Gratitude Friday

Inspired by Artsy Crafty Babe, I decided I would do my own 'Gratitude Friday'...even if I am a day late :)

Spending the weekend soaking in the views of Dubai Creek




Reading my new book




Wandering beautiful gardens










My first coffee for 3 weeks ... even if it was a decaf!



Feeling fabulous thanks to my yoga!



Also:
- for being healthy and able to enjoy life!
- having a goofy husband!
- for REST after a crazy, stressful week of school inspections!
- getting through this post and surviving the photo uploading ... my longest ever!

I am so thankful to be able to enjoy my life and live it to the full! And it feels oh so good to focus on the little things that make my life so wonderful and enjoyable!! Hope you also have many things to be grateful for.

Yup...pretty much sums up my weekend

After reading this book a few years ago and viewing the movie just recently, I felt inspired by Liz's journey. Therefore, I decided it was time for a re-read! Needless to say, it has pretty much consumed my whole weekend!

Pomgranate heaven

I had never eaten these little suckers before Friday and now I am a convert! Talk about jazzing up any meal! Breakfast this morning was museli, shredded coconut, natural yoghurt and pomegranate seeds. All washed down with the obligatory cup of hot water.

And yes folks, it is actually cool enough to sit outside for breakfast. Yay!

Let the good times roll!

Yoga bliss once again ... meditation, breathing and some excellent joint stretches for arthritis ... would love for Matt to try these.
Loving my yummy food - the concoction above is mung beans, avo, carrot, toms, coriander and lemon. Oh boy!

The new black

So as it goes a cup of hot water is the new latte. No more cups of frothy caffeinated goodness for me. At home it's hot water with fresh ginger and lemon. At cafes, I put all embarrassment aside and ask for a cup of hot water. Refreshing. Healthy. And free :)

Dream day today:
- Slept in till the ripe ole hour of 7
- Did my sun salutations and breathing excercises
- Had a fab brekkie of museli, pomegranate seeds, natural yoghurt and nuts (with a yummy cup of goodness pictured above)
- Spoke to my sister on Skype and saw / spoke with my 2 gorgeous nieces!!! Erin not so chatty today!
- Met a friend for coffee (aka hot water)
- Hung out by the pool
- Read my book and napped
- Ran 4 ks
- Yummy Dahl and Palek Paneer for dinner.
- Will shortly head off to yoga for more fun!

7 hour yoga wrap up

Oh baby! A 5.45am start and a 12.45pm finish makes for a whole lot of goodness in one chunk o time! After having approx 5 hours sleep, we headed out into the pitch black at 5.25am. Destination - yoga centre.

The 7 hours consisted of beach games, breathing, meditation, breakfast, sun salutations, deep meditation, a little lecture and lunch.

The meditation is a whole new experience for me and I am loving it. The food was also fab :)

I am marvelling at the difference in how I am feeling, mentally and physically, compared to this time last week. Long may it continue.

Finally!

Yay! After 4..or was it 5? ... agonising days of pain, my head ache is gone! It feels so clear and light! I can think... I can focus. I can even be calm! Let's hope the feeling continues.

Off for another post-school swim in a minute. Then a foot massage as a little treat! Then off to my yoga course.

Tomorrow we start at 6am and go till 12 - oh, what a way to start the weekend! I'm thinking some sleep might be on the cards for tomorrow afternoon!!!!

Top of the world!

Literally ... today's excitement was heading to the top of the world's tallest building! No matter this was with the whole of 4th grade plus 20 parents in tow. Was still fun.

As for my health ... top of the world ... not so much. When I speak I sound like an 80 year old smoker and my cough is so chesty it sounds like a lawnmower.

Can you believe I have been getting up at 5am to do my meditation and breathing? Yikes! I'll tell ya one thing though, it really does clear the mind and energise the body.

This week is surreal. My head is all cloudy and fogged. I guess this has a lot to do with my cold, but I am also wondering how much the detox has to do with this (along with sleep deprivation of going to bed about 11pm and getting up at 5am!). Hoping for some clarity of mind in the near future!

In other news, loved my after school swim. It was damn hard work but all worth it!

