of the habits are works in progress because our lives our constantly changing and I think they will for awhile.  I believe that all of these challenges I'm doing are helping me create habits that will help me grow, whether we're in quarantine or not.

I looked down and found blood on my arm! This picture is after I wiped some off.  Only a true athlete would randomly find blood on their arm, right?

Boxes

Speaking of boxes, outside and inside, we just Jazz Fested in Place with the boom box I did my best to replicate with the paints I bought for Micah.  I wanted to paint something and decided to see how I'd do.  I am proud of my work!  It's no masterpiece but it looks pretty good and it added to the Jazz Fest ambience in our yard.  I moved from the front yard, to the drive way to the back patio.  I listened on the radio because the radio didn't have to buffer. I moved my chair, boom box painting, and portable karaoke speaker with me for 8 days. 

At first I thought it was going to suck and I'll admit I really wished I was at the fair grounds but I do believe that the ending was less difficult.  As the music ended I realized I wouldn't have to take the long walk out of the fair grounds and away from the festival.  I'd still prefer that!  But I found a positive.  And I can look forward to Jazz Fest 2021, which I will do for about 320 more days. 

It's also Thursday, not Wednesday.  Let's think outside about that too,

Think outside the box

I've noticed that my right eye twitches and that my teeth hurt, which I think is from my tongue pushing on them out of anxiety or stress or something.  I have had minor anxiety since my cancer diagnosis and have been on some form of medication since then.  Every now and then I'll call my doctor and ask her to change the medication or dose.  I met with her today to figure this out so I told her I exercise, drink water, get sunlight, don't feel stressed, etc… so am not sure what else I can do.   She asked if I meditate.  The answer is No.  I've done two-1 hour meditations recently but I don't consider that to mean I meditate.  She suggested meditation two times a day for 10 minutes each time. I mentioned that I listen to podcasts while I run/walk now and she suggested even running/walking without distraction as a form of meditation.  This way I won't have to carve out an additional 20 minutes of time in my day.  I'm not sure I'm going to do that because I really like my podcasts but I like the idea of easily incorporating meditation into my life. 

I thought I was doing pretty much everything I could to be healthy so when my doctor suggested mediation I was surprised but I listened.  Meditation could be the thing to help me and it's free!  Thinking outside the box is what's making things work right now.   Or at least doing things differently - I realized  I need to write down a daily schedule so others have some idea of how things should roll.  I wouldn't consider that "outside the box" but it's different from what I'm used to.  This time of change is hard.  The unknown sucks.  I think talking to family and friends, even our doctors, helps us deal and gives us new ideas of how to handle things.  Don't be afraid to speak up!  I am positive you're not alone.  I am positive there is support out there.  It just might seem a little outside the box. 

Oh my gosh. And then I found this quote.  

Is there really a box?

Writing It Down

As intentional as I’m trying to live, I haven’t figured out blog post timing!  I started on a Monday and thought I’d produce a post on Mondays.  But I forgot on the second Monday.  So I wrote one on Friday and posted it.  I forgot to send one the following Friday. So then I thought, well I’ll do it on Mondays.  But today is Wednesday and I'm still trying to get it done!  

I’ve noticed that my Start Today Journal, where I write 5 things I’m grateful for and 10 goals that I have, really makes a difference in the things that I'm aware of on a consistent basis.  For instance, having to come up with 5 things I’m grateful for means I’m looking for those things throughout the day.  The first thing I do when I wake up is pull out my journal.  Ok, maybe it’s the 5^th  (pee, let the dogs out, make coffee, drink water) but I do try to do it first thing.  I come up with 5 things from the last 24 hours that I am grateful for.  This not only starts my day on a good note by thinking about positive things from the day before, it also puts me in a positive state of mind as I look to the next 24 hours. 

I also write down 10 goals that I have.  These are goals I want to make happen in the next 10 years, they are not goals for the day.  For instance, one goal of mine was that I ran an entire 5k.  I say was because I accomplished it when I ran the virtual Crescent City Classic 10k!  I wrote "I ran a 5k" every day for at least 3 months.  I write the goals as if they’ve already happened because it changes the way your mind thinks about the goals.  I had the goal to run a 5k and then I figured out what I needed to do to be able to say “I ran an entire 5k.”  Writing it down,daily ingrained it into my mind.  Another goal is "we went on a yacht vacation."  And as soon as I started writing this, I started seeing opportunities where it could happen. **: 

When thinking about my blog yesterday,  I realized that perhaps I need to write down my plan so I see it daily. If I’m going to make it a habit, like writing in my journal, I need to be intentional about it.  And by the way, I completed my first journal.  I committed to myself to write in my journal every morning and you know what?  I missed a few days since January 1^st but I completed my first journal!  I’m so proud of myself for keeping that commitment to myself.

Now that I've determined Wednesday is the day, and it's in print, you can expect to see blog posts from me every Wednesday whether you want to see them, or not 😎😎😎

** This is the kind of yacht I'm talking about.  I will be writing that goal, every day, for much longer than 3 months!

Choose Joy

Thursday's used to be my favorite day but I think that's changing.  Not that I need a favorite day but you do get asked occasionally, right?  The first Thursday of quarantine Micah hit a wall with being "home schooled." I heard from other parents that their kids did also, all ages and both boys and girls.  It seemed to happen the following Thursdays also.  I also found my patience to be a little lower as the days went on. 

