“L&N NEWS”

August 2005

By Linda Hammitt (Yoga & Step instructor for Bally Total Fitness) & Nicole Moneer (Power Flex & Kwando instructor for Bally Total Fitness)

Photographed by Bob Gabella

Linda Hammitt

Good Things Happen All Around Us

Photographed by John Merkle

Nicole Moneer

Words from Nicole

Good Things Happen All Around Us.
I’ve got some things I’ve got to get down on paper…. Recently, me and my family had an opportunity to set some things right, and without going into personal details at the end of the day it sure felt good. It’s good to feel good. Yoga is so much about feeling good about yourself, I can’t put enough “oomph” into this, inside and outside of the class your yoga environment should bring positive thoughts and good things. With negativism being the soup d’jour ( not sure of the spelling), we are constantly bombarded and spoon fed with the bad things that have occured ,or might occur. When a hurricane doesnt meet the catastrophic projections, the feild reporters lean into the rain and somewhat non- threatening winds with a script no less dramatic. Are they truely dissappointed that a horrific event did not happen? On the other side when a truely horrific event occurs you can not escape its impact, and it should not be ignored, BUT!!
On the flip side I am certain that as many bad things occur in a 24 hour period many more good things occur. I am certain of this and I want to hear about them.
Send the stories to me and I will put them in the next newsletter.
When I watch all of you, I see a look as you come into your Yoga environment and a look as you leave, more often then not its kind of day and night.   In the newsletter I often refer to your Yoga environment. What does this mean? Simple…we…. you…together, create a Yoga environment in the place that we/you are at. Simple. Are we in a beautiful garden setting with a trickling brook running down a hillside?
No. There aren’t any fancy “Yoga” decorations around us.   It’s not about that, it is about being Yoga.
      Being “Yoga” works. You are seeing the physical changes in your body, please recognize and give attention to the many other benefits of being Yoga.
Example:   We were all watching a very athletic type movie called Friday Night Lights.
The coach was really stressed and passing his stress into the young men of the High school football team. He asked them a non-question “can you be perfect”?    A coach that is Yoga would have said   “When you are in your environment, make no mistake it is your environment, you own it, quiet your mind….. Breath…… reflects on your training…… breath…… perfection is in your effort ……can you be perfect?” Obviously for this speech to work/motivate, Yoga would have had to be introduced.   There is a mind –body relationship, both needs to be equally challenged.
I want your Yoga environment to be more than here in my class, I want you to be able to take it with. Being Yoga has rewards beyond the hour we share here and there. Take it with you, you will see what I mean.   BE Yoga.
Namaste Linda

Words from Nicole

What is the worst thing that ever happened to you and how did it affect you? Did it make you a stronger wiser person? Did you take a different perspective on life? Some may say the worst thing was losing their job, having a miscarriage, going through a divorce, getting in a car accident or losing a loved one. All are negative and things we fear, right?
The worst experience I ever had was at the age of 23. We received a call that my father was in the hospital and to get there immediately. We did and at that point we were informed that he had died…suddenly. My father was a physician and spent more time taking care of others than him self, something typical of males and doctors. In his will he stated he did not want an autopsy. However, we believe it was cardiac arrest. I won’t get into all the details, but I will tell you how this negative experience has forever changed my life. Nine years later (now you know my age) I am actually thankful that I can say this is the worst thing that has happened to me. We all have good and bad days, right? Well many times I have bad days or bad things happen to me. For the most part, I try not to sweat the “small” stuff. Like getting hit with a $200 towing fee when I was in NYC on business but parked in the city when out for pleasure, or when I am a half hour
    late to an appointment due to traffic, not getting a promotion…you get the picture. When something bad or Negative happens I think okay, I have to take the bad with the good and so far I have had the worst thing in the world happen to me and I survived it, somehow. I also try to remember all the good I do have in my life. I have my mom, my brother, my fiancé, many friends, a job, I am healthy and physically capable to do just about anything I want to do. Instead of getting upset when the bad comes around, I look at the good I have or what the lesson to me may be, which may sound profound.
My brother is diabetic, as you may already know from visiting my website. Even though he is limited on what he can eat and do physically, he is such a positive spirit. I admire that, he doesn’t complain about what he can’t do. For instance, I can eat whatever I want and not have to worry. Instead, I do worry…I try my best to eat a healthy well-balanced diet so that later in life I do not hear my doctor telling me change this and no more of that. I am open to trying just about any activity and lucky at that, too. .
I guess what I am trying to say is turn your negative into a positive; it will relieve a lot of stress. For example, the next time someone subs for Linda, be thankful for Linda. I know we all have our favorites when it comes to instructors. Moreover, be thankful someone
subbed the class instead of canceling it. Or if you’re late to work or an appointment because of an accident be thankful that you weren’t in the accident. Another thought, give thanks to those you still have in your life. Ever watch The Today Show with Katie and Matt and ‘Live For Today’? I am all about that, life is short don’t forget to tell someone how you feel about them! Most of all, be thankful that you have transportation to the gym, that you can workout and that you can read this…am I getting too heavy?
This topic was Linda’s idea, a good one at that.

Thanks! Nicole

Your questions and comments for Linda are welcome at:

shammitt@prodigy.net

Visit Linda online at:

http://www.tripoweryoga.com

Your questions and comments for Nicole are welcome at:

nicole@nicolemoneer.com