Seek Out A Third Place

Sometimes all we need is a change of environment to lift our spirits. We can get so stuck in traversing the path from home to work and back and we don't venture any further. But for years, scientists have touched the benefits of what sociologist Georg Simmel calls your "third place"-a public venue where you can "stand outside yourself and get some perspective." Some people find their third place in cafes, others in public parks. Some folks like the anonymous buzz of people around them; others need solitude.

Do you have a third place? If so, make some time for it soon. If not, imagine the benefits of finding one.

Ryan, M.J. Instant Health And Happiness. Pg. 63.

We Live The Life We Choose

WE ARE ALL, RIGHT NOW....RIGHT THIS MOMENT....LIVING THE LIFE WE CHOOSE.

Interestingly enough...this choice is not a single, monumental choice. No one decides, for example, "I'm going to move to L.A., and in five years I will be a trainer for the stars." Or I am going to marry a dreadful person and we will live together in a loveless marriage, staying together only for the kids." No! You must understand that choices are made on a daily, hourly, moment by moment basis.

Do we try something new, or stick to the tried-and-true? Do we take a risk or eat what's already on our dish? Do we ponder an adventure or do we stay at home? Do we indulge our heart, or cater to our fear?
SO THE QUESTION I ASK YOU IS: Do you pursue what you want or do what's comfortable?

"We act as though comfort and luxury are the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us happy is something to be enthusiastic about."- Charles Kingsley

"You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover will be YOURSELF!" -Alan Alda

McWilliams, Peter. DO IT! Pgs. 23-26.

Dofitness Love And Hate

Be Careful When You Ice

Often times people don't realize the damage they can do when they ice a body part due to an injury. It is important that you are careful and pay attention to the area of your body that is being iced. It is important that you follow the rules of 20 minutes on/ 20 minutes off. ALWAYS use a barrier between your skin and the ice pack to prevent serious injury to your skin. Be careful when using gel ice packs, they are more dangerous than a bag of ice. Ice packs, which are 32 degrees, or colder when augmented with alcohol. Gel packs are typically colder and can cause serious injury if applied for too long and/or applied directly to the skin. Ice packs help relieve pain due to the cold numbs the injured area...but this numbing effect can be dangerous, however, because when you lose sensation in a part of your body, you have a difficult time noticing tissue damage. 

The Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports Medicine recommends only using ice packs for a maximum of 10 minutes at a time on areas where the skin is close to the bone, and up to 30 minutes on areas with more fat or muscle. ALWAYS cover the ice pack or the affected area with a cloth, towel, or elastic bandage.

The video below shows a second degree burn and frostbite due to leaving a gel ice pack on an injured area for about 45 minutes along with no barrier between skin and gel ice pack. The video shows the sequence of what occurs in a 10 hour span.  Viewer discretion is advised. 

**UPDATE** AFTER DOCTOR VISIT. VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED.

Don't Stop Believing

Kayleigh Rocks Dofitness Studio

Kayleigh's Music

The Moment My Life Changed Forever Part 1

This is the story of a moment in my life that became both a learning and challenging experience. A time in my life that changed my outlook on everything in my life. A moment that is still a constant in my present life. A moment that if I could go back in time...I would never change. An experience that has shaped me into the person I am today.

So on with the story, a story that I have never truly discussed in detail until now. I have been an athlete all of my life. I have suffered through the devastating losses, all the extra practices, and all the injuries that go along with it....BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS. I know what it takes to get to the next level...I knew that in order to be successful you must work hard, practice, and deal with the consequences that come along the way...all the challenges that all athletes have faced one time or another.

I received a full athletic scholarship to the University of Arkansas in 92-93. It was a very exciting moment for me...I was going to be able to do the one thing that I loved doing at the next level, especially in the SEC. The one thing that was always there for me from the third grade to my high school years...if I needed to express myself and/or take my mind off the things that were stressing me out basketball was there. It was always there...I could express my feelings through my ball handling drills or my one-on-one challenges with myself. I remember it being an exciting but scary moment to leave my hometown, El Paso, Texas and live in a new and unfamiliar place, Fayetteville, Arkansas. The beginning of my freshman year was interesting and a little overwhelming...I remember all the things that were expected of me as a student athlete. I didn't have time to think about anything but basketball and school....number of hours I needed to take, going to all my classes,  preseason workouts in the early morning and afternoon, study hall hours, meetings for new freshman, on and on and on. I remember in November of 1992...I was ready to go back home...I was sooooo homesick. I didn't realize how much my life was going to change so fast without my family and in a very unfamiliar place. I remember talking to my mom and she said, "Just stay strong, you will be home with family in December...everything will be ok." I got only three days off that December to be with my family and I remember having a heart-to-heart with my mom. I told her that I had no problem handling all the things being thrown at me...the hardest part was being so far from my family. She understood my words but assured me that things would get better just to continue to give it a chance, and if at the end of the year I was still homesick that I could just come home. That made me feel better but at the same time a part of me understood things in a different way...You have started something, you have committed yourself to something...you must finish this journey. And that was the end of that for me.

