(326) 06/16/26 - Class

On the Mat: Dumbbells | Heavy dumbbell | Ankle weights | Barre | Mat Off the Mat: The Braving Inventory Researcher Brené Brown created the ‘Braving Inventory’ as a way to understand what trust is actually made of. Trust can feel abstract, but it’s usually built through specific behaviors. ‘Br...

(325) 06/09/26 - Class

On the Mat: Dumbbells | Heavy dumbbell | Ball | Barre | Mat Off the Mat: The Braving Inventory Researcher Brené Brown created the ‘Braving Inventory’ as a way to understand what trust is actually made of. Trust can feel abstract, but it’s usually built through specific behaviors. ‘Braving’ br...

(324) 06/02/26 - Class

On the Mat: Dumbbells | Heavy dumbbell | Ball | Chair | Mat Off the Mat: The Braving Inventory Researcher Brené Brown created the ‘Braving Inventory’ as a way to understand what trust is actually made of. Trust can feel abstract, but it’s usually built through specific behaviors. ‘Braving’ br...

(323) 05/26/26 - Class

On the Mat: Band | Ball | Barre | Mat Off the Mat: The Tale of Three Trees A morality tale that fits the season and provides a thoughtful lesson for those of us who have big dreams, great disappointments, or long periods of waiting and longing. Once upon a mountaintop, three little trees sto...

(322) 05/19/26 - Class

On the Mat: Dumbbells | Ball | Block | Mat Off the Mat: Just Be Yourself “Just be yourself. The advice is as maddening as it is inescapable. It's the default prescription for any tense situation but, when you're nervous, how can you be yourself? How can you force yourself to relax? How can you ...

(321) 05/12/26 - Class

On the Mat: Dumbbells | Ball | Ankle weights Barre | Mat Off the Mat: “You can’t get to courage without rumbling with vulnerability.” - Brene Brown We often think of courage as confidence. Someone who knows exactly what they’re doing. Someone who walks into a situation without hesitation or do...

(320) 05/05/26 - Class

On the Mat: Dumbbells | Ankle weights | Barre | Mat Off the Mat: Wu Wei - The Art of Not Forcing There’s a paradox in life that most of us eventually run into. The harder we try to relax, the more tense we become. The harder we try to impress someone, the more unnatural we act. The harder we ...

(319) 04/28/26 - Class

On the Mat: Band | Dumbbell | Ball | Barre | Mat Off the Mat: The Umbrella There was a woman who carried an umbrella everywhere. Not because it always rained - but because sometimes it did. On sunny days, people teased her. “Looks clear to me,” they said. “Optimistic, aren’t you?” She smiled...

(318) 04/21/26 - Class

On the Mat: Dumbbells | Heavy dumbbell | Ball | Block | Mat Off the Mat: ‘Empathy is not connecting to an experience. Empathy is connecting to the emotions that underpin an experience.’ – Brene Brown Empathy doesn’t require sameness. You don’t have to have lived someone’s exact life to unders...

(317) 04/14/26 - Class

On the Mat: Dumbbells | Heavy dumbbell | Chair | Mat | Barre Off the Mat: ‘The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common.’ - Ralph Waldo Emerson We tend to think wisdom comes from big moments: breakthroughs, clarity, dramatic change. But most of life doesn’t happen there....

(316) 04/07/26 - Class

On the Mat: Heavy Dumbbell | Ball | Block | Ankle weights | Barre | Mat Off the Mat: Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff Rule #23: Experiment with Your Back Burner Your back burner is an excellent tool for remembering a fact or bringing forth an insight. It's an almost effortless yet effective way of ...

(315) 03/31/26 - Class

On the Mat: Heavy dumbbell | Band | Block | Barre | Mat Off the Mat: Anxiety Masquerading as Logic Anxiety masquerades as logic, making it hard to tell what’s truly you versus what’s just fear speaking. A good way to tell the difference is to check in with your body and slow the decision-makin...

(314) 03/24/26 - Class

On the Mat: Dumbbells | Band | Bath towel | Ankle weights | Mat Off the Mat: The Cat Who Learned the Door There was a cat who lived in a house with a very smart family. The family had taught the dog to sit. They had taught the parrot to talk. They had taught the goldfish nothing, but they trie...

(313) 03/17/26 - Class

On the Mat: Dumbbells | Bath towel + Chair (optional) | Ankle weights (optional) | Barre | Mat Off the Mat: Which Voice Should We Trust? The Anxious Voice Feels Urgent & Fearful - It pushes you to act immediately to avoid discomfort. - It says things like “What if you regret this? What i...

(312) 03/10/26 - Class

On the Mat: Dumbbells | Ball | Block | Barre | Mat | Ankle weights (optional) Off the Mat: As the Buddha taught, it is skillful to live in a way that completes old karma and doesn’t create any new karma. Living well isn’t about being perfect. It’s about not creating more mess than you need to. ...

(311) 03/03/26 - Class

On the Mat: Dumbbells | Heavy dumbbell | Band | Ball | Ring | Barre | Mat Off the Mat: Trusting Your Own Pace Stand by | Respect | Commit to | Stay with | Trust… the way you actually move through things. Not the version that looks good. Not the version that would make other people more comfort...

(310) 02/24/26 - Class

On the Mat: Band | Ankle weights | Chair (with no arms) or sturdy stool (optional) | Mat Off the Mat: The Horse Who Refused the Parade There once was a horse who lived on a beautiful farm and was widely admired for his strength, posture, and smooth, powerful stride. Every year, the animals hel...

(309) 02/17/26 - Class

On the Mat: Dumbbells | Band | Block | Barre | Mat Off the Mat: How Can You Tell if Someone is Secure in Themselves? When I say ‘secure’, I mean. emotionally mature, well-integrated, self-aware, steady. My sense is that the more evolved someone is, the more you’ll naturally like yourself and fe...

