Dear Friends,
There have been days this year (like yesterday), where I had a HARD time getting out of bed. Like, hard. I only got up when I absolutely had to... even feeding the kids was something I considered skipping so I could stay in bed. I don't like when I get into moods like that, but it happens, and the trigger this time was definitely holiday-related.
It's worrying about my grandmother. It's missing my get-togethers with friends. It's cancelling my family Christmas sleepover. It will be the first time IN MY LIFE that I won't be celebrating Christmas morning with my family in our PJ's. Are you feeling me?
So how do we get out of the funk?
1) Do something for others.
Every year, our family adds an ornament to our tree to remind us of a trip or memory from that year. Well, in 2020, we definitely suffered the "ran out of toilet paper at Costco" syndrome, and my mom and dad even had to do an emergency delivery for us!
So it just seemed fitting that a toilet paper roll would be the perfect ornament for our tree. Add on some masked reindeers and Santa, plus some poop emojis, and Ta-Da! "What a POOPY Year!" ornament gifts for all our neighbors and classmates at school!
We often lack motivation when it comes to taking care of ourselves. But when we do something for others, that positive energy is always there.
2) Laugh.
Along with toilet paper and poopy jokes becoming the norm in our household, 2020 was all about our new dress etiquette: wearing masks.
Positives of wearing a mask (besides of course the obvious of protecting ourselves and others from coronavirus):
- Let's see... there's sun protection (less sunscreen use)
- Learning to smile with our "eyes"
- Hiding bad breath
- No more stress about, "Do I have food in my teeth?" (am I right?)
3) Go with the flow.
We find unhappiness when we hold on to the past. The way things were. The way things we expect it to be.
We find happiness when we live in the present. When we create a different future given the circumstance we are in. When we GROW into the post-coronavirus era instead of RESISTING.
Be like my friend Martin who joined the "no-haircuts in 2020" trend and subsequently turned himself into a..... SAMURAI!
4) Move!
As much as we get tempted to stay in bed all day, we know what the best natural medicine is:
Movement.
Hike, bike, run, swim, walk... getting outdoors has been a theme of 2020.
Gardening, renovating, cleaning and donating... that all counts as movement too!
Me? TRX, Yoga, HIIT, dancing... all of it has been my saving grace.
Or perhaps 2020 didn't involve enough movement and you are ready for change??
If you are looking for a variety of classes, something convenient to do anytime from home, and would like to commit to your health in 2021, consider our Power With Grace membership! Try out our one-month online subscription for $58 or for first-time subscribers, we have a SPECIAL seven-day trial for $25!
Click here to gift yourself a trial!
5) Give back.
This past Saturday, 85 of you danced (many for the first time!) for my best friend, Karen's, birthday wish. Your participation literally raised money for Feeding America and made a difference. Thank you to all of you who joined in, and especially Karen for her compassion and generosity!
PS - singing Happy Birthday on Zoom is close to impossible, but it won't stop us from trying!
Please save the date for two more opportunities to FIGHT HUNGER!
1) Thursday, December 31st *NEW YEARS EVE* 10:15AM #StopDropAndDance @PeloFitness
***FOOD-RAISER*** FREE DONATION CLASSES FOR MARIN SF FOOD BANK!
Bring a full grocery bag of ONE TYPE OF canned or dried foods (listed below) as your ticket to dance (IN-PERSON ONLY):
- pop-top cans or tear-open pouches: salmon, tuna, chicken
- low-sodium soups, chili, or stews
- low-sugar cereal
- nut butters
- pasta
- rice
* no glass containers, pet food, or opened food*
More details to come next week at www.pelofitness.com, including other classes, instructors, and times such as cycle, yoga, and fitness! Sign up for Stop Drop And Dance at 10:15am: www.thepowerwithgrace.com/classes
2) Saturday, January 2nd *FIRST CLASS OF 2021* 9:30am #StopDropAndDance @OneThorndale
***DONATION CLASS for Marin GIFT***
Celebrate the New Year and Sandy's birthday by dancing and donating to Marin GIFT, an outreach to serve the unsheltered of Marin County!
Sign up at www.thepowerwithgrace.com/classes
* You will be directed to an Eventbrite to donate however much you'd like, and you will receive your Zoom link afterwards to dance from home, or your donation will be your ticket to come in-person to One Thorndale Drive in San Rafael!
YES!!! We have the SAME schedule this week!
Well, since our family sleepover was cancelled (again)... there is temptation to give in to the "stay-in-bed-and-mope" route. BUT NO. What's the next best thing?
We're DANCING on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday 9:30am as usual - join us LIVE on Zoom or IN-PERSON in San Rafael for Stop Drop And Dance, or take any of our ON-DEMAND classes!
Thank you for being a part of our community. Thank you for reading these newsletters. Thank you for sharing your pain, your joy, your struggles, your hopes, with all of us. It's been a poopy year, but don't let it consume you. Do something for others, laugh, go with the flow, move, and/or give back - I promise, it helps.
Love,
Grace
PS - I SO needed this video Kim. I might have burst out laughing. Please click the image below to watch!
