rebecca.pacheco

A Closer Look at Your Resolutions

rebecca.pacheco — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 09:32:31 -0500

From the time I could link a few sentences together to form my first stories in elementary school to the all-nighters I pulled as a college English major, writing paper after paper on Shakespeare, Milton, Bronte, Thoreau, and the like, countless teachers implored me, repeatedly, to "write what you know." Those marching orders remain the driving force behind what I write today for this Web site and my own, OmGal.com. With more than 13 years of experience as a yogi, nearly 9 as a teacher, the topic of yoga lays the foundation for what I aim to cover; however, these reflections are also peppered with ruminations on everything from recipes to the Red Sox, going green to getting massages, break ups and bargain shopping (you'll just have to take my word on this one- I know break ups and bargain shopping). What you won't see also runs the gamut from mathematical derivatives to the world's best beer stein collections, among other topics with which I have zero experience.

What's that you say? What do I know about making and keeping New Year's resolutions? Turns out, a bit. For example, OmGal.com- my aforementioned site- was the product of last year's resolution. Yes, it's true. Check the tape. I joined Blogger during the introspective week between Christmas and New Year's, vowed to start a blog in 2008, gave myself a cursory education on the vast, wacky world of blogging, and, presto, posted Om Gal's first entry on January 16.

I also once vowed that I wouldn't eat sugar, like, for an entire year, which is roughly the equivalent of Angelina Jolie swearing off future adoptions. So, that resolution crashed and burned, yet it helped me refine my strategy. Therefore, here are a few factors that I've identified to help maximize the success of your new found goals and aspirations:

1.) Be realistic. In hindsight, my resolution to swear off all sweets was not a recipe for success; it was more like a momentary delusion of grandeur. While lofty goals are admirable and definitely accessible, they require an approach and investment of corresponding gumption. If your heart isn't really invested, you'll throw in the towel well before Superbowl Sunday. Bottom line: choose a goal that you absolutely want to accomplish, one that holds meaning for you. Then, pragmatically plan your approach. If I had completed this step, I would have realized that foregoing any and all sweets for an entire year would pragmatically require hypnosis, a blindfold, and a stun gun- possibly all three.

2.) Be specific. Measurable goals are most effective. "Getting healthy" or "being less stressed" are terrible resolutions, not for the intentions they represent (which are noble and well-meaning) but for their completely nebulous nature. Opt instead to narrow your focus by striving to meditate for five minutes daily, exercise (or floss- baby steps, right?) five days a week, give up meat or soda, or schedule regular sessions with a nutritionist, personal trainer, etc. (decide the frequency in advance!). The key is to map out exactly how you will achieve your goal; break down the larger vision (e.g. lose weight) into manageable bites (no pun intended), such as lose X amount of pounds by date Y, then be sure you know your BMI, how many calories this goal requires, what your chosen form of exercise will be, and when you will do said exercise. In short, you need to quantify your goals, so that they are tangible and available to you all day, every day. You cannot run a marathon until you succeed in running 5 miles, then 7, then 10, 13 . . . you get the picture.

3.) Be patient. It's a New Year's resolution not a New 2-Week's resolution. If you falter, do not miss the opportunity to refocus and begin again. Remember, you are resolving to improve your life, which is a cumulative process with no finish line, but a plethora of small and monumental victories, along the way, for all of us.

The Benefits of an Economic Crisis (No, Seriously)

rebecca.pacheco — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 23:19:17 -0500

The housing crisis. The auto bailout. A different newspaper going belly up each week. A soaring unemployment rate. Not to mention countless examples of the current economic crisis experienced by each of us, in small ways, during the course of our daily lives. Even if your job is secure and your home is not in danger of foreclosure, the current perfect storm of economic conditions is enough to rain on anybody's parade or, at least, make life a bit more challenging.