To act, not react

Well, day 3 is much better than day 2! Not so much of a headache and infinitely less stress in my day!

My goal today was to act, rather than react. To take each situation as a challenge and opportunity for growth. So, with this comes an understanding that stressful situations will always be there. It is how we choose to deal with them that makes the difference.

Feeling very pleased with my 5am meditation sessions! Especially seeing as how the yoga course goes from 8-10 each night, making for very late nights! The 5am meditation, combined with breathing and mindfulness throughout the day, and finally, with a 2 hour session each night, means I feel like I am headed in the right direction towards my goal of being more balanced.

The only thing I am feeling uneasy about is a lack of excercise due to early mornings, late nights and a chesty cough and cold :( The plan is to go for a swim tomorrow after school. Looking forward to it already!

Trying hard!

Phew! What a day! Who ever knew that one latte a day could make you so addicted to caffeine?! I went to bed with a giant headache and woke up with a humongous one! I honestly felt like half my face had been chainsawed off! Add to this no herbal teas, sugar, alcohol or unhealthy food and I swear my body started to reject me!

And then...amazingly, it lifted at about lunch time. I started to be able to see again. I was able to actually think with some (however small) degree of clarity. I started to think maybe my body wasn't rejecting me after all!

Today was beyond-belief stressful. In the face of this, I kept reminding myself to breathe and be filled with energy and happiness. I tired to be a leader in my life and not a follower. I tried to act and not react. I did my meditation this morning.

I am not sure how well I did all up because I really was feeling very stressed...

But, I am proud of myself for trying hard. Perhaps centimetre by centimetre, I will get there.

Today I will breathe!

Yoga bliss has started! After fighting our way through the traffic and wandering the streets of dirty Karama (a more salubrious part of Dubai), we arrived at Rhythm of Life Yoga Center.

Immediately, a feeling of peace and calm. I listened with focused bliss for over an hour to Yogi Sangeev as he spoke of life and how to live a fabulous one!

I woke up this morning at 5am and did my meditation - thoughts popped in and out of my head that made me giggle ... 'oh, my back'; 'my nose is itchy' and other intellectual revelations of that sort!

But ultimately, after 10 mins of breathing, I felt so good and was ready to tackle the day!

My mantra was to be "Today I will breathe". Have you ever realized how good breathing makes you feel? All day, there I was, inhaling and exhaling!

Can't wait for tonight's session!

Oh, and my caffeine headache feels like a crack-cocaine withdrawl headache! Ouuuch!

Here we go again!

How is it that life can get so busy that we forget to look after ourselves and do the things that matter?

I was just reading back over my blog from a few months ago and marvelling in how focussed I was! This is to be juxtaposed with my current feeling of being a little run down, lazy and stressed!

To combat this, I have a plan! Firstly, I am going to do a 70 day challenge ... did you know that it's exactly 70 days until we arrive in Australia for Christmas?! Wow! Secondly, I am starting a 10 day yoga and meditation course this evening.

I figure that between these two things, I will be back on track and living my life as I would like it to be!

So...here goes ...

Day 1
Feeling a little flat - mainly due to stress and a little cold that I currently have. I am wondering why, whenever work takes over, the first thing to go is healthy eating and excercise? I am someone who MUST have these elements in my life on a daily basis - if not I feel that nothing else is as enjoyable as it should be.

I have known that my 10 day yoga course is coming up and I have been thinking of this as the point to start to get back on track. I am so looking forward to feeling healthy, fresh and balanced. It's funny how the universe speaks to you in this way - I knew I needed something and then up pops this course. My friend from school is also doing it and it will be great to do this challenge together, knowing we are helping ourselves in such a positive way!

Bring it on!

Wedding Dress Blog Tour

Love love love my dress. I had NO IDEA what type of dress I wanted but knew I did not want a strapless one. After trying on a few dresses, the sales lady suggested trying on a strapless one and I was converted! When we set out dress shopping, I really didn't think anything would look good on me :( After getting into the strapless mode, I thought there may be some hope!

