Debbie Does Push-ups! Day 22

One More To Go!  Imperfect, Consistent, and 200 Push-Ups!

Dear Diary,

It’s Day 22 of the push-up challenge and it ends tomorrow. WHAT?!  Crazy.  Part of my personal challenge was to write and share every day (Sundays off because I’m human). I missed three days. Now let’s do math because that’s how my brain works.  Challenge = 24 days.  3 Sundays off = 21 writing days.  I wrote 18 of those 21 days.  18 ÷ 21 = 85.7% (Details Deb here).  And honestly? I’m shocked. Not in an “I’m amazing” way. More like … “wow, I actually followed through this time!”   Also isn’t it interesting that 21 days = three weeks = the number people say it takes to build a habit? Hmmm. Gotta love a pattern.

Ok so, speaking of numbers and patterns.  My blog titles might technically be incorrect.  I realized just now that they’re based on my writing days, not the actual numbered day of the challenge.  Which means some of them are off (if not all).  Do I kind of want to go back and fix them all? Yes!  Guilty.  Am I going to? Probably not.  Part of this challenge for me has been letting go of things needing to be perfectly done, labeled, controlled.  If the numbering bothers you, maybe that’s your growth opportunity.  We’re in this together, right?!  Let’s practice some flexibility over here. Not just on the yoga mat. ;)  

Behind the Scenes: How This Blog Happens

Sharing time.  It takes me about 2 hours to write each post.  Hour 1: verbal brain dump. Typos. Fast fingers trying to keep up with faster thoughts.  Hour 2:  Translating turbo brain into something readable.  Fun fact: I am a VERY fast talker. I don’t notice until I record myself.  In 2019, I took a stand-up comedy course (yes, really). You learn about hooks, timing, joke order… but they cannot teach funny. That’s either there or it’s not.  Jus sayin’ ;) (ooh I like that … typo right there, omitting the t from just makes sense on how it sounds).  See how my brain works? Anyway. Where was I? When I watched myself back doing the comedy bit, I thought, “Breathe girl.”  If you remember the TV sitcom Blossom, the neighbor Six talked a mile a minute. My dad used to call me Six. Clearly this has been a lifelong situation. And now I get paid to talk (hi yoga + Pilates friends), so maybe it worked out. And maybe … more stand-up one day! 

Jus sayin’ … 

The Reality of My Schedule

I teach about 8 studio classes a week, plus privates.  I’m the Instructor Team Lead (30+ instructors).  I also grocery shop, meal prep, cook, eat, meditate, stretch, train, daily gratitude journaling, have a husband, friends, family, pay bills, live my life …  And I write this blog.  Not because I have to. Because I want to.  And as I like to always remind myself, I get to!  It’s honestly the highlight of my day.  Sitting on our sofa that opens into basically a bed, which we of course purchased with “guests” in mind but now honestly only closes during the 5 minutes it takes to sweep and mop the floor.  We call it “the best place in the world”. True story.  Legs stretched out. Laptop open. Brain flowing.  And the sun is currently shining!  Therapy right here. 

Today’s Push-Up Target: 200

Yes.  That’s not a typo.  Two. Hundred.  The highest yet.  I’ve done 120 so far today; including 9 from my toes in a row (my personal record). It’s not a big deal to anyone else, but it is to me. And that’s what matters.  Progress over perfection. Always. Today's stat is a deep one.

“Today’s number represents that globally, men die by suicide at more than twice the rate of women. Suicide is complex. There are social expectations, isolation, barriers and so much we don’t see.” 

This challenge, through the Canadian Mental Health Association, has opened up real conversations. And that’s been the most powerful part of this whole thing.  A donor shared that someone in her family died by suicide. My first thought was, “omg … I had no idea.”  And that’s the thing.  We rarely do.  People can look ok. Successful. Funny. Light. (Hello Robin Williams.)  We never truly know what’s happening in someone’s mind.  If you’ve been affected by this, I’m so sorry. It’s not your fault. If love alone could have saved someone, they’d still be here.  If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to someone you trust or a trained professional. Talking about it matters and might be the first step. Connection matters (a lot). Especially for the men in our lives.  Let them feel. Let them cry. Let them talk. Strength is expression. Strength is honesty.  (Also yes, Suicide Prevention Month in Canada is September… but honestly, why not make it every month?) 

Yesterday’s Number: 60

“60 push-ups represent the 60 minutes children and youth are encouraged to be physically active daily.”  An hour sounds like a lot right? Every day?  But break it down:  30-minute dodge ball + running around at recess for 15 minutes (twice).  There it is for kids.  For adults, hey what’s wrong with dodge ball or pickle ball seems to be the sport of the year!  Or walking, jogging, a hot yoga class, a HIIT class etc. ... lots of movement opportunities can be had in small chunks of time daily.  And all of a sudden, it’s doable.  Just like 200 push-ups.  Not 200 at once (definitely not).  But 20 reps, ten times.  Yes.  It’s the little steps.  The small choices.  The phone call.  The walk in the sun.  Oh hi sunshine coming through my window right now … that might be my cue.

More than push-ups

This challenge has been about way more than push-ups.  It’s been about consistency, conversation, breaking big things into small pieces, letting go of perfect numbering apparently, showing up imperfectly and talking about mental health out loud.  One more day to go.  Thank you for being here. Honestly. Warms my heart. See you tomorrow for the finale!

PS …   If a hard conversation feels heavy, start with one sentence.  One word. Small steps count.  Connection counts.  You count.

Yoga Debb

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