(308) 02/10/26 - Class

On the Mat: Dumbbells | Band | Block | Barre | Mat Off the Mat: Valentines’ Day – Love… With Boundaries Valentine’s Day usually tells us to open wide, to give more, to soften, to pour ourselves out. But maybe love isn’t proven by how much we give up. Sometimes the most loving thing we can do - ...

(307) 02/03/26 - Class

On the Mat: Dumbbells | Heavy dumbbell | Band | Ball | Barre | Mat | Wall space (optional) Off the Mat: The Bigger Picture Isn’t Always Visible Yet Proverbs 3 NIV - Wisdom Bestows Well-Being 'Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver...

(306) 01/27/26 - Class

On the Mat: Band | Bath towel | Chair | Barre | Mat Off the Mat: ‘Communication that comes from fear only creates more fear. It’s a waste of breath.’ Some moments don’t need our comment. They need our calm. But we’ve all been there. Sweaty neck, held breath, the slow motion horror as words lea...

(305) 01/20/26 - Class

On the Mat: Dumbbells | Heavy dumbbell | Band | Barre | Mat Off the Mat: Potential Action Paths Meditation Close your eyes and become quiet. Think of a problem in your life right now and several potential solutions. Connect with the need to solve the problem. Bring the first potential solutio...

(304) 01/13/26 - Class

On the Mat: Dumbbells | Ball | Block | Ankle weight | Barre | Mat Off the Mat: Reset vs Reinvent We’re at the beginning of a near year. Some people wake up January 1st ready to become a whole new person. They’re color-coding their calendars, juicing beets, and signing up for marathons. Others…...

(303) 01/06/26 - Class

On the Mat: Dumbbells | Heavy dumbbell | Band | Ball | Ring | Ankle weights | Barre | Mat Off the Mat: Pledge to Love Myself I promise to stop all self-criticism & negative self-talk I pledge to never again participate in a barrage of bashing myself. This includes when I make an error in ...

(302) 12/30/25 - Class

12/30/25 On the Mat: Band | Bath towel | Chair | Barre | Mat | Yoga block (optional) Off the Mat: The Vibe of What We Put Out As the year ends, there’s a natural pull to reflect - on what we’ve done, how we’ve grown, and what we want to carry into the next season of life. But this year, instead...

(301) 12/23/25 - Class

On the Mat: Dumbbells | Heavy dumbbell | Ball | Barre | Mat | Wall space (optional) Off the Mat: Holiday Chaos Let’s be honest: the holidays are rarely picture-perfect. Someone always forgets an ingredient. Someone else shows up in a mood. And at least one kitchen item will either catch fire or...

(300) 12/16/25 - Our 300th Class!

On the Mat: Dumbbells | Band | Ankle weights | Mat | Block (optional) Off the Mat: Cracking Open the Ego “The ego, like the egg, is of no use, until it is broken.” The ego wants to keep us safe. It wants to be right. It wants to be respected, recognized, validated. And honestly? That’s not a f...

(299) 12/09/25 - Class

On the Mat: Dumbbells | Heavy dumbbells | Ball | Ankle weights | Barre | Mat Off the Mat: Your Inner Powerful You are very powerful. If you can connect, you can disconnect. If you can attach, you can detach. If you can chase, you can attract. If you can cling on, you can let go. If you can for...

(298) 12/02/25 - Class

On the Mat: Band | Ball | Ankle weights | Barre | Mat Off the Mat: The Vibe of December December has a way of stirring things up. Some of it’s joyful - the lights, the music, the moments of connection with people we care about. Some of it’s exhausting - the pressure to do it all, show up for ev...

(297) 11/25/25 - Class

On the Mat: Dumbbells | Heavy dumbbell | Band | Ball | Bath towel | Chair | Barre | Mat Off the Mat: Gravy, Gratitude & Group Texts You Regret Thanksgiving has a pristine reputation: gratitude, food, family. But let’s be honest - it also comes with a side of chaos. The turkey’s dry, your ...

(296) 11/18/25 - Class

On the Mat: Dumbbells | Ball | Barre | Mat Off the Mat: When You Doubt Your Signals We all have an internal guidance system - the signals our body sends us when something feels right or wrong. Sometimes that shows up as a gut feeling, a sense of ease, or a spark of excitement. Other times it’s ...

(295) 11/11/25 - Class

On the Mat: Band | Ball | Ankle weights | Barre | Mat Off the Mat: Decide by Instinct, Not Overthinking: Making Decisions by Following Your Instincts (and without overthinking) What if the answers to your problems had a shape — a symbol you could actually see? You can tap into your own internal...

(294) 11/04/25 - Class

On the Mat: Band | Ball | Ankle weight | Barre | Mat Off the Mat: The Vibe of November November brings a different kind of energy. It’s quieter, but it hits deeper. This month doesn’t ask for performance — it asks for honesty. It holds up a mirror and gently says, Look. Really look. Not to sha...

(293) 10/28/25 - Class

On the Mat: Dumbbells | Band | Ball | Ankle weights | Barre | Mat | Wall space (optional) Off the Mat: Haunted Holidays Let’s be real: Halloween isn’t always spooky chic — sometimes it’s just a chaotic costume sprint and a sugar crash in disguise. There was the year you hot glued your costume ...

(292) 10/21/25 - Class

On the Mat: Dumbbells | Band | Ball | Ankle weight (optional) | Mat | Wall space (optional) Off the Mat: “When I am completely myself, entirely alone, and of good cheer . . . it is on such occasions that ideas flow best and most abundantly. Whence and how they come, I know not; nor can I force ...

(291) 10/14/25 - Class

On the Mat: Dumbbells | band | throw pillow or bath towel or ball | barre | mat Off the Mat: Intuitive Decision Making There always seems to be more than one direction we might take, more than one way to accomplish a goal. We’re constantly faced with myriad options in life, and each possibility...

(290) 10/07/25 - Class

On the Mat: Dumbbells | Heavy dumbbell | Ball | Ball or Throw Pillow | Chair | Barre | Mat Off the Mat: Should We Accept That Some People Just Won’t Like Us? There’s this quiet pressure so many of us carry — to be liked, to be accepted, to avoid being “too much” or “not enough.” And it sneaks...