Even grocery shopping, for example, is more of a challenge. On a recent trip to the market, I bought a bottle of honey that cost me nearly $10 dollars. Let me be clear: I didn't buy a bushel of goji berries imported from Tibet or a sushi platter big enough to give Jeremy Piven mercury poisoning. I really, truly bought one measly bottle of HONEY for a whopping $9.45 (and I wasn't even at Whole Foods!). Sure, this is completely trivial in the scheme of things, but it's a tangible example of just how bitter the situation has become: even the buzzing, industrious honeybee, a universal symbol of productivity, seems to be afflicted by the economic slowdown. Sad.

But, wait . . . Is that fair? To join the public outcry of people claiming that the world, as we know it, is collapsing before our eyes and we are helpless to stop it—let alone sweeten our tea in any kind of conscionable manner? Could there be a glimmer of opportunity buried in all this buzz, a sweet little dollop of perspective to help navigate our way through the negativity?

With all these leading questions, you can bet I'm headed somewhere. Hence . . . The Benefits of An Economic Meltdown (No, Seriously).

Smarter spending. With boom times comes a propensity and implicit permission to spend exorbitant amounts of coin on unnecessary things. In recent years, conspicuous spending became the standard, trotted to the fore on the heels of Manolo Blaniks and driven to popularity on the wheels of massive SUVs built to tackle muddy ravines on safari in Kenya—which is no different from a mall parking lot, assuming your local mall is located in a muddy ravine in Kenya. Call me old-fashioned; call me low-budget; call me a throwback to the days of our parents and grandparents who maintained their frugal sensibilities long after the Great Depression passed, but I think spending your money on stuff you actually need is an advisable way to allocate your quan, at least, for a while. Maybe you genuinely need a big, bruising vehicle to ferry around children or lumber or whatever, but maybe you could stand to downsize a oui bit. Indeed, non-essential purchases make life a little brighter, cozier, better accessorized, and more fun, but, there's no harm in revising our financial ideology to reflect the cash-flow we actually have, rather than the cash-flow we wish we had. Remember: your worth doesn't reside in your wallet, and, thank heavens for that. I’m not saying it’s time to sell our earthly possessions and wear only clothing we can weave ourselves; I’m simply suggesting that an emphasis on smarter, more sensible spending might do the country some good.

Dining in helps fatten your wallet and slim your waist. Any diet is apt to dish the same advice: the more you dine out, the harder it is to keep an eye on your nutrition, which is actually good news during a recession, wherein people dine out less. So, channel your inner Top Chef; save your pennies, and soon enough, you’ll be dropping unhealthful eating habits faster than the Dow drops points.

Unemployment initiates introspection. With the unemployment rate climbing to its highest level in decades, many people find themselves without jobs or anxious that they might be without jobs in the weeks and months ahead. It’s a scary prospect. Believe me; I’ve been there- during the economic crisis that followed 9/11- however, it’s also fertile ground for discovering and redrafting your ideal career path. Over the holidays, I caught up with a recently pink-slipped pal at a holiday party who is doing just this kind of self-evaluation. “I didn’t even like my job anyway! I just wasn’t ready to quit on my own” she confided. During recessions, people are more likely to change careers or go back to school, which is another way of saying that they get better aligned with their true talents and passions. As my friend's statement suggests, unemployment can bring a new found freedom to make career moves that previously seemed too brazen. The security of a steady job is a blessing; however, without it, there’s often more room for new opportunities to unfold.

Ideas percolate and later: prosper. While a recession is fun for no one, it just might provide enough of a respite from the hustle and bustle of busier economic times for you to develop the brilliant business plan that’s been knocking on the back door of your brain for years. Intellectual currency is even more valuable right now because, put simply, an idea that can withstand the scrutiny and lack of resources that characterize our currently chilly financial climate is destined to heat up down the road. In other words, the old adage rings true: “scarcity is the mother of invention." So, get cracking, Edison!

