Mind over matter or matter over mind?

I have an app that gives me an inspirational quote once a day. I personally love this because it teaches me a new quote and gives me something to muse over for the day.

Today it was a quote by Bruce Lee; "If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your  work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and  you must not stay there, you must go beyond them."

This is the most meaningful quote I've read in a bit. And if you think about it, its actually quite true.

Think about a difficult task you've recently taken on. It could be trying to start exercising, learning a language - anything! As soon as you begin, your automatic mind frame is to go, "Okay. This is what I can do, and I won't aim any higher than that for now for the risk of failure".

But this will carry on, until you're unconsciously placing limits onto everything. I know I do this. I trick myself into thinking I'm only capable of something, when really I could be far more than capable - or so I've been told. But see, even in that comment it shows the self doubt.

I guess you've just gotta reach that plateau. It will be a difficult climb upwards, but once you're on that plateau you'll be able to see the sky. And at that point you have to aim for the moon, because even if you miss, you'll land amongst the stars.

For a personal example, dancing. I seriously struggle with a sort of turn we have to do. I can complete one and a half sets, and I need to be able to complete 2 and a half.

I begin, standing at the end of the room. My first thought is always "You're going to do so badly".
I'm automatically preparing myself for failure, even though I might not do as badly as I've fooled myself into thinking.

I begin turning, "Oh! Yay! These are going well!". But by the time I've reached the second set, I've hit that plateau. And I have the worst tendency to give up. So I do.

This is where I falter. I know I shouldn't give up. Mentally, I know it. But now my body thinks it's acceptable for me to stop there. So it shuts down.

After getting a telling off in dance class (for giving up again - it was for my own good)  I'm trying to leap off my plateau into the sky. And its hard, but I'm trying. I'm going beyond my plateau. Sure, its not comfortable to be leaning over the edge, but it'll benefit me in the end and maybe help me to be able to just pick myself up and try and try again, instead of being scared of failure.

But I'm still left wondering, is it a case of mind over matter or matter over mind? Surely if you let your mind over the problem it'll crush any weak positive thoughts you have. So I think in this scenario, its matter over mind. Just do it, don't stop and think. You never know, some of the best discoveries are finding out you can do something you never believed you could!

Love May
x

---------------------------------------
Updates with Sam and I;
I swear dear Sam Yao is trying to kill me. On my latest two runs he's put me in danger of getting bitten by a zombie for the sake of "scientific research". At least its making me fit!

I've been a bit slack recently, and I'm a run behind where I should be. Its probably because it's the middle of winter in NZ and absolutely FREEZING! But I'm planning to do four runs next week instead of three, just to get me back on track. 

I've eaten brown rice every day for the past week. Bit sick of it now. Looking for a new healthy (and low calorie) lunch. I'll probably invent something myself. I'll let you know!
Also, I made a really good fruit smoothie the other day for breakfast. Slice a banana and put it in the freezer on a baking tray the night before. When you get up, put it in the blender along with 1/4C of blue berries (mine were frozen) and let sit for about 5 minutes to soften slightly.
Note: don't let them soften entirely. The smoothie won't be thick! You don't really have to let it sit at all.
Add 1/2C plain Yogurt (I used some light berry yogurt we made earlier) and blend. If its too thick and not blending properly, add a little bit of fruit juice (I used water and it turned out just as good). It has about 300 calories. :)

Also, I'm attempting to go vegetarian. I'll let you know how it turns out! 

Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats.

"I have a gumbie cat in mind! Her name is-"
"MAY. FOR THE LAST TIME.
STOP. SINGING"

I can't remember how many times this has happened today, I just know it's happened far too many times. Enough to make my parents go crazy anyway.

For those of you who don't know what I'm talking on about, I have one word for you; CATS.

CATS the musical. You know the one. I went to go see a high schools production of this last week and wow, it left me breathless. CATS is based on "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" by T.S Eliot, and the music is by Andrew Lloyd Webber. That much I actually know.

But I have no way to describe the musical itself, so I've found my guide and I quote;

"Its the night of the Jellicle Ball. The cat clan has gathered for the annual event at which the revered elder Old Deuteronomy chooses the most deserving cat to ascend with him for a heavenly reward. The cats have gathered, and one by one, we learn about their personalities, exactly as T.S Eliot portrayed them in his book of poems."

So yes, CATS is quite literally a musical about cats (if you were silly enough to think otherwise).