My sister Gillian and I then trekked to the gorgeous Caleche boutique ... by this time I knew just what I wanted! I love that it was made for just me with all of my requests! I love everything about it, especially the flowers at the side of the dress! I will never sell it.

Most of all, I love remembering Matt's face when he first saw me and when we were exchanging our vows. It was a feeling of enchantment! I was mesmerised and so was he!

I loved our wedding day and wouldn't change a thing!

Follow more wedding dress adventures over at http://www.shasherslife.com/2010/05/wedding-dress-blog-tour-my-dress.html

A little bit of positivity

To counterbalance the stress I am feeling (see previous post!) I think a little bit of feel good factor is in order.

Five Faves
1. Knowing that after school this arvo, we are heading out for a wander around some markets and a yummy meal with stunning views!
2. Making it out of bed at 5am four mornings this week to swim and gym! Proud of me!
3. New furniture - we have bought some awesome new furniture for our new apartment - to be delivered next week! It will be serene and groovy and I can't wait!
4. Mixed berry smoothies
5. 20 days till I see my family :)

Just hanging on!

This week's goal is to make it to the end of the week without cracking up! And I don't mean laughing! I mean in the hold it together sense!

Who ever would have known that other people's lack of organisation, communication and lack of positivity could affect me so much! Phew ... it's been a big few weeks.
I don't cope well without me time.
I don't cope well without being balanced.
I am not sure how I will manage sitting through 24 hours (8 hours x 3 days) about teaching MATHS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG!!!!!
I will dream of the pool and the sunshine and the water ... that will get me through it! Maybe :)
So, with all of this week's challenge, my only aim is to make it to the end of the week without going INSANE!!!!!

Jeepers!

Don't ask me where last week went! Don't even ask me what last week's new implementation was ... I don't think I had one! Ooops!

Last week was a blur of many early morning swims and gym workouts; recovery from a trip to Lebanon over the weekend; endless lists of tasks to do at school; and an oh-so-wonderful weekend of brunch, lazing poolside, being with good friends and lots of sleep!

So, now to this week...hmmm...it's getting tricky trying to think of something new each week that will improve my quality of life ... there are so many things to choose from! But after a soak in the bath, pondering what it would be, I think I have decided that this week will have a reading focus! I have a number of good books lined up, so my mission will be to read for an hour or so each day!

In other news, the 100 day challenge is just ticking over to Day 70. Crazy isn't it! It's going OK with 2 rather large recent exceptions 1. A weekend of absolute indulgence in Lebanon ... think endless food; multiple Almaza beers (must be one of the world's best beers) and one meal that consisted of beer, a chocolate brownie and ice cream. No further comment needed there I don't think! 2. A 5 hour brunch at the Grand Hyatt on Friday which involved proseco, beer, wine, more wine, more wine, more wine and about 5 courses of food, including 2 dessert courses!!! Can you believe it?!??!??!? So much for my challenge! But oh boy, it was fun! I also feel like in some teeny tiny way this was compensated for by my mega workouts.

Anyway, (I feel like I say this often!!) ... ready to get back on track today and head full steam ahead to the next 30 days.

I am now getting to the point where I am hanging out to see my sisters, parents and my stunningly gorgeous niece and nephew. Brings tears to my eyes when I think about how soon it is. This year has been one of the best of my life to date but I am still trying to reconcile how to merge the travel bug with love of family!!! More on that another time.

xx

Advice from Nan...

OK... this week's focus is going to be to chew my food slowly! Sounds silly, I know, but I am taking the advice of my grandma (thanks Nan!) and I'm actually going to make an effort to do it! Benefits should include 1. A greater enjoyment of my food (if that's possible!) 2. Feeling fuller sooner 3. It's gotta be better for digestion!

As for the rest of my challenge, I feel like I have had a not-so-good-but-not-too-bad kinda week. The problem is I have had a cold! These pesky sniffles and lack of ability to breath are keeping me from doing anything too strenuous! I have been doing some weights and this afternoon I shall attempt a cardio workout! Looking forward to feeling good once again :)

PS - Salmon oil and brain training still going strong!

This week's addition...

Ok, so last week's goal was to remember to take my salmon oil tablets each day. So far, so good.