(289) 09/30/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Bath towel - Chair - Barre - Mat Somethin' for the Soul: The Vibe of October October always feels like a shift. We can feel it in the air — colder mornings, earlier sunsets, and that strange mix of slowing down and waking up at the same time. There’s some...

(288) 09/23/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Ball - Barre - Mat Somethin' for the Soul: Perception How we see the world says a lot about who we are. Not in a fake-deep way — in a very real, practical way. By ‘fake-deep way’ I mean just slapping positive phrases over things. I’m all for posit...

(287) 09/16/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Ankle weights - Barre - Mat Reading: Regarding whatever internal conflict you’re having right now (or reread when you’re stuck in your own head): Sometimes the next step is all you get — and that’s enough. You might not know where it leads. That’s o...

(286) 09/09/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Chair - Barre - Mat Reading: Making It Happen A lot of people wait for the right moment, the perfect setup, or for someone to hand them an opportunity. But the people who actually move forward? They don’t wait — they look for what they need, and if ...

(285) 09/02/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Band - Ball - Chair - Barre - Mat Reading: The Vibe of September September always feels like a turning point. The air shifts, the days get a little shorter, and there’s this quiet reminder that change is happening - whether we’re ready or not. ...

(284) 08/26/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: Self-Correction “Do not torture yourself over a single mistake. What’s essential is the mindfulness and correction hereafter.” We’re all going to mess up sometimes. It’s just part of being human. We make the wrong call, say something...

(283) 08/19/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: “No matter how educated, talented, rich or valuable you believe you are, how you treat people ultimately tells all. Integrity is everything.” Developing integrity is essential. My definition of integrity is about deciding what feels rig...

(282) 08/12/25 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Ball - Bath towel - Chair - Mat Reading: Movement There’s something about moving your body that just clears the cobwebs. We all know exercise is good for us physically - but the real magic is how it works on our mind and spirit, too. It’s the act of showing up for you...

(281) 08/05/25 - Class

- Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Mat - Wall space (optional) Reading: The Vibe of August August has this way of making us pause. The days are still warm, the sun is still bright - but there’s something different in the air. It’s like we’ve got a little space to check in with ourselves. This m...

(280) 07/29/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: “Advice is like mushrooms. The wrong kind can prove fatal.” This quote gives a clever analogy for the advice we get in life. Some mushrooms are tasty and helpful, while others are straight-up toxic. The point is simple: advice can either...

(279) 07/22/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: Soul Level Agreements Have you ever felt a strong pull to talk to someone? Do you know that feeling of meeting someone for the first time, yet it feels like you've known them for years? Maybe you just sense a deep reso...

(278) 07/15/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Bath towel - Barre - Mat Reading: ‘Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure you are not, in fact, surrounded by assholes’ This quote is blunt, bold, and a little funny - but also deeply true. It flips the scri...

(277) 07/08/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Chair - Barre - Mat Reading: Freedom Isn’t Always Loud – The Quiet Kind of Brave Freedom isn’t just about flags and fireworks. It’s not always loud. It doesn’t always show up with a grand speech or a bold move. Sometimes, freedom is quiet. It’s the deep b...

(276) 07/01/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Ball - Bath towel - Chair - Barre - Mat Reading: The Vibe of July July is my favorite month! It just hits differently. It's like the world is alive - like everything is waking up and shouting, “Let’s do this!” The days feel long, but in the bes...

(275) 06/24/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Bath towel - Barre - Mat Reading: 3 Habits that can Sneakily Drain your Energy – The Energy Leaks You Didn’t See Coming We often think of energy drain as something caused by big demands - busy schedules, long work hours, not enough rest. But sometimes, it's...

(274) 06/17/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Barre - Mat Reading: “Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone” - Pablo Picasso “If I left this earth today, would I be okay with leaving __________ unfinished?” (fill in the blank of x task, x goal, x conversation) If the an...

(273) 06/10/25 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: Uncertainty Uncertainty isn’t actually the enemy. It’s just uncomfortable because it’s unfamiliar. Your brain is wired to want certainty - to know where things stand, what’s next, and how to prepare. But in some situations, certainty isn’t av...

(272) 06/03/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Barre - Mat - Ankle weights (optional) Reading: You Can’t Please Everyone If you get fat, people think you eat too much. If you lose weight, people think you are sick. If you dress well, you show off. If you dress simply, you are poor. If you are serious,...

(271) 05/27/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Ankle weights - Barre - Mat Reading: “Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never – in nothing, great or small, large or petty – never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense.” How to Apply this Quote form Winston Churchill in ...

(270) 05/20/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Barre - Mat - Chair (optional) Reading: Trying to “Do It Right” Is Holding Us Back Life is all about growth and change. To fully embrace this, we have to let go of control. When we stop forcing perfection, we open ourselves to unexpected opportunities, crea...

(269) 05/13/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: 5 Truths I Wish I Knew 10 Years Ago 1. The most invisible form of wasted time is doing a good job on an unimportant task. 2. You only need 1 year of total dedication into the right path to change your life. All you h...

(268) 05/06/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Barre - Mat Reading: Carl Jung’s quote – “Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves,” is rooted in his concept of the shadow self - the unconscious parts of our personality that we repress or deny. When someone annoys, fr...

(267) 04/29/25 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Barre - Mat - Chair (optional) - Wall space (optional) Reading: The North Wind & the Sun The North Wind and the Sun had a quarrel about which of them was the stronger. While they were disputing with much heat and bluster, a Traveler passed along the road wrapped in...

(266) 04/22/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: Surrendering Helps Us Reclaim Our Personal Power Ironically, the most important aspect of reclaiming personal power and getting what we want is surrender. Surrender doesn’t mean giving up. It means letting go of what w...

(265) 04/15/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: “You teach other people how to treat you by how you treat yourself – by what you allow, what you stop, and what you reinforce.” By the way you behave towards yourself, including what you tolerate, what you actively stop, and what actions...

