April 25, 2021 WATCHING THE WHEELS

 We all know THOSE people who continue to do the same things     

OVER AND OVER and expect DIFFERENT RESULTS.  I have NEVER been able to understand that some people NEVER LEARN FROM THEIR MISTAKES. They never realize that it's NOT SOMEONE ELSE'S FAULT. It is THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.  I'm NO Math genius BUT--Same BEHAVIOR + Same BEHAVIOR= Same result.  RIGHT? I think that's the hard part though--Changing OUR BEHAVIOR. Realizing that OUR own actions ALWAYS affect the outcome. If we really want to change our lives--we have to take responsibility-- realize that we have to change our behavior--AND--everything else will fall in place. It's really that simple.  BECAUSE--Our behavior affects our THOUGHTS-- WHICH IN TURN-- AFFECTS OUR EMOTIONAL WELL BEING. Kind thoughts--Kind words-Kind heart--my mantra. It's a game changer.  This is one of the MANY lessons I've learned through my yoga practice. Yoga  really is the gift that keeps giving.  Olympic runner Alexi Pappas also learned this valuable lesson  and wrote about it in her new  memoir Bravey. When Alexi Pappas was four years old, her mentally ill mother committed suicide. This tragedy shaped her life in both positive and negative ways.  This memoir is a collection of essays that illustrate how she has dealt with loss, hardship and the pain of losing her mother to become an Olympic runner, actress, filmmaker and writer. Part of Pappas' drive to succeed stems from her fear of becoming her mother, but in working hard to always do her best, she almost succeeded in becoming her worst fear. After her debut in the 2016 Olympics, Pappas fell into a post Olympic depression and thought about ending her life. She finally got the help she needed and realized that she had to reevaluate the list of rules and behaviors she developed in childhood because they no longer served her. It's interesting--we all have certain rules in our lives--or coping mechanisms--that work for us up to a point, but at some point, we have to let them go because they prevent us from growing and changing. Pappas changed her behaviors--that in turn changed her thoughts and finally her emotional wellbeing. This coming of age story was both funny and heartbreaking in so many ways. I'll say this-- Pappas is a courageous, strong, woman who has overcome a tragedy I wouldn't wish on anyone and she has written about it in hopes of helping others see that they too can overcome adversity and live a richer life. This memoir is about 330 pages or a 4 mile run that I'd recommend for anyone seeking a better way to live. You really CAN change your life.