Time and energy remain the most valuable resources. We all have less money than we did a few months ago (although the losses vary greatly from person to person and family to family). Nevertheless, we still have the same number of hours in the day (24 the last time anyone checked); therefore, let the tightening of some of your resources (i.e. funds) underscore the importance and potential of the others (i.e. time and energy). In other words, treat your time as a precious commodity. Share it with those you love. Skimp on spending money on nights out, and rejuvenate “game night” or get-a-good-nights-sleep night. Having less is NOT synonymous with being less loving, interesting, creative, caring, compassionate, or happy. In fact, sometimes it’s just the opposite.

How are you weathering the chilly financial forecast? How can we make the best of the recession? What helps you look on the bright side when the financial news is bleak?

Om Gal Resolves To Help You Get Healthy!

rebecca.pacheco — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 22:14:36 -0500

Tune in tomorrow (Saturday, December 27) to WRKO, Boston's Talk Station (680 AM) or online via the website to hear me talk about getting healthy and achieving your wellness objectives in the year ahead. Want to join the conversation or ask a specific question about healthy changes you're hoping to make in 2009? Give us a ring: 800.876.4123; host Mariellen Burns and I would love to hear from you.

When: 3:00-4:00 p.m EST
Where: 680 AM, Boston's Talk Station
Why: To hear me dish up easy ways to revamp or refine your health in 2009.

Have a topic you want us to cover? Tell me what it is, and we'll address it on-air.

Stop Shouldering Your Burdens

rebecca.pacheco — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 09:29:41 -0500

Stress can settle just about anywhere in our bodies, manifested in countless forms- from a tense lower back to a crick in the neck to chronic headaches. For many, we literally carry the weight of the world on our shoulders.

To help relieve tense shoulders, try gomukasana or cow face pose. Also, at various points throughout the day (perhaps while standing in line to make your holiday purchases or sitting at your desk), lift your shoulders up toward your ears and then roll them back, waaay back. It's a simple movement, but it works. In turn, it will help improve your posture and ensure that your shoulders are fit for toting fun stuff, like yoga mats, hiking packs, and small children.

As for any heavy emotional burdens you've been schlepping around? Set them down for a while, if not, forever.

Holiday Health Tip: Smart Noshing at Parties

rebecca.pacheco — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 23:42:57 -0500

Countless health publications and experts continually underscore the importance of not arriving at a holiday fete famished, as a way to curb overeating. Instead, we're encouraged to eat an apple, drink some V-8, or nibble a handful of almonds to stave off the likelihood of arriving at the party and immediately chowing through the cheese display, thereby leaving a path of destruction and bread sticks behind us.

As practical and realistic as this tidbit is, we also need to account for the possibility of not having a healthy stash of produce in our handbag. It's the holidays, folks; some of us just can't manage that kind of planning. If it makes you feel any better, I realized I was wearing my clothes inside-out at the gym the other day. True story.

So, what is a gal or guy to do, having crossed a threshold into the land of copious amounts of food and drink, salivating at the sight of each temptation? Proceed directly to the vegetable and/or fruit display. Fill up one small plate. This will help take the edge off your hunger. Follow the veggies or fruit with a glass of water or seltzer. What you do after that is up to you [although, as a general rule, I caution against karaoke at the holiday work party, in case anyone's wondering], but at least, you've given yourself a healthy base and, ideally, avoided the tendency to fill up on the nutritionally empty items first.

Your goal should not be to skip temptations all together. You're human. It's the holidays. Enjoy yourself. However, taking a little extra care when it comes to making decisions will help you weather the season with greater ease and better health.

Have a health tip of your own? Share the love by posting a comment.

Om Gal on Your Side This Holiday Season

rebecca.pacheco — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 23:38:06 -0500

On one hand, the holidays are a magical time of year filled with the company of those we love, a spirit of generosity, and an annual opportunity for reflection and gratitude. On the other, it's a collective calendar hijacking wherein we lose weeks from our lives, spent battling the hoards at the mall, socializing with people with whom we otherwise wouldn't, over-indulging in less than wholesome food and drink, and forfeiting the routines and daily rituals that generally keep us sane. Overstatement? Perhaps.