(264) 04/08/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Barre - Mat Reading: When things get heavy, keep taking time for yourself until you’re you again. When life becomes stressful or overwhelming, it's important to prioritize self-care and take dedicated time for activities that help you recharge and reconnect with your...

(263) 04/01/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: The Elephant Rope: A Story of Learned Helplessness While walking through an elephant camp, a man noticed that the elephants were only secured with a small rope that was tied around one ankle. He was confused by the fac...

(262) 03/25/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Ankle weights - Barre - Mat Reading: How to Love & Accept your Body Unconditionally Dr. Kelly Neff I can't help but feel a strange apathy about my body sometimes, even though I know that loving and accepting myself unconditionally is integral to my own ...

(261) 03/18/25 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Ankle weights - Barre - Mat Reading: Take Back Your Power “words are spells” “Don’t speak negatively about yourself, even as a joke. Your body doesn’t know the difference. Words are energy and cast spells, that’s why it’s called spelling. Change the way you speak abou...

(260) 03/11/25 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Ankle weights - Barre - Mat Reading: Take Back Your Power “words are spells” “Don’t speak negatively about yourself, even as a joke. Your body doesn’t know the difference. Words are energy and cast spells, that’s why it’s called spelling. Change the way you speak abou...

(258) 03/04/25 - Class

Equipment: - 1, 2 or 3 lb dumbbells (or 2 full water bottles to use in place of dumbbells) - Throw pillow - Mat Reading: The Weight of the Glass Once upon a time a psychology professor walked around on a stage while teaching stress management principles to an auditorium filled with students....

(257) 02/25/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Ball - Barre - Mat - Wall space (optional) Reading: Be Like Water “You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can flow, or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” This quote by Bruce Lee...

(256) 02/18/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Mat Reading: “If you’re serious about change, you have to go through uncomfortable situations and stop trying to dodge the process. It’s the only way to grow.” Why We Sometimes Resist Change (even when we’re miserable) We are so used to change and its...

(255) 02/11/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat - Sneakers (optional) Reading: Pledge to Love Myself I promise to stop all self-criticism & negative self-talk I pledge to never again participate in a barrage of bashing myself. This includes when I make an error in judgment or a mi...

(254) 02/04/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Chair - Barre - Mat Reading: Potatoes, Eggs & Coffee Beans Once upon a time a daughter complained to her father that her life was miserable and that she didn’t know how she was going to make it. She was tired of fighting and struggling all the time. It s...

(253) 01/28/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: Control the 4M Controlling your Mouth, Mind, Mood & Money are critical aspects of leading a successful and fulfilling life. Each of these elements plays a significant role in shaping our daily experiences and ultimately determines our...

(252) 01/21/25 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Chair - Barre (or chair) - Mat Reading: What if it was a Gift? And in those times that it does become difficult... Those times where you do get frustrated, and fall back to your unconfident beliefs... Your desire for external validation, where you le...

(251) 01/14/25 - Class

Equipment: - Ball - Bath towel - Ankle weight - Barre - Mat Reading: This week’s topic = Long Term Thinking. Focusing on expanding our long-term thinking and planning can make a dramatic positive difference in our life. It involves: 1. Envisioning the future 2. Making decisions with a timel...

(250) 01/07/25 - Class

Equipment: - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Band - Ball - Ankle weight - Barre - Mat Reading: 5 Ways to Master Self-Control 1. Understand your Triggers: It's like playing detective with your own habits. Figure out what sets off your self- control. Could it be stress? Boredom? Guilt? Anxiety? Junk food...

(249) 12/31/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbells - Bath towel - Barre - Mat Reading: Pledge to Love Myself I promise to stop all self-criticism & negative self-talk I pledge to never again participate in a barrage of bashing myself. This includes when I make an error in judgment or a mista...

(248) 12/24/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells (all sets) - Band - Ball - Chair - Mat Reading: Do It Now! In a class I teach for adults, I recently did the "inexcusable" - I gave the class homework! The assignment was to "go to someone you love within the next week and tell them you love them. It has to be someo...

(247) 12/17/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Ball - Mat Reading: “All of old. Nothing else ever. Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” - Samuel Beckett This quote is a plea from someone who is stuck in a cycle of failure and wants to get out. It conveys ...

(246) 12/10/24 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Ball - Bath towel - Barre - Mat Reading: The Moth Cocoon Do you see that? That is a cocoon. What do you suppose is in that cocoon? I don't know. A butterfly, I guess. No, it's much more beautiful than that. That's a moth cocoon. It's ironic - butterflies get all the...

(245) 12/03/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: The Winter Solstice The start of a new season always carries the energy of a new beginning, but the winter solstice has a kind of different vibe. Shorter days may mean that we aren’t engaging in as many outings as usual. We can u...

(244) 11/26/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Ankle weights - Barre - Mat Reading: The Thankful Coat Once upon a time there was a little boy named David. David had a very nice family, and he lived in a very nice house. David had a fun little sister, named Sally and a wonderful dog named Rus...

(243) 11/19/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Ankle weights - Barre - Mat Reading: Kitchen Disaster Stories One Thanksgivings, Four Turkeys: “Not me, but my mom. She can’t cook at all. One Thanksgiving we had four turkeys. The first one she left in the sink overnight; cat got it. Second she burnt horr...

(242) 11/12/24 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Barre - Mat Reading: Embracing Discomfort: The Path to Personal Growth Someone once told me that growth and comfort cannot coexist. The reality that growth requires a certain degree of discomfort has profound implications. After all, we often feel the responsibility of o...

(241) 11/05/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Band - Ball - Bath towel - Chair - Barre - Mat Reading: A Tale of Two Cities A traveler nearing a great city asked a woman seated by the wayside, “What are the people like in the city?” “How were the people where you came from?” “A terrible ...

(240) 10/29/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ankle weight - Barre - Mat Reading: Scary Ghost Stories The Crying Lady in the Dakota Since its opening in 1884, The Dakota apartment building has been home to many rich and famous residents of New York City. Among them were John Lennon and Yoko Ono. John was also ...