We begin by meeting Jennyanydots (the gumbie cat), Cassandra, Bombalurina and Jellylorum. The cats welcome Rum Tum Tugger, a rock-star idol type cat and also the cat with the best hip isolations in town (Rolo). Slowly and silently, Grizabella the Glamour Cat appears. She's an aging beauty who's roamed some of the lowest alleys. She makes her entrance as the younger felines proceed to mock and avoid her. But the moment moves on to another introduction where we meet Bustopher Jones, a well-rounded and mature cat. Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer provide a lighter moment before Old Deuteronomy sets a more serious tone for the ball. Poor Grizabella is barred from the festivities, so she wanders alone, reflecting on her memories of happier times. Meanwhile, Gus the theatre cat complains about the lack of dedication in todays actors and Skimbleshanks the railway cat finds pride in his job - keeping a single train on schedule. There are hushed whispers of Macavity, a fiend in feline shape. And suddenly out of nowhere the magical Mr Mistoffelees appears!

I'll leave it up to you to discover which cat gets to accompany Old Deuteronomy on this years ascension "up, up, up, past the Russell Hotel. Up, up, up to the Heaviside layer."

There are many more cats, such as Isis or Anoushka, who we don't get introduced to, but without them the show would be incomplete.

From the moment I sat down, I knew the show would be amazing. This wasn't a school production. This was a Broadway worthy performance of which all the performers happened to be school age.

I began by taking my seat in the audience, and before I know it, a bright red cat is beside me. My first thought is, "Where on earth did the cat come from?!" because the cat has seemed to appear out of nowhere. I watch with a grin as the cat proceeds to act, well, catlike. It's only when I see her eyes lock onto the ribbon in my hair that I realize I've made a mistake in wearing it. Quick as a flash, the cat has taken my ribbon and is running down to the front rows, playing with it. I can't help but laugh. After a few minutes my ribbon is returned and surprisingly its only slightly frayed. And then the cats disappear again, slipping into the darkness.

The first two minutes already had me captivated in the performance, despite the fact no one had come on stage yet. The lights go down and the audience falls silent. All of a sudden lights start appearing! Lights? No... they're eyes! CATS EYES! It's actually rather confusing. If you use your imagination (which I often do) it makes you think of some giant cat staring down at you. Then the lights are on and the cats are on stage leaping about singing 'Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats'. The next hour seems to fly and I'm left sitting in half-time break wanting to see more. The 20 minute intermission seemed to last forever. But before I knew it, I was back in my seat and the cats were back on stage. When each of the cats were singing their final lines and dancing their final dances, I sat there wishing I could watch it all over again. It ended far too soon!

So I went and bought another ticket to a later show and I'm going back tomorrow. Yeah, I know. Why buy another ticket if you've seen it already? Well, if you read my other posts you'll know I'm weird. Plus it was an amazing show and I have no doubt whatsoever that it won't be as spectacular as it was the first time. I'm incredibly and way over-excited to see it again.

So my dear red cat, Isis, here's the post I promised. .)

Update on my exercising; I've been on a further 5 runs (still using my newest favorite app) and I'm starting to get to the point where I actually like running! I haven't been running much with Sam because the doc has been training me up, but I'm eagerly awaiting my next run in two days. I've also started changing my lunches from the usual unhealthy junk I have in it to healthier, lower calorie foods. Yay! Today I had a brown rice stir fry thing. A complete and random creation. But I've put the recipe here (on my sparkpeople account) so you can take a look if you want to try it!

Love May
x

Exercise.

Exercise.

One small word that majority of people hear and instantly avoid. Don't worry, I hate it too. I'm not a couch potato (I'm a couch kumara), but for me to actually give 'exercise' a go, it has to be fun!

I dance three times a week, and it's amazing, but when I finish the dance and I'm puffing like crazy, I realize I'm not actually THAT fit from it. So I'm attempting to start up running.

I was recommended an app called "Zombies, Run!" by an amazing friend of mine. And gee, she's really found the secret here!

I logged on to the Google play store, found "Zombies, Run! 5K" (unfortunately the full version isn't available for my phone's version) and installed it. And BAM!

I've been placed into Abel Township, what seems to be one of the only known safe havens in a world ravaged by a zombie apocalypse. Supposedly "every walk or run will be a new adventure where you help save lives and learn about secrets and conspiracies ", according to the Zombies, Run! website at zombiesrungame.com

I'm Runner 5, one of the few remaining humans in a society slowly being over run (pun not intended) by zombies. My duty is to collect supplies and protect the town from the ever approaching zombie apocalypse. 
And the only way to do this is by running!
Over 8 weeks, I'll (hopefully) complete 25 workouts and help Abel Township on its way. Plus by the end of it, I'll be able to run 5km without dying of exhaustion! That's the plan anyway.

So far I've been introduced to Sam Yao, Doctor Maxine Myers, Runner 7 and the unfortunate old Runner 5, who's now a zombie. I'm going to stop here though, before I ruin the whole plot. 

I am absolutely in love with this app. Caught- Hook, line and sinker. Listening to Sam's upset statements at the mention of the old Runner 5, I genuinely felt for poor Sam. And now I'm itching to go out for another run to see what happens next.

