This Sunday marks an important milestone (and also my mother's birthday which I am excited to be able to celebrate with her in person for the first time in a LONG time!) - it's my five year anniversary of barre!!! It is no exaggeration to say that barre has changed my life - it has become an important part of my identity and was the impetus for so many of the other healthy habits I have formed, things I have accomplished, and invaluable relationships that I have formed throughout the years. Since this time last year, my lifetime barre stats have increased to a total of 2,479 hours of taking…
Farewell to Flex! A Love Letter to My Barre Tribe
I have to say, this is a TOUGH one to write. Things are well past getting real around here. Our homehas been empty for over a week, everything shipped off to the US of A, we've said many final farewells and have only two and half more days in Cork at this stage. The entire experience of living abroad has been nothing short of amazing and I will definitely miss the ability to travel around Europe for the quick weekend city breaks, my weekly trips to check out what's new at Sostrene Grene's, and the Sweet Potato Toast at Spitjack's, but I have to say there is no question about…
There is Still Plenty of Time to Finish 2018 Strong!
Although there is probably not a word strong enough to express just how much I loathe the colder weather and precipitation that accompanies it, I have to admit that I do enjoy this time of year. I'm a "finisher;" someone who gets a bigger kick out of squeezing the VERY LAST drop of toothpaste out of the tube as opposed to feeling satisfaction in starting a new one. I like to reach a point of completion on a personal or work project whether that is in total or just my small part of the big picture. This is in contrast to an "opener" who really gets enthusiastic about starting new…
Barre Better: Breaking Up with Bad Habits at the Barre
So lately in an effort to fix some of the ongoing issues and imbalances that I have within my own body, I've been calling on some extra expert advice by taking 1:1 Pilates sessions with Ireland's Master Teacher Trainer up in Dublin. I have to say that something that continues to amaze me is how often (in virtually every aspect of life) there is such a leap between good and outstanding. And when it comes to an eye for detail and understanding of body mechanics, she is outstanding. However, although her insight is invaluable and there have been several things which I hadn't considered previously, I am particularly struck by the…
The Wisdom Of Joseph Pilates – An OG of Positive Psychology
I had the opportunity to spend all of last weekend in London in an anatomy course specifically designed for Pilates instructors. Since I love Pilates and I love learning - it's safe to say that it was time well spent! The incredibly intricate and masterful design of the human body is beyond spectacular, so although my brain was completely overloaded after the two full day sessions, I would have been happy spending at least another two weeks immersed in it all! There's so much to learn about the structure, composition, mechanisms and the list goes on, that I left feeling in awe and compelled to find some more space in…
10 Minute Barre Arms Workout
Before barre, I honestly never thought too much about arms. Mine or anyone else's. Although I did the typical (but unhealthy) "Mean Girls" dissection of my body and its flaws, my arms were towards the end of the list of concerns, but not necessarily a point of pride either. I just didn't pay much attention. But when I started barre, I did notice that many of my classmates had incredibly sculpted and toned limbs and I remember after only about a month of consistent classes receiving many compliments on my recent acquisition of said arms. The transformation in my body in such a short amount of time AND the fact…
Foundational Habits Part Two: Exercise
As renowned sports-medicine physician Dr. Jordan D. Metzl wrote for Time in its special edition The Science of Exercise, "exercise is a miracle drug… take it often, and you'll live a longer, healthier life. Your medical costs will be lower, you'll sleep better at night, and your workdays will be more productive. Your mood will improve and your risk of developing almost any chronic disease will drop. It works for just about everyone who takes it, young or old, and if done correctly, it has few or no negative side effects. Every dose is 100% effective - even small ones. It's the most powerful, readily available drug in the world. …
How to Stay Active While Traveling
Like most people, I often find that I feel almost equally passionate about two different, conflicting, and incompatible things. I love the thrill of shopping, but I also love the satisfaction of saving or paying off a debt. I love being around friends and family and on-the-go, but I also love time alone or with my puppies just reading or writing at home. And I love travel, adventures and sightseeing, but I also really love my usual routine and habits. Over the past 40 days, I have spent 25 of them traveling and away from home so I am now very eager to get back to "normal life." I would love…
If/Then Planning for Failure in Order to Succeed and a Whole30 Fall Salmon Salad with Avocado Poppy Seed Dressing
At the height of my "going out" phase, I was living with my sister Kyle and we noticed that it was quite common for us to excitedly make plans with each other or friends, go shopping to get the "perfect" new outfit, and even spend significant amounts of time getting ready the day of, only to realize that we didn’t feel like going out after all. Although I have already talked about some of the reasons how and why I try to do it anywaywhen it comes to the fun stuff, I've recently be considering how the phenomenon of affective forecasting errors can influence our ability to build and maintain healthy…
Cultivating an Appreciation for Where We Are (Wherever that may be!)
After two weeks, my nonstop travel and touristing with my parents has officially come to an end. I'm sad to see them go, but thankful for the time that we had. And what an experience it was! Everyday was filled with as many exciting and interesting things as we could reasonably do or see while still dedicating enough time to allow us to appreciate the event. We toured all over Ireland, visiting countless castles and cathedrals, navigated the Ring of Kerry, walked the Clifs of Moher, and kayaked on the bioluminescent Lough Hyne (one of the #summerbucketlist items!). We toured the London