(239) 10/22/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: What Does it Mean to Have Confidence? Confidence means feeling sure of yourself and your abilities - not in an arrogant way, but in a realistic, secure way. Confidence isn't about feeling superior to others. It's a qui...

(238) 10/15/24 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Sliders (or wash cloths or paper plates) - Barre - Mat Reading: Clever Advice #19 For more social connections (work or personal), don't make "small talk," practice active listening and make "small conversation." Small talk is reading from a script of basic questions tha...

(237) 10/08/24 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Ankle weights - Chair - Barre - Mat Reading: Just as trees shed their leaves in the changing seasons, we too must shed outdated beliefs and perspectives. This shedding allows us to make room for new ideas and perspectives to take root. It is in this delicate balance of...

(236) 10/01/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ankle weights - Chair - Barre - Mat Reading: “Embrace transformation while staying rooted in our values. Let us embark on a journey of introspection, where we explore the significance of adapting our opinions while preserving the essence of our beliefs.” In the r...

(235) 09/24/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Ankle weight - Barre - Mat Reading: Grandma Ruby Being a mother of two very active boys, ages seven and one, I am sometimes worried about their making a shambles of my carefully decorated home. In their innocence and play, they occasionally knock over my fa...

(234) 09/17/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ankle weights - Barre - Mat Reading: Trusting your Intuition - Part 3 Benefits of Trusting Your Gut When you distrust someone - If you're looking for cues that someone is untruthful, you'll rarely find them in their conscious actions and their words. You can ge...

(233) 09/10/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ankle weight - Barre - Mat Reading: “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” – Confucius That's an insightful quote from Confucius. There is often a tendency for humans to overcomplicate things in life. Confucius was known for his wisdom and...

(232) 09/03/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Ankle weights - Barre - Mat Reading: A Man was asked to Paint a Boat A man was asked to paint a boat. He brought with him paint and brushes and began to paint the boat bright red, as the owner instructed. While painting, he noticed that there was a...

(231) 08/27/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Barre - Mat - Wall space (optional) Reading: 5 Ways Mentally Strong People Deal With Rejection Ever notice how being turned down stops some people from trying again, while others bounce back from rejection stronger than before? Everyone experiences the stin...

(230) 08/20/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Band - Sliders (or 2 wash cloths) - Barre - Mat - Wall space (optional) Reading: The Story of Sand and Stone This story tells of two friends, Mandy and Margot. They fought for many reasons, but never gave up their friendship. They went in sear...

(228) 08/06/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Ankle weights - Barre - Mat Reading: The Stone Cutter Once upon a time, there was a stone cutter. The stone cutter lived in a land where a life of privilege meant being powerful. Looking at his life he decided that he was unsatisfied with the wa...

(227) 07/30/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat - Wall space (optional) Reading: Get Over It – Let It Go Generally if we’re not 'letting something go' we are re-running it in our head and making changes with our thoughts until we imagine a better scenario. 'I could've said this', 'why...

(226) 07/23/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Bath towel - Barre - Mat Reading: The North Wind & the Sun The North Wind and the Sun had a quarrel about which of them was the stronger. While they were disputing with much heat and bluster, a Traveler passed along the road wrapped in a cloak. ...

(225) 07/16/24 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Bath towel - Barre - Mat Reading: Trusting your Intuition – Part 1 The old saying "trust your gut" refers to trusting your feelings, your intuition. The expression means to trust your inner voice; the "gut reaction" or "gut feeling”. It is more profound than your consci...

(224) 07/09/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: “The permanent foundation of who we are is poured by the often-incompetent architects Nature and Nurture. By the time we are able to have some say in the construction of ourselves, the structure we have to work with is ...

(223) 07/02/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat - Wall space Reading: Setting Yourself Free Setting ourselves free is an important part of living a fulfilled life. It simply means living life without feeling trapped by our external environment or our internal dialogu...

(222) 06/25/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: Clever Advice #18 If you're dissuaded by 1 star reviews for things like hotels and restaurants, check the reviewer's history before looking elsewhere. Ever forget when you opened that pasta sauce in the fridge, or wonder what that brown...

(221) 06/18/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Barre - Mat Reading: 5 Choices That Cause Regret Our days are filled with a constant stream of decisions. Most are mundane, but some are so important that they can haunt you for the rest of your life. Bonnie Ware spent her career as a nurse, working exclusi...

(220) 06/11/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Pillow - Bath towel - Ankle weights - Barre - Mat Reading: 4 Great Tricks for Reading People's Body Language – Part 2 Eyes that lie Most of us probably grew up hearing, "Look me in the eye when you talk to me!" Our parents were operating under the assump...

(219) 06/04/24 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: Setting Yourself Free Setting ourselves free is an important part of living a fulfilled life. It simply means living life without feeling trapped by our external environment or our internal dialogue. It’s about foregoing the luxury of pursui...

(218) 05/28/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Ankle weight - Mat Reading: 4 Ways to Deal with an Uncomfortable Situation You have 4 ways to deal with an uncomfortable situation. You can fix it; change how you feel about it; accept it; or remain uncomfortable For example, let's say you are struggling wit...

(217) 05/21/24 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: Power of Silence Once upon a time in ancient Japan, there was a young disciple named Kiyoshi who was eager to learn the ways of Zen. He was a diligent student, practicing his meditation. But he still felt that he lacked a deeper understanding ...

(216) 05/14/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Bath towel - Barre - Mat Reading: Happy Mother’s Day! Help Wanted - The Ideal Mother The transition into motherhood can be tough on anyone. ''I just wasn't cut out to be a good mother," says the weary voice of my friend on the telephone. "I can't get the ba...

(215) 05/07/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Barre - Mat Reading: The Value of Money Once upon a time in a small village, there lived a young boy named Ethan. Ethan came from a humble family that struggled to make ends meet. Despite their financial hardships, Ethan was always full of joy and possessed ...

