Debbie Does Push-ups!

Day 18 & 19:  Balance, Brains & The One Friend Rule

Dear Diary,

Yes I know, I didn’t write yesterday.  Not because I didn’t care. Simply because I had Monday brain.  You know the kind… “Manic Monday.  6 o’clock already I was just in the middle of a dream.”  Too many thoughts, not many useful ones.  Also, yesterday’s stat was about social media, and honestly, I already wrote about that in a previous blog post. But yes, it is relevant, so here it is.  “53 push-ups = 53% of young adults say they feel better emotionally when they spend less time on social media.”  I believe that.  Not looking at social media 30 minutes before bed has been a game  changer for me.  When I do scroll and see something that makes me feel “less than,” my brain takes that garbage straight into dreamland.  Which messes with my sleep.  Which messes with my energy.  Which messes with my mood.  What a cute little toxic cycle.   So yes, balance.  With social media.  With food.  With exercise.  With relationships.  With life. 

And … today’s push-up stat is 160

Hello triceps. Goodbye arms.  Full disclosure: I am not doing 160 push-ups from my toes like some fitness robot.  We’ve got: push-ups, tricep dips, squats, lunges, sit-ups, whatever gets the job done without injury or tears. Because the real goal isn’t perfection.  It's showing up and noticing what the number makes me reflect on.  I can currently do 8 proper push-ups from my toes.  The magic health number is supposedly 11.  Am I there yet? No.  Do I care? Sort of but not really.  Because what’s the deadline?  Oh right … the one I invented because of this challenge.  And also… if someone can do 11 push-ups but drinks every night and eats like a raccoon behind a fast-food dumpster, are they automatically healthier than someone who can do 8?  That's what I thought. Balance. Always balance.

Now back to today’s real stat

"160 push-ups representing a 16% boost in life satisfaction when young adults have at least one close relationship."  Not ten.  Not a group chat with 26 muted notifications.  One real person.  I wrote about friendships in my last post, but this one is worth repeating:  It’s about quality, not quantity.  Having one person you can tell the real stuff to matters.  Yes, partners are amazing. I love you Rui (husband of six months today!).  And let’s be honest. He will never fully understand periods, hormone swings and night sweats.  That’s where friendships come in, especially woman to woman.  Women usually bond through talking and feeling.  Men usually bond through doing things together like sports. Yes I know I’m generalizing.  It’s just what I’ve read and seen in real life.  The point is, everyone needs at least one person outside their romantic relationship.  It could be a friend.  A cousin.  A sibling. A yoga buddy.  Someone who gets you. Period.

I learned this big time in my early 30s

I moved to Australia alone for six months.  Did I know anyone? Nope.  Was I nervous? Yep. Was I secretly confident I’d find people? Also yep.  I lived in a yoga studio, connected with instructors, students, and even housesat for people who trusted me with their home, their pets, their car (which still feels wild when I think about it).  One of those friendships (Rachael, another instructor) stuck.  She was warm, fun, super kind, and we still keep in touch today.  That’s actually something I do love about social media.  You can stay connected to people from different chapters of your life.  Some friendships last forever.  Some fade.  Some go quiet for years and one video call later you’re right back where you left off.  Cup filled.

Your turn!

Do you have one close relationship with someone you can trust?  And I don’t just mean with someone else.  Do you have one with yourself?  Because at the end of the day, you are the only person guaranteed to be with you for your whole life.  So …do you talk to yourself like you’d talk to a friend?  Or like a mean girl from high school?  Would you say those things to someone you care about?  Or only to yourself?  Treating yourself like a friend takes practice.  Kindness. Patience.  Maybe even a massage or pedicure now and then.  But imagine how life would feel if you were always on your own team.  Maybe today’s the day you notice.  Are you friends with you? 

Final Thoughts … 

Drink some water.  Text your person.  Log off Instagram before bed.  And maybe try one push-up … or eight … or a creative combination of movements that technically count.  No gold stars required.  Just keep showing up for your life.  Be kind to the most important person in your life.  You!  That’s the real strength training.

PS: Small but very important update, apparently six months of marriage does deserve cake.  I don’t make the rules. I just honour milestones (and frosting).  Maybe 1 cupcake each instead.  Balance.

Yoga Debb

Building strength, mindset, and real-life consistency; one breath at a time 💗