Bikram Yoga

I am a runner.  I love nothing more than to be out there as much as possible getting my run on.  It is the one thing that always makes me feel better.  But, I have been hurt.  I have been battling a plantar issue for several months now and I needed to try something to get that sweat out of me.  I had been toying with the idea of Bikram yoga.  Let me start off by saying I am not a flexible chick.  I am not bendy.

Then there is the fact that I do Pure Barre.  I like Pure Barre a lot.  But I think it has been contributing to the foot pain that I had been experiencing so I knew I needed to cut back temporarily until I got this foot issue under control.  So now what?

On a whim, I decided to try Bikram with a group of friends on a Thursday night a little over a month ago.  I am going to admit that it was brutal.  I swear my eyeballs were sweating.  I was limp and drenched at the end.  I think I complained about the ridiculousness of it to anyone who would listen for the next two hours.  Ironically, I slept better that night than I had since before Chase was born...4 years ago!  Oh my GOSH!  I was so relaxed and woke up feeling refreshed!  Could it be from hot yoga?  I tried my best to convince my cohorts to go back.

Looks like I would be solo for my next trip.  I started going back right away and it took me about 3 classes to really start to enjoy what I was doing.  After about 10 classes I was actually able to do all of the poses without having to take a break.  After a month, I was hooked.  I was feeling better, sleeping better, and drinking more water than was probably humanly possible!  I mean, you literally walk out of the soaking wet.

But its such a great feeling.  I honestly walk out feeling energetic.  I have found something that compliments my running and compliments Pure Barre.  I think this will be another staple in my fitness routine!

Passion

Is passion a good thing or a bad thing?  I have never once thought about passion as being a negative until a very recent conversation.  It wasn't really much of a conversation, it was more like some accusations being tossed my way that I happened to catch and maybe take some to heart.

I am very passionate about several things:  running, wine, my children, music, pizza!  These are the things I love.  I know in some ways they define me as a person.  Anyone who knows me will be able to offer up the fact that I am a competitive runner, I love my wine and pizza, and I love my boys.  Music may not be as well known to most folks, but it is a deep rooted passion I have held since a child.

So what is wrong with that?

Did you know that sometimes people make decisions about you based on what they perceive to be fact?  Did you know that when you have a blog solely about wine and all of its wonder and enjoyment and pleasure that some folks perceive you as an alcoholic?  Do you know that this can hurt you and your family?  I truly never gave it a thought.  My passion gone too far...?

I have friends that post obnoxious loads of running information and pictures on Facebook.  Did you know that this has cost them "followers"?  I will admit I have been guilty of un-following a "friend" due to not being able to handle the constant barrage of running wisdom.  Passion gone too far?

Those of us that have kids, we post pictures of them doing cute shit all day long.  Videos.  Basic comments about how wonderful they are.  Is this a bad thing?

Where is the line?  I'm really not sure.  I have been told that I am considered a drunk for having a wine blog and for posting pictures of wine bottles on my (now deactivated) Facebook page.  It's sad when people make those conclusions about you based on one small snapshot of your life...but again, I have been guilty of it myself.

Now being on the receiving end, I think I will attempt to have a lot more patience.  Passion is passion.  We all have it for our own causes.  For my haters out there, I will let you know that I have given up wine for lent.  Not because of you, but because it is something that I have done for several years in the past because it makes good sense to me.  It is a passion that I would like to make a sacrifice for.  Judge on...