I've only been on one run - the introduction - and I didn't even have to run. But I did! I ran about 3km and power walked the heck out of the rest. I completely forgot I was running for exercise (the dreaded word) and instead thought I was running for my life from a mob of zombies chasing me! It also probably helped that I was running whilst it was semi-dark and I have a genuine fear of zombies. Even the sound effects of zombies munching away on human flesh gave me goosebumps.

But I was proud of myself for running that far when I honesty believed I couldn't. Here's a link to my profile, and you can check on my progress by clicking here! I've set it so you can't see where I'm running, but you can see my basic stats like how far I've run. So if you've got the time, go take a look!

I'm pretty sure I over did it today. I know my legs are going to be killing me tomorrow, but I have to get out to see how what's going to happen next!

Love May
x

Beginning a blog!

I've been wanting to start a blog for a long time, I've just never found the inspiration to actually begin. But here I am today, typing up my first entry.

Well, at least I think its called an entry. I'm not really sure. The world of blogging is new to me! After being told (and hassled by my Mum) for a few years that I should start a blog, I eventually went online and started looking at ideas. From fashion to cooking blogs, there really is one for everything. So what's my blog going to be about? Everything!

No, not really, I'll make it more specific than that.

I'm attempting (miserably) to become fitter and stronger (after being told several times by my dance teacher my arms looked like spaghetti). I'm also trying to eat healthier and generally just be happy with who I am.

So this blog is going to be the story of my journey to learning to love myself (and my general randomness along the way).

So to do so, all readers might need to know a little about me! Firstly, I'm not one for putting all my little details on the internet, no siree, but I've realized through looking through a gazillion blogs; Blogs are basically online diaries we share with strangers.

So 'ello stranger!

My name is May and I'm a 15 year old girl who's at High School. Year 11, or form 5, depends on where you'd from. I come from lovely little New Zealand. No, New Zealand is NOT a part of Australia. I had someone ask me that once (well to word it specifically, "Is this a part of Australia?"), and I was stunned. No! We're not!

If you're not a kiwi yourself, you probably know our country for our supposedly annoying (and hilarious) accents or because the Lord of The Rings Trilogy and The Hobbit was filmed here.

In fact, Hobbiton is only a hours drive away from where I live! But lets keep this rolling.

I love reading and writing, hence me being told to start a blog.

English is defiantly my favourite subject, followed by Media studies. For those who don't know what that is, it is quite literally the study of Media, ranging from movies to news stories. I also secretly enjoy accounting, but its more something I enjoy because I'm good at it. Math and Science are okay, but I prefer subjects where an element of creativity is involved.

On the contrast; I absolutely hate art. Don't get me wrong, I love looking at art... or other people doing art, but hand me a paintbrush/pencil and I'll sit there looking like a deer in the headlights! I took art class for two years, all I can say is NEVER make me go back there. Ever.

But a place I'm always willing to go too is my dance studio. I've been dancing for 11 years, and I love it to pieces. I do Jazz Ballet. I've had so many memories made and friendships found that I don't think I could leave if I tried. As one of my friends told me, "The girls I dance with? They're my family" and I couldn't agree more.

I also give everyone (yes, everyone) I know a nickname. I think its because I'm terrible with names, and having something out of the blue makes me remember! The girls (or one girl specifically) I dance with call me Sur. So if anyone finds this, I'd like to give a shout out to the Herm Family; My Sous, Hermsack, Shoe, Smidge, Scrunchie, Rolo, Sponté. I love you all.

I play guitar, piano and I sing. I won a singing competition once, held at a shopping mall, but haven't entered another since due to my extreme lack of confidence. But that's what this blog is for!

As put by one of my other friends, my motto should always be, "I AM CONFIDENT!"

I tend to randomly obsess over the strangest of things. But then the obsessions last. I love Pirates of the Caribbean, The Lord of The Rings Trilogy, Orlando Bloom, The New Normal and The Book of Mormon. The musical of course, I'm not Mormon myself.

I don't have a religion, but I like to think there's a God up there some where looking over me. I mostly don't have a religion because I don't quite agree with them. I accept everyone for being themselves, no racism, homophobia, nothing.

I have a difference taste in music than majority of teenagers today. I love bands such as The Civil Wars and Mumford & Sons, or solo artists such as Brooke Fraser. I've been told a lot of the music I listen to is depressing. Apart from the musicals on my phone, of course.

And lastly, I'm weird. I'm weird, and I love it. There's nothing better than being unique. I burst into song in the middle of no where, talk to myself, carry around a Legolas doll when bored and love all things fluffy.

But as said by Deepak Chopra, "There are no extra pieces in the universe. Everyone is here because he or she has a place to fill, and every piece must fit itself into the big jigsaw puzzle."

So I like to think that my part is to add that bit of spontaneity to peoples lives and hopefully bring a few smiles along the way.

Love May

x