(214) 04/30/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Barre - Mat Reading: 4 Great Tricks for Reading People's Body Language Crossed arms and legs signal resistance to your ideas Crossed arms and legs are physical barriers that suggest the other person is not open to what you're saying. Even if they're smiling and eng...

(213) 04/23/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: The Businessman & the Banker Centuries ago, in a small Italian town, there was a business owner who was in a great amount of debt. His banker, who was an old, unattractive man, strongly desired the business owner’s beautiful ...

(212) 04/16/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Bath towel - Barre - Mat Reading: Clever Advice #17 Rename your Bluetooth speakers and put an asterisk in front of the speakers you use most on your phone so they are at the top of the list and are easy to find. Employers put "entry level" in job t...

(211) 04/09/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: A Dish of Ice Cream In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a coffee shop and sat at the counter. The waitress put a glass of water in front of him and asked what he’d like. “How much is an...

(210) 04/02/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Pillow - Barre - Mat Reading: Tips to KISS Your Life Too many people over-complicate things in life. This can lead to paralysis by analysis. If you apply the KISS principle to your life, you will be more productive, feel better about the decisions you make...

(209) 03/19/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Chair - Barre - Mat Reading: The Group of Frogs Once upon a time, in a serene green forest, there lived a group of frogs. These frogs spent their days hopping around the shimmering pond, basking in the warm sunlight. One rainy day this group of f...

(208) 03/12/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Barre - Mat - Ankle weight (optional) Reading: “You will overcome what you are fighting through. You will find inner peace, and one day this struggle won’t feel as strong as it does now. Be patient and keep working toward healing.” “The universe is not outs...

(207) 03/05/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Ankle weight - Barre - Mat Reading: A Farmer and a Baker Once upon a time, a farmer and a baker lived in the same small village. They became friends and developed a nice bond. One day, the baker asked the farmer for a regular supply of butter for hi...

(205) 02/27/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells (or water bottles) - Ball (or pillow) - Barre (or chair/heavy piece of furniture) - Mat Reading: Body Scan Relaxation We’re going to take a few minutes to relax and reset before we continue with our day. Close your eyes and become aware of your breathing. Feel each i...

(203) 02/20/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ankle weight - Barre - Mat Reading: The White Wolf vs Black Wolf A group of Cherokee children gathered around their grandfather. They were filled with excitement and curiosity. That day, there had been quite a tumultuous conflict between two adults and their grandf...

(202) 02/13/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Barre - Mat Reading: Clever Advice #16 Don't assume a flyer only includes sale items Keep in mind that just because something is featured in a store's flyer doesn't mean it's on sale or a great deal. It may just mean they want you to buy it. Eat before you ...

(201) 02/06/24 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: The Value of Money At the beginning of a new school year, a class teacher stands up in front of her students holding a $100 bill. She tells them, “Put your hands up if you want this money.” Every hand in the classroom went up, to which the t...

(200) 01/30/24 - Our 200th Class!

It's our 200th class! Thank you all for your dedication. Without your continued commitment, there would be no class and I wouldn't have the opportunity to do what motivates and inspires me. Teaching brings me an immense amount of fulfillment. Just like a lot of you, for me our classes are a bre...

(199) 01/23/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Bath towel - Ankle weights - Barre - Mat - Wall space Reading: Two Shoe Salesmen At the beginning of the 20th century, an English shoe manufacturer, concerned about the decline in its sales in England, decided to try to open new markets abroad. Its direct...

(198) 01/16/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Barre - Mat Reading: Puppies for Sale A pet store owner was tacking a sign above his door that read "Puppies for Sale." The signs have a way of attracting children. Soon a little boy appeared at the sign and asked, "How much are you gonna sell those puppies for?" The...

(197) 01/09/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: Safeguarding Happiness by Deborah Olenev What does it mean to safeguard happiness? To me it means to be in the moment, present with yourself, your feelings, your environment, and the people you are with here and now. For a mature adult ...

(196) 01/02/24 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: Safeguarding Happiness by Deborah Olenev What does it mean to safeguard happiness? To me it means to be in the moment, present with yourself, your feelings, your environment, and the people you are with here and now. For a mature adult ...

(195) 12/26/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: ’Tis Better to Give I knew I was not supposed to be quite so excited. I was too old for that. At age eleven, the oldest and my mom’s “grown up” girl, I had to keep my cool. I was in middle school after all. But every chance I got, when I ...

(194) 12/19/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: The Weight of the Glass Once upon a time a psychology professor walked around on a stage while teaching stress management principles to an auditorium filled with students. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d ...

(193) 12/12/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: A Holiday Story It was the holiday season, and the shopping downtown was starting to get to us. I remember crowds of people waiting impatiently for slow-moving buses and cars. Most of us were loaded down with packages, and it look...

(192) 12/05/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: Home Remedy Facts #3 Neti Pot for Congestion: If you have symptoms of a cold, try the ancient Indian tradition of a neti pot for nasal irrigation. A neti pot is a container designed to rinse debris or mucus from your nasal cavity....

(191) 11/28/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: 6 Habits That Will Dramatically Improve Your Life Stay away from people who erode your quality of life Toxic people might be unhappy about your decision to stay away from them, and they might tell you very loudly just how unhappy they are...

(190) 11/21/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Band - Barre - Mat Reading: The Thankful Coat Once upon a time there was a little boy named David. David had a very nice family, and he lived in a very nice house. David had a fun little sister, named Sally and a wonderful dog named Rusty. He had ...

(189) 11/14/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Barre - Mat Reading: Clever Advice #15 Dryer lint is mostly your clothes gradually disintegrating. If you have a beloved shirt you'd like to wear forever, let it air dry. When showing people pictures on your phone, zoom in a little bit so they can't easily swipe to ...

(188) 11/07/23 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Ball - Bath towel - Ankle weight - Barre - Mat Reading: Behind the Disguise My two adult sons still live with me. Both of them have Autism and other mental disabilities. My oldest boy works a few days a week at a local sheltered workshop. His younger brother, however, ...