Nevertheless, it's safe to say that at some point during the month ahead we'll all wish we had an elf or two to help us bear the load of our myriad holiday rites and responsibilities. A shopping elf to decipher who receives which sweater, toy, or trinket; an entertaining elf to stock the fridge, place flowers just-so in a vase, and bake the perfect dessert; or, perhaps, a simple handwriting elf, to mail the countless cards with nary the dot of a "i" from us.

While my penmanship isn't bad, I think it's better if I stick to what I know; therefore, allow me to introduce myself: The name is Om Gal, but for the purpose of your peace of mind this season, I am your "Elf of Health," committed to bringing you healthy, wholesome, om-savvy, yoga fabulous, fitness-inspired, life-simplifying tips throughout the holidays. As always, feel free to add your own tips along the way by posting a comment.

Today's Tip: Volunteer to bring the veggies. Holiday parties don't have to be nutritional land mines, particularly if you have a hand in what's served. Bear in mind that what you eat the other 22 hours of the day has a greater impact on your body than a couple hours at the neighbors' house spent sipping egg nog; however, it's best to temper your indulgences with wholesome choices. If it's a house party, forego toting along a bottle of wine, and bring a large salad instead (include dried cranberries or figs for seasonal flair). Middle-eastern hummus platters are also cost-effective and delicious options for feeding a group. Finally, bake crowd favorite No Pudge Brownies, and watch your list of friends multiply. Yes. They are that good. I'm incapable of lying, particularly when it relates to a topic as serious as dessert.

Stay tuned for a new tip every week on Intent.com and every day on my website www.omgal.com. I'll keep them short and sweet, just like, you know, elves.

What Brings You Clarity?

rebecca.pacheco — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 22:50:58 -0400

When seeking answers to life's big questions, we all have our preferred approaches. Some venture into the woods- others, the watering hole. Many retreat into solitude; some conduct running polls of their friends, family members, and, even, the trusted bartender at said watering hole. Different individuals and situations prompt different needs for adequate reflection and evaluation. What are yours? Where do you go for an infusion of clarity- the mountains, a beach-front sanctuary, a local park or garden, a traditional place of worship? Whom or what do you bring along- a book, a journal, a straight-shooting pal, your loyal canine companion?

I tend to retreat inward. Usually my yoga mat comes along, and most often, I have my most profound moments of "Ah-ha" (the sound of an epiphany, not the 80s band) when I'm surrounded by nature. The fresh air helps me breathe deeper, listen more carefully, and think through the issues rattling around in my brain with fewer obstructions.

What do you do? Where do you go?

Expressing Gratitude Through Your Yoga Poses

rebecca.pacheco — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:04:59 -0500

Certain poses evoke certain feelings. Some make us feel powerful, like Warrior II. Others bring us comfort, such as Child's Pose. Inversions can energize, and hip poses clarify.

So, in light of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, I'm wondering which poses give you an "attitude of gratitude." My personal favorites for when I need an outward expression of inward thanks?

Parsvottanasana: This forward bend, particularly with hands in anjali mudra (anjali appropriately means "offering"), evokes an image of bowing and offering gratitude to the world (or, at the very least, the person next to you in yoga class).

Fish Pose: More subtle than other backbends, Fish Pose opens the place in our bodies where gratitude resides, our hearts.

Sivasana: Whether you're grateful for your yoga practice or just the opportunity to rest on the floor afterward, sivasana embodies the essence of yoga, the ability to "still the fluctuations of the mind." And, who wouldn't be grateful for that?

Now, your turn. For which poses are you grateful, or which ones help you express gratitude?

