{"id":1174,"date":"2013-11-23T19:08:08","date_gmt":"2013-11-23T19:08:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/?p=1174"},"modified":"2014-09-03T09:22:54","modified_gmt":"2014-09-03T13:22:54","slug":"training-myself-to-be-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/?p=1174","title":{"rendered":"Training Myself to Be Me"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Practicing mindfulness is like training your muscles to be stronger.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/photo1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1175\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/photo1.jpg?resize=225%2C300\" alt=\"photo\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/photo1.jpg?resize=225%2C300 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/photo1.jpg?w=480 480w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I know that if I give attention to my physical body by focusing on my intention to make it stronger and more athletic, it takes effort (energy) and repetition. As my training changes, my body learns to adapt. My physical body changes.<\/p>\n<p>I now know that if I give attention to my whole self by focusing my intention to be my authentic self, it takes effort (energy) and repetition. As my life experiences change, my inner being learns to adapt. My neurological systems change.<\/p>\n<p>This is the practice of mindfulness. This is the path towards living my life of possibility, passion, and integrity. Just like I train my body, I can train my inner being to be my naturally awesome self.<\/p>\n<p>I spent last week with two teachers: Coby &#8220;Noel&#8221; Kozlowski (www.cobyk.com) and Terry Fralich (www.mindfulnesscenter.org). I learned skills to cultivate my positive, natural state of being; I learned more about myself and being myself. I realized that I&#8217;ve recently let my &#8220;roles in life&#8221; define my vision of me, rather than letting my various roles be a vehicle for expressing the real me. I realized that when my role is in a typical business environment of competition, comparison, and judgment, I can still be the natural me who cooperates, collaborates, and accepts. And better yet, I saw a path for practicing my life more in tune with being me. Upon reflection, I drew the following mental model:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/2013-11-23-Visual-Vision.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1176\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/2013-11-23-Visual-Vision.jpg?resize=300%2C225\" alt=\"2013-11-23 Visual Vision\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/2013-11-23-Visual-Vision.jpg?resize=300%2C225 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/2013-11-23-Visual-Vision.jpg?resize=400%2C300 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/2013-11-23-Visual-Vision.jpg?w=960 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The model just allows me to put some meaning to what I learned&#8230; it&#8217;s basically a rope with a core &#8220;being&#8221;, directed towards an end &#8220;vision&#8221;, wrapped with various roles in life, and intertwined with others (all connected). It is intended to remind me that my life is an experiment in which I will learn to fully express my naturally awesome self through a mindfulness-based yoga and meditation practice&#8230; with intention, awareness, attention (energy), and repetition&#8230; and a realization that this practice for me is deeply connected to my vision (dharma), my interaction with others (community), and my connection to the miracles of our natural environment (Universe).<\/p>\n<p>In all of this, I train myself to bear greater adversity.<\/p>\n<p>Yoga is the practice of tolerating the consequences of being me!<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_30\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/69836_1430982574612_1351665_n.jpg\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-30\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-30\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/69836_1430982574612_1351665_n.jpg?resize=300%2C225\" alt=\"Who Can Hold It Longer?\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/69836_1430982574612_1351665_n.jpg?resize=300%2C225 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/69836_1430982574612_1351665_n.jpg?resize=400%2C300 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/69836_1430982574612_1351665_n.jpg?w=720 720w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-30\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Being centered as things change<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"sharedaddy sd-sharing-enabled\"><div class=\"robots-nocontent sd-block sd-social sd-social-icon-text sd-sharing\"><h3 class=\"sd-title\">Share this:<\/h3><div class=\"sd-content\"><ul><li class=\"share-facebook\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"sharing-facebook-1174\" class=\"share-facebook sd-button share-icon\" href=\"http:\/\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/?p=1174&amp;share=facebook\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to share on Facebook\"><span>Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-email\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"\" class=\"share-email sd-button share-icon\" href=\"http:\/\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/?p=1174&amp;share=email\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to email this to a friend\"><span>Email<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-print\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"\" class=\"share-print sd-button share-icon\" href=\"http:\/\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/?p=1174\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to print\"><span>Print<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-linkedin\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"sharing-linkedin-1174\" class=\"share-linkedin sd-button share-icon\" href=\"http:\/\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/?p=1174&amp;share=linkedin\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to share on LinkedIn\"><span>LinkedIn<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-end\"><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Practicing mindfulness is like training your muscles to be stronger. I know that if I give attention to my physical body by focusing on my intention to make it stronger and more athletic, it takes effort (energy) and repetition. As &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/?p=1174\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"sharedaddy sd-sharing-enabled\"><div class=\"robots-nocontent sd-block sd-social sd-social-icon-text sd-sharing\"><h3 class=\"sd-title\">Share this:<\/h3><div class=\"sd-content\"><ul><li class=\"share-facebook\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"sharing-facebook-1174\" class=\"share-facebook sd-button share-icon\" href=\"http:\/\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/?p=1174&amp;share=facebook\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to share on Facebook\"><span>Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-email\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"\" class=\"share-email sd-button share-icon\" href=\"http:\/\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/?p=1174&amp;share=email\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to email this to a friend\"><span>Email<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-print\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"\" class=\"share-print sd-button share-icon\" href=\"http:\/\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/?p=1174\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to print\"><span>Print<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-linkedin\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"sharing-linkedin-1174\" class=\"share-linkedin sd-button share-icon\" href=\"http:\/\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/?p=1174&amp;share=linkedin\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to share on LinkedIn\"><span>LinkedIn<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-end\"><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[11,12],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2Xnru-iW","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1354,"url":"http:\/\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/?p=1354","url_meta":{"origin":1174,"position":0},"title":"Dignity and Mindfulness","date":"September 21, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"A few weeks ago, I shared a personal vision that spoke of my intention to lead in a manner that inspires\u00a0dignity. 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The five koshas (layers or sheaths) are integrated aspects of our being that we explore as we practice yoga and focus our attention on these various aspects of our being.\u00a0 Yoga is an inward journey of self-study through these\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;One Perspective&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/IMG_7242_edited-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C946&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1373,"url":"http:\/\/amentorwalkswithme.com\/?p=1373","url_meta":{"origin":1174,"position":4},"title":"Bodybuilding and Yoga","date":"October 10, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"I started lifting weights in my adult life primarily as a means, I told myself and others, to maintain an athletic lifestyle late into life... to be able to ski and ride\u00a0well\u00a0for as long as possible. 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