(187) 10/31/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Scary Ghost Stories The Crying Lady in the Dakota Since its opening in 1884, The Dakota apartment building has been home to many rich and famous residents of New York City. Among them were John Lennon a...

(186) 10/24/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Mat Reading: 5 Rules to Remember 1. Great Success is Often Preceded by Failure You will never experience true success until you learn to embrace failure. Your mistakes pave the way for you to succeed by revealing when you’re on the wrong path. The biggest breakthroug...

(185) 10/17/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Barre - Mat Reading: 5 Rules to Live By 1. You’re living the life you’ve created You are not a victim of circumstance. No one can force you to make decisions and take actions that run contrary to your values and aspirations. The circumstances you're living in today ...

(184) 10/10/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Barre - Mat - Wall space Reading: The Retiring Carpenter There was a highly skilled carpenter who was just about to retire. He was retiring after a long and dedicated career in building houses. He was a master in his work and was extremely famous for his extraordina...

(183) 10/03/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat Home Remedy Facts #2 Honey for coughs: There’s nothing worse than a pestering cough that keeps you up at night, research suggests that honey may be more effective than cough medicine for coughs caused by irritation. Lavender for trouble ...

(182) 09/26/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Bath towel - Sturdy chair - Mat Reading: The Fisherman It was a bright sunny afternoon in a beautiful beach town. The waves were crawling gently to the shore. A fisherman was sitting near this beautiful seashore, under the shadow of a tree, smokin...

(181) 09/19/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: Clever Advice #14 When dividing up food to freeze in ziploc bags, flatten it out. It will thaw faster when you need it. When heating leftovers, space out a circle in the middle. It will heat up much more evenly. Leave "natural" peanut b...

(180) 09/12/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Ankle weights - Bath towel - Barre - Mat Reading: Home Remedies Facts #1 Saltwater for a sore throat: Gargling with salt water when you have a sore throat may help relieve some of the pain and irritation. Ginger for nausea: Ginger has been used for hundre...

(179) 09/05/23 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Barre - Mat Reading: Soul Level Agreements Have you ever had that strong pull that you have to talk to someone? Do you know the feeling of meeting someone for the first time yet feeling like you have already known them for ten years? Maybe you just feel that you resonate ...

(178) 08/29/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Barre - Mat - Wall space Reading: The Fox & the Crow One bright morning Fox was following his sharp nose through the woods, searching for a bite to eat. As he wandered around the forest, he smelled something uniquely delicious. As he followed the smell, ...

(177) 08/22/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: Clever Advice #13 Even if you are happily employed, spend 30-45 minutes job searching a few times per year. Save the job description when you start a new job. It makes updating your resume a lot easier. When composing a professional ema...

(176) 08/15/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Barre - Mat - Ankle weights (optional) Reading: A Hundred Camels Once upon a time in a small village near a desert there lived a successful businessman with a nice family. He was always troubled by one problem or another. He felt an immense amount of stress...

(175) 08/08/23 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Bath towel - Throw pillow - Barre - Mat Reading: Clever Advice #12 Good things come through effort – not to those who wait – so put in the effort now to gain the things that you want. Be better than average. Be understanding and open. People respond to it. Like a magne...

(174) 08/01/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Ball - Sturdy chair - Mat Reading: The Saint & the Scorpion Once upon a time, there was a wandering Himalayan monk. One beautiful morning on a sunny day, he came across a shallow river, which he had to cross to continue on. The moment he was ...

(173) 07/25/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Mat - Bath Towel (optional) Reading: The Elephant Rope: A Story of Learned Helplessness While walking through an elephant camp, a man noticed that the elephants were only secured with a small rope that was tied around one ankle. He was confused by the fact th...

(172) 07/18/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Band - Ball (optional) - Barre - Mat Reading: Empty Your Cup Once upon a time, there was a wise Zen master. People traveled from far away to seek his help. In return, he would teach them and show them the way to enlightenment. On this particular...

(171) 07/11/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Bath towel - Barre - Mat Reading: Clever Advice #11 If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Don’t be an easy mark. If you are in a large crowd and need someone to call 911, explicitly point to someone and say, "you, call 911." This will prevent th...

(170) 07/04/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball (or throw pillow) - Mat Reading: The Starfish Story Once upon a time, there was a man who used to go to the seaside every morning to do his writing. He had a habit of walking along the beautiful beach before starting his work. One beautiful Sunday as per his mor...

(169) 06/27/23 - Class

Equipment: - Band (or dumbbells) - Ball (or throw pillow) - Barre (or chair/sturdy piece of furniture) - Mat Reading: Good Samaritans Exist If You Have Faith On Tuesday, my husband and I were going on an overnight getaway in the city to celebrate my birthday. At one of the train stations, I...

(168) 06/20/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Bath towel - Barre - Mat Reading: Clever Advice #10 When a loved one shares good news with you, ask them, in detail, how it happened so that they can relive the moment. When an elderly person can't hear you, speak deeper, not louder. If you want...

(167) 06/13/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells (or water bottles) - Ball (or throw pillow) - Barre (or chair/sturdy piece of furniture) - Mat (or carpet) Sometimes We're Tested not to Show our Weaknesses, But to Discover our Strengths We all have highs and lows throughout our life. Some may give up when they have ...

(166) 05/30/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Barre - Mat Reading: Life is Like a Cup of Coffee A group of best friends decided to have their college alumni get together at the residence of one of their favorite professors. The professor was very popular among the students and had mentored the...

(165) 05/23/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Bath towel - Barre - Mat Reading: “Two Beers & a Puppy” – A Helpful Test for Determining How You Feel About Someone I developed “Two Beers & a puppy” in order to find out how you actually feel about someone. The test is: In order to find out how you ...

(164) 05/16/23 - Class

05/16/23 Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Barre - Mat Reading: The Butterfly Cocoon One beautiful morning, a young man was taking a stroll around his garden when he noticed a cocoon of a butterfly on a leaf. He observed a small opening appearing in the cocoon and a butterfly trying to come o...