Then yesterday came.  Micah's on Easter Break now so it wasn't him.  It was me.  I went to the grocery store, which I hate doing right now, but I can't figure out timing for delivery.  I wore a mask and it gave me more appreciation for the front line hero's who wear them way longer than 45 mins.  It was tight and I started getting a headache but I talked myself out of complaining because I knew it'd be coming off soon.  They don't get that luxury - Thank You for what you do. 

Then I had to clean all my groceries.  That's just time consuming.  My shopping experience took 2 hours from leaving the house to being done with everything.  Micah had to finish some work that didn't get turned in.  And he didn't want to.  Bobby and I talked on the phone but that didn't go well.  I misunderstood something my mom said.   By 5 I had to take a walk to not start crying.  Yes it's OK to cry, I know that.  But I didn't want to.  By 6:26 I had to change the zoom call info for a call at 6:30 that I wanted to back out of (Thank God I didn't).

And then?  My 6:30 call started with the You Night NOLA Class of 2020 and things got better.  I lead this call and I mostly focus on the ladies who join the call, to make sure they're OK and are enjoying themselves, rather than focusing on myself.  I say "mostly" because I can share also, and I did. I told them about my walk and trying to not cry and wanting to cancel the call (I never would have).  We talk about serious stuff but we also laugh which is so good for the soul.

You Guys, this isn't easy!  I'm trying so hard to be calm and live intentionally and all that.  Sometimes it's hard.

This morning a friend posted on Facebook, asking what has brought us joy this week and I made a list!  Just bam bam bam bam bam (5 things!)  and thanked her for asking that question because yesterday sucked but look - I still have things that bring my joy. 

So, tell me, what brings you joy?

I've heard that Change Is Good.

I've heard that Change Is Good so I'm re-purposing my blog and I guess, because it's mine, I can do what I want. Yay!  

Did you have a good weekend? I did!  I refuse to look at work after 5pm on Friday (more like 3pm if I can, or even 11am if we’re being real 😊).  Friday night I joined a Zoom Bingo night with my Oregon friends and families.  Saturday I rested and reluctantly went to the store, messaging my friend and calling my husband to help me feel ok about doing this.  I also spent an exorbitant amount of time washing down everything I bought, was this necessary?  I have no idea but I did it anyway.  And Sunday I spent more online time with a bunch of friends, all day long!  My last chat was with my husband who is staying at my moms in hopes to prevent spreading germs to us that he’s probably getting while at the fire house.

Things have changed.  It’s crazy and it’s happening to everyone.  It’s almost unfathomable to see that this “virus thing” is impacting the way of life for everyone in the world.  I don’t like giving cancer a capital C because I don’t want cancer to think it deserves one.  And I have a hard time calling this “virus thing” by name because that gives it more power. This tactic might seem silly but hey, you do what you have to do!  My mom has only left the house to drive around the block since this started.  I have cooked every day except for Friday night when I picked up Mexican.  Ole!  It’d been over 2 weeks since I had Mexican food prepared by a restaurant. You know, it’s just better when someone else cooks for you.  I find myself, less and less, ready to respond to someone with “I’ll be right over” or “come pick me up!” because we just can’t do that.  I’ve seen Bobby, in person, for about 10 minutes since he left for the fire house on Saturday 3/14 when I gave him the last hug until this thing is over.  When I spoke to him on Saturday he told me he was off work (yes, OFF) for only 24 hours over the past week.  We missed out on my favorite parade, The Irish Channel Parade.  And we’ll be missing out on a bunch of festivals over the next month. 

However, through all of this, I’ve seen positive things happen to me, personally.  I’ve spent more time with my Oregon friends than I have since I moved to New Orleans.  I’ve spent more time with my mom and son since we’re all home, all the time.  I’ve “gone to church” the past 3 Sundays, which I hadn’t done in a while (bad Kristyn!).  I’ve spent more time with local friends because I have more time to spend with them.  I continue to do my gratitude journal and while I have to search a little harder for things, I still find 5 things to be grateful for every single day.  We’ve spent way less money, I don’t know how much but I know a few things –

1.  I’ve had Starbucks twice in 2 ½  weeks instead of my normal  3-4 times per week. 

2.  We only picked up food once in 2 ½ weeks instead of the normal 2-3 times per week. 

3.  I still have a full tank of gas

4.  I haven’t bought lunch at all

I’ve also seen and heard some pretty amazing things from the world.  Scientists and the medical community are working together to find the cause and create the cure.  People from around the world are supporting each other in love and with prayer.   I’ve heard about less pollution and water becoming more clear.  I’m sure there are others that I can’t think of or don’t know about.

This virus thing is an imposition, to say the least, and I hope and pray that it ends soon.  I’m scared but I’m working to control how I respond to that feeling because I can’t control what the virus is doing.  I can only control how I respond.  I’m taking things one day at a time because I don’t know what changes will come about from one day to the next.  There’s an answer, somewhere, and I know it’ll be found. 

What can you do?  Practice Gratitude!  Find 5 things a day that you’re grateful for and write them down.  Move your body!  Drink lots of water.  Connect!  There are a lot of ways – Face time, google hangouts, you can use Zoom for free for up to 40 minutes, the telephone (say what?!) and I’m sure there are a bunch more ways.  Join a challenge group – I just completed a burpee/push up/squat/jumping jack challenge; today I’m starting the Next 90 Day challenge that is FREE to everyone https://thehollisco.com/pages/next90 and a squat/plank challenge.  Oh yah!  And I’m listening to music!  What are you doing?

But you know, I'm real so here's this: