by Pallas Hutchison

Words have the power to hurt, especially the words of those we care about. Those closest to us have a knack of hitting the deepest targets. The damage can last when the core of our being, the central beliefs about who and what we are, unintentionally or deliberately gets called into question. I want to share an activity that helps me flip the words and preserve my sense of self.

You will need a piece of paper, something to write with and a thesaurus.

Divide the paper into two columns; label them “You are” and “I am.”

Here is the hard part. List the words that have hurt you under the first column. Now, cross off any words that are juvenile name calling. The one thing these words have in common is their negativity.

When that is done, get out the thesaurus and find a synonym that positively resonates for each word. Write these words in the second column. If two resonate, write down both of them. I couldn't find words to cancel out all of the hurtful things I have been called but I did cancel out most of them.

Cut or tear the paper in half, dividing the columns. Discard the “You are” column in whatever manner seems fitting; burn it, bury it, throw it in the trash.

Hopefully that takes the sting out of some words. Did you know you were all of those things?

by Pallas Hutchison

My father once joked that I move in two speeds: fast and stop. While funny, it is also very true. Cognitively, conceptually, I can get on board with yoga because of the many benefits it offers. The lifestyle of yoga, because yoga truly is a lifestyle, creates the amazing opportunity to transform one's life. The reality of it... Let's just say it doesn't fall in my comfort zone.

What I like about yoga:

1. Improved balance, flexibility, stability, strength and muscle tone in a short amount of time. Yoga exercises every muscle using body weight as a strengthening tool. Gym class exercises, like sit-ups, only get a few muscles with each exercise; yoga gets more muscles working with less movements. There are even poses that massage the internal organs. While I may not enjoy the doing of yoga, I'm liking the results. After each class, my muscles feel like I did something. After 8 yoga classes, my flabby triceps aren't flapping about and the muffin top is smoothing itself out.
   
2. Modifications allow EVERY body in ANY condition to do yoga. I've got a list of injuries - I discuss the positive side of being a klutz in a different post - that I need to think about and modify the poses for. I've used massage, physical therapy, acupuncture and chiropractics to help manage my pain; I've relied on painkillers to sleep. While all of these are effective at managing pain, the progress gets lost if not maintained. Yoga relieves the cause of my pain by stabilizing and strengthening weak joints. I have the option of fitting a few poses into my day between clients or taking a full class at my favorite yoga studio (Power Yoga of Cape Cod).
   
3. The benefits and principles of yoga and ayurveda apply to all aspects of life. For example, some principles focus on how we use our energy, especially in relationships with others and with ourselves. Other parts of life that yoga improves: quality of sleep, energy level, blood pressure, breathing, circulation, metabolism, immunity, sex, memory, blood sugar... The list goes on and I honestly don't know enough about yoga to expand on it yet.
   

What I don't like about yoga:

1. Yoga moves at a slow pace. I've taken mostly gentle yoga classes because I'm a beginner. While some of the poses are more challenging than others, I still get bored. Although I will note that yoga is deceptive. While I move through the poses, I don't always feel like I am doing anything; after class, my muscles are well aware of the recent activity.
   
2. Stillness. I know the benefits of meditation but the more still my body is, the more active my mind is. Active meditation, like a brisk walk through the woods, will allow my mind to quiet. I get stillness and quiet at work and my mind whirls back and forth from tasks required for managing the business to my current client's condition.
   

I definitely prefer martial arts to yoga because of the interaction during classes and the faster pace. I force myself to do yoga because I need the strength so I can go back to martial arts, because I recommend it to my clients, and because I know I need to practice self-care. By forcing myself outside of my comfort zone, I will grow as a person.

What is your yoga experience like? Do you have a love/hate relationship with another activity? Share your story below!

by Pallas Hutchison

The internet has hundreds of websites on anatomy, health and various conditions. A few clicks on WebMD is a lot faster than actually going to the doctor and sitting around a waiting room. The temptation to self-diagnose is understandable; however, please resist. Here's why:

1. ​One symptom, multiple conditions. Most symptoms occur for more than one condition. For example, fatigue is a symptom of PMS, influenza, some thyroid disorders, fibromyalgia and anemia. These are all very different conditions with different treatments.
   
2. Effective treatment requires the correct diagnosis. ​​Attempting to treat after self-diagnosing may help. However, if the diagnosis isn't correct, it may be counterproductive. For example, a simple mistake with vitamins can be harmful. Adding supplements to a daily routine can be dangerous because the body gets rid of some and stores others, potentially building up toxic levels. For another example, think back to when leeches and blood letting were common medical treatments. While it may be effective in some instances, this practice would also further weaken already ill people.  
3. Scare factor : high. ​Websites are set up to show all of the conditions that match, from mild illness to terminal disease. The search engine will bring up everything in between that matches whatever criteria is entered. A few strokes on the keyboard could result in elevated stress - and all of the physical manifestations of stress - on top of whatever is already going on. This creates a self-fulfilling prophecy of poor health.

When something goes wrong in the body, a trip to the doctor will at least narrow down the possibilities and start the healing process.

by Pallas Hutchison

I consider myself ridiculously successful for my age and experience level. I don't mean my experience as a massage therapist; I mean my experience in the business part of my industry. Running a business is amazing and terrifying and rewarding and frustrating and liberating and overwhelming... Being a parent on top of that, and a college student, I frequently get asked how I manage to everything done. The truth is, I don't. But I get enough done that I keep moving forward.
Everyone's experience is different but I'd like to share a few thoughts on how I manage to juggle my many responsibilities. These are the same steps I use to direct my business's growth and to help my kids with big school projects.

1. Put it in writing! "If you don't have a plan, plan to fail." The old adage still has a lot of truth to it. I may not have a fully written business plan but I have written down my goals for my business, for my finances, for my personal life... By putting it in writing, I make a commitment to aim at that target.
2. Figure out where you are right now. You need to know where you are now to figure out the steps to get you to your target. If you want to more family time, figure out where you are spending your time. If you want financial stability, figure out what you're actually bringing in and where you're spending it.
3. Create a plan. Put your current status and your target side by side. Brainstorm on how to get from point A to point B. Follow every "what if" path you can think of before deciding what steps are the best for your objective. Once you've come up with a few ideas, write everything down. Breaking it down into small, manageable steps will make big plans less overwhelming. Consider writing things in a calendar; commit to when you'll get each thing done.
4. Revisit, refocus and revise. No plan is perfect and, the bigger the plan, the more effort required. Some pieces will fall into place, others need multiple attempts to get it right. Revisit your plan to see how you're doing. Where are you now? Do you still have the same target? Refocus on what your target is and revise your plan as needed. If plan A falls through, you have already brainstormed a plan B and a plan C and a plan D... It's harder to get derailed if you have back-up plans at the ready.
5. Reward yourself! Give yourself credit for what you accomplish along the way. Whether that means a day off after a big accomplishment or an extra glass of wine with dinner. Staying motivated is easier when you acknowledge your successes.

​What tricks help you get things done? Share your thoughts and stories below!