Is There a Zen Response to Road Rage?

rebecca.pacheco — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:34:04 -0500

Dear Om Gal: I was driving on a little country road (okay maybe not a little country, but a lot country and no rock and roll) when I saw a small speck on the road ahead of me. It turned out to be a snapping turtle trying to get to a pond on the other side. Without thought, I stopped the car in the middle of the street to help it along. Remember O.G., this isn't Comm Ave. [in Boston, MA] People in the country can stop their cars and it doesn't result in massive honking. Or does it? After setting the turtle carefully next to the pond, I realized that a car approaching from the opposite direction was screaming words, saved only for rush hour road rage, in my general direction. I guess that they didn't read your blog. Any advice on how to handle situations like this?

Perhaps you should start packing water balloons or eggs on your trips down charming country roads? Or, you can take a more zen approach, which would include seeing this deranged driver through more compassionate eyes. This practice isn't easy, but there are two key Buddhist principles that are sure to serve you well on your travels, namely the first two Noble Truths. They are as follows:

1. Suffering exists.

2. Ignorance and desire are the root causes of suffering.

I should note that "ignorance" is not synonymous with stupidity, although sometimes, the latter follows the former. Ignorance, in this case, denotes a lack of knowledge. Put simply, people are hurtful because they lack the knowledge or skills to act otherwise. It's possible for people to know that what they're doing is hurtful, impolite, brutish, or downright evil, even while doing it; however, some portion of their fragmented brains makes them carry out these harmful actions anyway.

Your goal is to view the situation from a less personal perspective. Consider the following . . . A few years ago, I was teaching in an inner city school and decided to take a breather around lunchtime. I was crossing the street, headed to Walgreens, when I politely smiled at a woman walking toward me in the crosswalk. Instead of returning the smile, she said the following, "Don't you f*cking smile at me, ________!" [I've omitted the last expletive for your delicate eyes].

Imagine, being verbally attacked for smiling at someone? Kind of like being harangued for saving a turtle, right? At the time, I took no offense. Here's why: she was clearly a lunatic. Let me be more diplomatic; she was visibly unstable, which made it pointless to get angry. It's no different than when a baby yanks your hair. Even if it hurts like heck (they can tug hard!); the baby isn't being malicious. He/she doesn't know better. Eventually, our goal is to cultivate the realization that everyone is doing their best, in a given moment, the best they know how, with the tools and resources available. But, don't take it from me. Here's what the Buddha would tell you . . .

Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.

Remember, you have many more important things to do (and turtles to save!) than to get offended by a stranger's misplaced rage. In other words, you, my big-hearted, nature-loving friend, are way too good for that sort of b.s.

Peace,

Rebecca Pacheco (Om Gal)

Pre-Game Stretching with the New England Patriots

rebecca.pacheco — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 09:36:10 -0500

Whether you're headed out for a run, preparing to take your squash opponent to school, or limbering up for the season opener of the company bowling league, you likely have a preferred pre-game stretch, a few signature moves and motions that help you loosen up and get ready to play. My pro-golfer pal, Joe Horowitz, uses twisting poses to simulate his swing, for example. Meanwhile, you can find my friend, Karen Fabian, an avid runner, in viparita karani before a race. Professional cyclist and a reader/commentor on my website, OmGal.com, J. Alain Ferry opts for lunges as a way to fire up the muscles in his legs before the starting gun fires.

For football players, like the New England Patriots, pre-game poses of choice would depend upon the position of the player. Receivers benefit from twists, to mimic the game-time action of reaching around, receiving a catch, and then, continuing a forward motion. Offensive lineman, given their need to be very grounded and low to the earth, are best served by standing poses, like warriors and utkatasana- which appropriately translates to mean "powerful pose." For defensive players, I might recommend balancing asanas, forward bends, and some protective work for the shoulders. Likewise, a quarterback would benefit from shoulder work, hip postures, such as pigeon, (which also serve to protect precious knees), and some pranayama to boot. Think about: if you were about to endure four hours of the biggest, strongest, fastest men on the planet trying to clobber you at full speed- you'd need to spend some pre-game time breathing deeply too.

So, what's your favorite way to limber up?