Two two TWO blogs for the price of one!

I'm so sorry I missed last week's blog! I've been all thrown off because of my injury and not being able to work out like I'd like.

I've been going to physical therapy. It's this sort of combination of massage/personal training/stretching that has been helping immensely with my back. I have learned that I don't have a nice sway in my back like the rest of you normal back people do.

This has been putting crazy stress on my lower back and making the muscles work over time and become tight. I've always had a bad back and I think I just pictured myself as just leaning over with a cane by the age of 40. No longer does that have to be a reality! With stretches, exercises and ultrasound eventually I will be able to move around pain free like the rest of you. I even got clearance for low impact cardio! (Backbay anyone?)

The down side to this experience is that the strength training has had to take a back seat. Both my doctor and my physical therapist think I need to lay off until my back is ready to support me the way it should. The win? Well, the Landing has taught me not to use this as an excuse to stop (as I had in the past) but to actually deal with it so that I can move forward and get healthier and in better shape. This experience has also had a very interesting side effect. Not just my health is moving forward.

I am moving forward with my new vision in life, which is to help people present themselves in the light in which they'd like to be seen. (I'm working on a title for it so far it changes every day) Like I just thought of "Project the perfect you. An open invite to the party that is you" eh..not there yet but you don't know unless you put it out there. The idea is to teach people (through acting exercises) how to project themselves and over come fear associated with it. I have been teaching it for use with acting, public speaking and just plain ole day to day living and now I'd like to broaden my audience.

Paige and Brian Stapleton have done an amazing job in helping me get clear about this goal (I'm still getting clearer) and even give small business launching coaching. I'm hoping to be able to take advantage of that. (want to suggest a name or learn more, email me rachelsquest@gmail.com)

I missed you last week. Miss me? Didja?

Tapping out

So much to say!! I had an AMAZING facial by Vanessa at Head Games last week. It was relaxing, soothing, and felt so very good. I was glowing and dewy afterwards and, trust me, dewy is NOT a word I associate with myself. Vanessa was nice enough to give me some $10 coupons to hand out, so if you're interested email me at Rachelsquest@gmail.com. First come first served but please only take them if you plan on using them.

Next we move on to the current drama. I have always had a bad back. It's annoying, it's frustrating, but I've always been told that if I strengthened my core it would get better. Well people, I'm strengthening. I'm doing my darndest with the crunches et al. but so far my back has been getting worse. It's getting SO bad in fact, that I can't even sweep my floors. This is when I decided it was time to go to the doctor because I really don't need any extra motivation NOT to clean. The doctor felt my lower back, pushed around, bent me in positions that made me yelp and told me "You have a bad back"

My mom is an MD so I will refrain from the mean doctor jokes but really?!? So he prescribed rest, muscle relaxers, anti inflammatories and X-rays. Oh and let's not forget physical therapy (like I don't have enough to do in a day). He seemed to think that because there wasn't nerve involvement, no MRI is necessary (I'm wondering about that one though). The pain is so intense that walking hurts. I haven't been able to do any cardio or strength and I am really really worried that my motivation is going - as is my progress. I'm gaining weight and getting bummed.

This is super crappy.

[There's more Rachel to be had on her fan page. Post a comment there (because the comment system here is glitchy) and help her get her motivation back!]

“Have a nice trip? See you next Fall!”

I bit it. Not like the kind of skip-in-your-step-look-back-and-scowl trip. I fell in such a way that I thought at the end of it I was going to be at the bottom of the rabbit hole. Arms were flailing, life before eyes was flashing and at the end of it, head was bouncing off of hard cement (with thin carpet) floor.

Rachel, are you experiencing an inner ear issue that is throwing off your balance? Rachel, were you drinking heavily? Rachel, surely there must have been an earthquake or natural disaster throwing you to the floor! No. No there was not. It was a little step.

The fall was so hard that although I wanted to pop up instantly, I had to lay there and writhe for a moment.

Why is this so bothersome? Coming off of my Reiki energy work last week and my Life Breathe meditation session this fall rocked my world.

You see Reiki is all about balancing your energy. Val (a powerful healer and all around cool chick) and I had a quick chat about how I was doing and it was on to the table fully clothed, I chose face down first.

Val went to work. By placing her hands lightly on my body in different places she was drawing out negative energy and helping me heal. I could go into this in more detail and would be happy to if you'd like to email me. rachelsquest@gmail.com Suffice it to say I'm all about the Reiki. Do it, now. Seriously, finish reading first but, do it.

Then on to Life Breath a few days later. A meditation centered around breathing which takes you out of your head and right into your body. Although this session is about 2 hours long, it seems as though it's about 20 minutes. With tribal music pounding, the environment is safe, comforting, and whether you like it or not, something WILL happen. It's great!

So, here's me, people are reading next to me at night because I'm SO enlightened until BAM, my head hits the ground. I've got whiplash, my calves hurt for some weird reason, and I'm sore all over. It's as if the universe wants to tell me just how hard it is to stay enlightened. I GET IT universe but how about sans concussion next time?

There's more Rachel to be had on her fan page. Because really, we all want more Rachel, don't we?