FITNESS
I
have been involved in
a variety of fitness passions, on and off, in one
form or another for over
48 years. I started ballet
at the tender age of 3.
Then discovered tap and
jazz a couple years later.
Once I hit the school
system I was a huge fan
of floor hockey and track
and field. The excitement of tournaments, the
suspense of game outcomes, was a rush. Feeling part of a team, where
I made a difference was
a big part of it. The sense
of belonging to something greater than myself
was key, especially in the
pre teen years when my
self-confidence was at
an all-time low.
But back in those much
younger years, I was very
hard on myself. I was extremely competitive with
myself and others. If my
body didn’t perform the
way I thought it should,
it could throw me off for
days. When the relay
team didn’t come in first,
I decided the bulk of that
losing outcome was due
to my shoddy perfor-
mance, regardless of the
fact that I had given it all
I had. I believed if only
my body wasn’t so fat, so
weak, if only I had done
more, I would have been
able to serve my team
with a loftier outcome.
There was little room for
compassion or self-love in
those days.
Thankfully, now, I no
longer apply those harsh
codes to myself or to
others. Over the years, I
have softened my views
on how my body shows
up while being active.
Whether I choose to
dance, run or do yoga,
I now see my body as
a wonderland of goddess energy. I marvel in
how my body shows up. I
acknowledge the breath
flowing in and out of my
lungs, and through my
cells. I find great joy in my
body’s ability to do all it
can do to support me in
my activities. Its ability to
stretch, balance, lift and
move never ceases to
delight me.
versus judgement, is not
only healthier for my
body but my mind and
soul as well. How I treat
myself is ultimately how I
treat others.
So take the time this
month to revisit the tough
codes you may be imposing on yourself in
your fitness journey, and
celebrate through each
movement the wonderland you already are.
Wishing you a month full
of love and laughter!
Parvati Magazine would like
to thank Sandra O’Brien for
her fitness columns since the
magazine’s inception. Sandra
is moving on to focus on running her new hot yoga studio
in Muskoka. Please join us in
wishing her all the best, and
stay tuned for more great fitness columns from other writers
in the months to come.
Learning to choose compassion towards myself
Sandra O’Brien is mother to the world’s three most fabulous children. She
is also a Law of Attraction Life Coach, Personal Trainer, yoga instructor,
published author and Reiki healer. Her work has been featured on CityLine
Television, and The Toronto Star. She is owner of Muskoka Hot Yoga,
and Muskoka Goddess, offering hot yoga, tabata bootcamps, personal
training and coaching. She created the Goddess Creation system, a
female fitness program to blowtorch body fat, sculpt sexy lean muscle and
empower women everywhere to be the best version of themselves, inside
and out. She enjoys dancing, reading, hiking in the forest, meditation.
For more information on Sandra, please visit www.muskokahotyoga.com.