These little capsules are much needed - the desalinated water here in the big D is playing havoc with my hair! Disaster, I tell ya!

Add that to the fact that I had an "Am I in Korea moment" the other day when my hairdresser exclaimed that she could not possibly cut my hair! She literally cried out in the salon, as though in agony, that she would not cut more than half a millimetre off the length as it is already too short and I look like a boy!!!

Thanks for the compliment, lady. Thanks also for still charging me the full price. Geez!

Anywho, this week's goal is to do my Brain Training each day.
OMG! Try this site! www.lumosity.com
You can set up a free account!
I am addicted!

Day 50!

Woohoo! Worked off yesterday's mid point blow out by hitting the gym at 7:08am - pretty impressive for a weekend I thought!! My workout consisted of 30 mins of hard intervals (2 mins fast run/ 1 min walk - repeat for thirty mins). Total distance 4.5 kms. This was interspersed with 5 1/2 strength exercises (I conked out on the sit ups after doing 30 - hence the half!).

Needless to say, when I emerged from the gym an hour and ten minutes later I was: -Colour: Florescent beetroot - if you have ever seen me after a workout, you would agree that this colour was invented just to describe my facial colour!
-Body temperature: Hotter than the 38 degrees that it was outside - Dubai's summer is just around the corner and oh baby, don't I know it!
- Sweat factor - like I had just taken a shower.
- Water consumption - almost 3 litres!
Satisfaction factor - pretty darn pleased with myself!

So, now to think about the first 50 days of this challenge and reflect on my original goals and purpose.

Body: Definitely pleased with the amount of exercise I've been doin! Switched back to 5am workouts - a killer getting out of bed, but all worth it; particularly at the end of the work day when I am beyond pooped and couldn't fathom hitting the gym. Have loved the hard swims I am doing. Not loving the running so much, but I will persist. (How did I ever do that 10ks back in January?!) I have also been mixing up the weights etc and this has been fun! Been managing 6 days of exercise per week - (except last week when I did just 4 days so we'll just pretend that didn't happen!)

Food: Oh how I love my food! And oh how I am loving fresh, healthy food. I am convinced the healthier you eat, the more you crave that sort of food. (At least this is what I try and tell myself!). Having said that, there may have been 1 or 2 indiscretions of the pizza variety. But really, only once or twice - promise! I think that is pretty darn good. I have managed to survive on one square of dark chocolate a day and other than that, it's been all fruit/veg/fruit/veg/fruit/veg - plus wholegrains and dairy. Happy with that! Will now keep doing what I am doing for the next 50. (Oh, and that no wine thing lasted 7 days! I now just indulge in a couple of glasses on the weekend and I'm happy with that!)

Mind: Newspaper reading - kinda; Books - kinda; Brain training - lasted 3 days; travel / getting out and about - mega check; laptop - mega check. So all in all, clearly some room for improvement here. Spend too many mindless hours surfing the Internet. Gotta make the conscious effort to do all those things I love so much, but somehow don't get to.

Spirit: This is the one area that I am constantly mindful of. I continually remind myself that every thought, word and action has my signature on it - it is me and I need to consider my best self and how I portray that. This said, we've had our moments. A particularly hairy interaction with the boss springs to mind as being a time when I could have done a much better job. Other than that, I feel that I have tried hard to be patient, kind, caring and calm. But again, still room for improvement here.

So yup - Day 50-100 here we come! (That makes it 52 days till we leave to go back to Aust!)

Words to live by...

Happy birthday to the Bard! "Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none." All's Well That Ends Well, I:2
Thanks to my old teacher from 7th grade for sharing these words of wisdom. Love it :)

What a great idea!

I read on Oprah some advice by a lady called Michelle Burford about implementing one new thing each week that will improve the quality of your life. Here is some feedback that one follower left on the site:

From Oprah: Michelle Burford you changed my life. I took your advice and started just changing one tiny thing in my life each Monday since the New Year. Flax seed, green tea, write in my diary, up and down 15 flights of stairs, read a chapter in a book, 10 pushups, take my blood pressure, weigh myself, walk my dog, work on a project, 6 salutations to the sun, keep a food journal. It's now March 24 and although I am not sure if this is sustainable for a year I am having the time of my life. I feel great and Oh the books I have read. Thank you. Mary

I love, love, love this idea!

