Healthy Writers Club: Being My Own Best Friend

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Inspired by Josh Clark’s article on the site, coolrunning.com, I’ve been doing a Couch-to-5K training.

I’m in WEEK #4, still being gentle with myself.

Progress since I last checked in:

Week #4, Day #13: Monday, Dec. 3: I walked on Piedmont Ave. to Mountain View Cemetery and back, while listening to my favorite radio program, Marketplace on NPR. 🙂

Week #4, Day #14: Wednesday, Dec. 5: I went to Capoeira class at Capoeira Mandinga, and did decently, even with my plantar fasciitis. But didn’t done my Couch-to-5K training because I wanted to get to class.

I plan to do my next workout walking in the neighborhood.

Today I discovered another club, this one for readers called “Readers’ Workouts”, run by Joy Weese Moll, a librarian. It’s so great to connect with other bookish types who also make time for working out.

Lastly, I want to give a shout out to Christine Arylo’s new book, Madly in Love with Me: The Daring Adventure of Becoming Your Own Best Friend. I received a review copy in exchange of sharing about it. I shared a Q&A last week here, and promised to share my thoughts…

Written for women and girls, I was a little put off by all the pink. Not every girl or woman is partial to pink.

Also, I was a little uncomfortable with the affirmations. I think actions count more than affirmations. And affirmations don’t rewire your brain like deep change, that I don’t think comes from reading a nonfiction book, usually.

And though I haven’t finished reading Christine’s book, I really like what she says about the Self-Love Tree and the Ten Branches of Self-Love. They are:

  • Self-Awareness & Self-Honesty
  • Self-Acceptance
  • Self-Care
  • Self-Compassion & Self-Forgiveness
  • Self-Trust
  • Self-Esteem
  • Self-Empowerment
  • Self-Respect & Self-Honor
  • Self-Pleasure
  • Self-Expression

Christine has checklists before each of the 10 branches so you can see where you’re strong and where you may have a lack.

Truth is I’ve always had strong self-confidence, what Christine calls self-esteem, but have also been my harshest critic. I have lacked compassion and sometimes trust for myself. And self-care has been a challenge, but I”m changing that with all the fun workouts.

All this to say that Christine’s book has sparked more awareness about the ways I love myself, and all the ways I don’t… and all the ways I’m showing up as my own best friend.

I’ll be skipping Christine’s affirmations, and going right to the checklists, and continue discovering more ways to be a great friend to myself. 🙂

How are you being your own best friend?

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More info on the Healthy Writers Club and my fellow writers participating here: http://www.shalleemcarthur.com/p/the-healthy-writers-club.html.

At last count we are up to 28 writers! Woot! Together we are strong! Shallee, Thanks for creating this movement!

How about you? Share your exercise, both casual and otherwise, below, and let’s support each other!

***

PS. When I’m not walking, or writing, I help authors create successful books and careers, as a coach and advisor.

If you want personalized, tailored one-on-one support, I can help you with that too. Contact me for a Discovery Session to see how a writing coach, award-winning author, Certified Creativity Coach and Master NLP Practitioner can help you fall in love with your writing, again.

Sign up for a 60-Minute Complimentary Coaching Discovery Session here. I give away 10 slots per month — booking for January 2013 now.

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