My freshman season was a very interesting and fulfilling one. I worked hard during and after practices on parts of my game that needed improvement at the college level. Each game and practice showed improvement which earned me a lot of playing time as back-up point guard to starting point guard, Shea Henderson. The last game of the season was finally here...and I remember it being such a huge deal not only because it was the last game of the season, but because it would also mark the last game played in Barnhill Arena (we would be playing in the new Bud Walton Arena the next year).

So here is the moment that would change my life forever...I was stretching before the game as usual along with my teammates...I do remember my legs being a little heavy at pre-game but didn't think anything of it...continued on with warm-up and was just astounded by the number of fans that came out to support us. The atmosphere was so amazing...the fans were AWESOME! That in itself was a very exciting moment for me. I remember Coach Sutherland putting me in the game right away (maybe 6 min had passed)...everything seemed fine as I went up and down the court a few times running the offense...playing hard on defense.

And then my moment came (the moment that was destined for me)...I remember stealing the ball and running up the middle of the court for a fast break. I remember a big girl jumping out in front of me to stop the fast break play. I did a crossover to avoid the charge and planted the foot to pass the ball off to Alyson Twiggs for the score...as I passed the ball I heard a snap and fell to the ground...right on top of the HOG'S NOSE...I remember keeping my eyes on Twiggs to make sure that we scored...THE CROWD ROARED...SCORE. And then I looked down to my knee. My kneecap had twisted to the side of my leg...I remember trying to stand up...pushing my heel down to get up..but I couldn't. I had nothing there. The knee seemed dislocated and not sure what was going to happen at this point. I was carried off the court and taken straight to the training room. As I stood there...my knee made it back to its regular position. Doctors and trainers were all tending to my knee...pushing on it, bending it, pressing it...it felt absolutely fine. I was like are you kidding me...I can't believe I was taken off the court because of a stupid knee twist/strain. They had me walk around on it and jog in place...I passed every test that was thrown at me. Doctors and trainers both agreed I was fine...that it seemed that I twisted it and could go back to the bench. I was so relieved...so I sat there trying to understand everything that had just happened. I was sitting there and Coach Sutherland looked at me and said, "Get in there." So here comes my next moment (the moment that was tied to the last moment and would be the END and the BEGINNING of this journey with two paths).

Again, everything was fine...jogged a little during a play...SCORE...teammate scores on the play...THE FANS GO WILD! HOG WILD THAT IS...LOL. And the moment of truth is finally here. Full court press...trapped a girl right away, she passes the ball off...I sprint to my next spot and all of a sudden my whole basketball life flashes right before my eyes. I experienced the worst pain I have ever experienced in my life. As I sprinted...My knee swooshed back and forth as if it was a rubber band that was vibrating back and forth...I collapsed to the floor and had nothing to support me to get up. I remember being so pissed off and realized this deep and intense pain...but was too focused on making sure we stopped the other team from breaking the press. I tried desperately to get up...but couldn't...EVERYTHING WAS OUT OF MY CONTROL. I could do NOTHING to fix this at this moment. They had to carry me off the court again and it was in the training room that they discovered something was seriously wrong. My knee had swelled ten times its regular size in a matter of 15 minutes. The swelling was out of control and nobody was able to make a diagnosis due to the severity of the swelling in my knee.

I am going to make this my first chapter...lol. I don't want to make this blog entry tooo long. I will be sure to write, The Moment My Life Changed Forever Part 2 soon. So be sure to tune in and check out the second part of my story. My message for today is...Be sure to experience each moment that is put in your life...GOOD AND BAD...Each has a contributing factor that will help you BECOME STRONGER and that will help you UNDERSTAND TRULY WHO YOU ARE.
Love Always,
Dofitness

Behind Every Motion Is The Music Of The Soul Made Visible. Be BRAVE