So mine for this week is to make sure I take my Salmon Oil tablets each morning! Glowing hair and skin, here we come!!

Easter Musings

Easter musings in a Muslim country...

1. Managed to source 8 fluffy and perfectly made hot cross buns ... straight from the oven! I ate these in my bathers, just before heading poolside. I think I must be the only person in the world wearing bathers and eating hot cross buns on Easter Sunday! Seriously!

2. Received a lovely card from one of the most thoughtful parents in my class...a chocolate cross with the note "May His light shine on you".

3. Visited the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi on Easter Saturday ... as you do! Such an interesting insight into another religion. Still trying to get my head around the security guard telling me to let go of my abaya as 'no skin is allowed'. (I had it hitched up as it was too long..really, is it better to trip over than show a centimetre of skin?!). Muslim people have a proud and strong faith and are keen to share this with non-Muslims. The very fact that we are allowed into all areas of the Mosque is testament to this. Therefore, I naturally respected the 'no skin allowed' rule!

4. Heading downstairs shortly to enjoy an Easter pot luck dinner with new friends and fellow residents!

5. A lovely gesture from a Muslim colleague who wished me "Happy Easter ... is that how you say it? 'Easter'?" Highlighted how various and diverse religious traditions are!

And that, is that! It ain't much but even in a Muslim country it CAN still feel like Easter!

All teary...

I love my friend Rach's blog - I find it insightful, witty and uplifting! I was therefore curious to see which blogs she follows... the first one I clicked on hit me for 6.

From the first second, I was engrossed, saddened, uplifted and in awe. It is written by a mother who lost her teeny-tiny-not-even-3-month-old baby. http://www.natalienortonphoto.com/

Oh my.

It reminds me:
To live in the moment and cherish every second
To love, love, love.
To celebrate the beauty of life
To learn from each experience so that we grow stronger
We might need this strength one day...

Day 28

All going ok still! You may have gathered that a 100 days without wine lasted about 7 days! In the interests of my sanity (and Matt's), I have been indulging in a little wine from time to time! My allocation is 2 glasses on the weekend! It's working out ok so far!

Been feeling good but struggled this week a bit. We've had a mega stretch at school and this of course leads to fatigue and stress. Also been having a few tummy issues! Still, managed to squeeze in 2 mega swims and then hit the gym today, so not too bad.

Having said this, last night I was very grumpy and very tired - I am sure it was because this week I haven't had my allocation of 'highs' that come from lots of excercise. I kind of fell in a heap until Matt came to the rescue with a lovely bubble bath! All ok again now and ready for a fun week's holiday.

Still enjoying the challenge!

'The Challenge' continues...

Day 15

A hard 4km run – in 27.30 mins. Aiming to improve time and distance in the course of my 100 day challenge. Been going great guns with the challenge and feel fab – my white pants even fit again! A little bit of over-indulgence last night at Chili’s lots of chips!!! Breakfast out this morning – felt overly salted and a bit yuk! Spent the day sunning and swimming – bliss. Pineapple and grapes for lunch. Excellent run – glad to be back on track. I was going to reward myself with a massage at each 25 day interval but I think I might change tact a little – every 25 days I can buy some lovely clothing! I am addicted to Monsoon and as we are on a tight budget, I resist buying anything. Surely one purchase every 25 days is reasonable?!??!? I love their clothes and figure that is a good way to reward myself. Might need to push it back to 27 days – due to the over-indulgence this weekend! But I am now back on track and ready to keep forging ahead 

Five of my Favourite Things

After a rough 24 hours of work dramas, this is the perfect post to lift my mood!

1. Sunshine - Love the rays at all times - when I'm poolside, when I'm walking to get a coffee, when I'm outside on the field

2. New clothes - Last night I got a gorgeous cornflower blue top with flowers on it - so pretty

3. Travel - 2 more days of work, then off exploring the coast of the UAE and Mussandam - sparkling blue oceans and maybe even some dolphins and turtles!

4. Technology - Helps me keep in touch with family who are far, far away

5. My 100 Day Challenge - Love having this focus.

Aaaah, I feel better just for typing this!!

Bliss ;)

Check out more faves over here: http://www.meetmeatmikes.com/

Full Steam Ahead!

Day 2
Sunday March 7th
Feeling very pleased with myself – a vino free day, complemented by healthy, wholesome food. Add to this a blitzing workout and I am feeling good! I am also enjoying the little reminders in my head – am I being the best person I can be? Am I taking things slowly and enjoying the moment? Am I working on the things that count? Really looking forward to the next 98 days and the feeling of health they shall bring!

Gym – 20 mins running (1 min fast, 30 secs walk – increasing speed); strength (4 exercise); 10 mins running (fast / jog / fast / walk / hill); strength (4 exercises).

Day 3
Monday 8th March
A great swim (squeezed into lunch time) and further healthy eating = feeling good! Muscles feel good – like they have been working hard – love it!
Swim – 3 x 12 laps intervals. (1 fast, 1 medium)

Day 4
Tuesday 9th March
Loving it! Feeling so good! Muscles feel like they are working. Am looking at the clothes in my wardrobe –can’t wait to wear them all again!
Gym – 10 mins bike (hard intervals, 12 secs / 8 secs), 10x strength exercises, 10 mins running (1 min fast, 30 secs slow)

I'm back and here's what I've been up to lately!

Michelle’s 100 Day Challenge

Goal: To feel AMAZING at the end of the 100 day challenge! This will encompass a focus on body, mind, spirit! Body: To be fit, healthy and feel as good as I possibly can! Mind: To feel balanced, positive and clear in thoughts and actions. Spirit: To grow as a person and develop a greater sense of self. In short, I am going to focus on these three areas as I see these as being important.

Rationale: I am inspired by Oprah’s mantra of Living Your Best Life. I feel I have gotten a little off track – the temptations of food and drink; the business of life and the continual quest to find a strong sense of myself. As such, I want to devote the next 100 days to contributing to what I think will help constitute my best life!

Objectives: My objectives will no doubt change as I progress through the course of the challenge... I am happy to adapt what I intend to do, so that I feel that this is a process... it’s not just about the destination... it is this journey that is equally important!

- Body: Exercise 6 days a week – a combination of cardio (intervals and steady pace); weights and strength exercise; swimming and stretching. Healthy eating: Low GI, natural foods. A wide variety of food. No alcohol! (Can I really do that for 100 days?!?!)

- Mind: Regular reading of books, magazines and newspapers; Lumosity online brain training; occasional movies. Continuing to get out and about to explore Dubai, the UAE and beyond.

- Spirit: To be patient; to be kind; to bring joy into the lives of others; to be someone whom I would admire if I was looking at me!

Day One: Saturday March 6th.
The idea of this 100 day challenge came to me quite late in the day! After a week of over-indulgence (eating out each night and drinking too much!), I decided that since the Websters departed this morning, today was the day to get back on track. I have been exercising fairly constantly in 2010, yet seem to keep over-indulging on food and sometimes, too much alcohol. This leaves me feeling underpar – as though this overindulgence is holding me back and contributing to weight, fatigue and a feeling of restlessness. So, as the boys departed early this morning, it was my plan to get back on track. After a healthy breakfast, lunch and snack, I hit the gym. It was whilst cycling and doing hard intervals that the idea of the challenge came to me. Why not give it my all for 100 days? It is a good amount of time and I enjoy the idea of having this finite timeframe. It is quite an exciting timeframe given that in 102 days we depart for Australia!! As I pondered it, I could not help but wonder how incredible I would feel at the end of the 100 days, knowing I had given it my all. From there, it was a matter of thinking through the elements that constitute my Best Life! It is important for me to be balanced and I want to endeavour to make myself person possible!! So, as outlined above, my goals for body, mind and spirit make up what I believe will enable me to feel amazing at the end of the 100 days – June 13th, here we come!!!
Gym: Bike 30 mins – 20 second intervals (Level 8) + 45 second intervals (Level 10) + 5 mins stretching