(163) 05/09/23 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: Help Wanted - The Ideal Mother The transition into motherhood can be tough on anyone. ''I just wasn't cut out to be a good mother," says the weary voice of my friend on the telephone. "I can't get the baby to sleep through the night. I scream ...

(162) 05/02/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Mat Reading: Clever Advice #9 On Gossip: Never gossip about anyone to anyone On Being Aware: You don’t know what someone else may be dealing with, so be understanding. Always be honest. Try to do the right thing, even when no one is watching. On Staying Peaceful: Ne...

(161) 04/25/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: The Little Lift One evening, I left a restaurant just ahead of a woman assisting her elderly mom. I approached the curb and paused to see if my arthritic knees could climb it. To my right appeared an arm to assist. It was that of the elde...

(160) 04/18/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Barre - Mat Reading: Comfort Dog I was in the middle of a silent panic attack while waiting on a flight. Another passenger’s assistance dog evidently noticed my condition and pulled its person to come by me. That dog put its head on my lap for 20 minutes until I felt...

(159) 04/11/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: Seven Miles for Me Leaving a store, I returned to my car only to find that I’d locked my keys and cell phone inside. A teenager riding his bike saw me kick a tire and say a few choice words. “What’s wrong?” he asked. I explained m...

(158) 04/04/23 - Class

Equipment: - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat - Wall space (optional) Reading: The Man at the Market When the supermarket clerk tallied up my groceries, I was $12 over what I had on me. I began to remove items from the bags, when another shopper handed me a $20 bill. “Please do...

(157) 03/28/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Barre - Mat Reading: Self Appraisal A little boy walked into the pharmacy to use the phone. As he did, the store owner observed and listened to the conversation. "Excuse me," the boy said into the phone can you give me a job cutting your lawn?” ...

(156) 03/21/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Mat Reading: Clever Advice #8 1. If you can do something in less than a minute, just do it. Right now. Put the remote control in the right spot. Put away that W2 you got out of your filing cabinet for a quick second. Hang up your coat. Respond to the email. (Once you ...

(155) 03/14/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: New Green Pants It really made my day for a stranger to tell me that the pants I were wearing looked fabulous on me. What a lovely thing to say. By the end of the night at the theatre, I had several more compliments. Sufficient to ...

(154) 03/07/23 - Class

03/07/23 Equipment: - Band - Ball - Throw pillow - Barre - Mat Reading: Technology Facts #2 - Astronauts in space eat peanut butter, but not on bread. Bread is too crumbly and floating bits can get stuck in space craft filters or astronauts’ eyes. - Scientists found a spiderweb that was...

(153) 02/28/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Barre - Mat Reading: The Weight of the Glass Once upon a time a psychology professor walked around on a stage while teaching stress management principles to an auditorium filled with students. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d be asked the typ...

(152) 02/21/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: Clever Advice #7 On Presenting Yourself: Always, ALWAYS, let people underestimate you. That way, you’ll pleasantly surprise them. On Timeliness: Be on time, keep nobody waiting. If running late, inform. Seriously, how ...

(151) 02/14/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Barre - Mat Reading: An Old Friend It was a month or so ago. I was at a tire dealership getting new tires put on my car before winter weather set in. It was a long wait so I settled into a chair with my book when suddenly I heard a voice that I hadn’t heard in many y...

(150) 02/07/23 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: The Sad Peacock A stunning peacock with glittering feathers was dancing on a rainy day. As the rain was so pleasant, he was dancing with happiness and started singing. But as he tried singing, his rough voice reminded him of his shortcomings a...

(149) 01/31/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Ball - Chair - Barre - Mat Reading: Animal Kingdom Facts #9 Polar bears have jet black skin under their white fur coats. It helps them absorb heat to keep warm, while the white fur helps provide camouflage in the snowy and icy environment they li...

(148) 01/24/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Chair - Mat Reading: Clever Advice #6 On learning: Keep learning new things. And what you learn doesn't necessarily have to be useful. It is okay to learn how a mushroom grows because you think it’s interesting. Not everything you learn has to be a skill, jus...

(147) 01/17/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: My Daughter My daughter, who is in 2nd grade, is the kindest person I have ever met. On the last day of school, she was playing on the playground with a friend. She noticed that there was another child upset and sitting by herself. She w...

(146) 01/10/23 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Ball - Ankle weights - Barre - Mat Reading: Technology Facts #1 (from Blaise’s book) 1. A modern cell phone has more computing power than all of NASA did in 1969 when the US sent men to the moon. 2. Emily, of the Emergency Integrated Lifesaving Lanyard, is a robot that ...

(145) 01/03/23 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Barre - Mat Reading: Making Time for the Important Things Earlier this year the phone companies stopped supporting the software for my old 3G flip phone so like the rest of the modern world I was forced to buy a new Smart Phone. I didn’t use it much at first, only to...

(144) 12/27/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Mat Reading: Honoring Generational Traditions & Creating Our Own Traditions are behaviors and actions that you engage in again and again – regular rituals that you perform at the same time and/or in the same way. Family traditions establish a found...

(143) 12/20/22 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Ball - Bath towel - Barre - Mat Reading: A Celebration of the Sun in honor of the Winter Solstice Throughout history, societies across the world have held festivals and ceremonies marking winter solstice, the day of the "sun’s rebirth.” Most often, winter solstice celeb...

(142) 12/13/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Chair - Barre - Mat Reading: National Humbug Day National Humbug Day is coming. It recognizes the Ebenezers, the Scrooges, the grinches, and the curmudgeons who suck the joy out of the holiday season. Sometimes, even the most joyous of us all get bitten b...

(141) 11/29/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Ball - Chair - Mat Reading: Today is ‘National Day of Giving.’ When we think of holiday giving, it usually involves shopping online or finding that perfect item for a loved one. But ‘National Day of Giving’ is about giving back to our community. He...

(140) 11/22/22 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: The Thankful Coat Once upon a time there was a little boy named David. David had a very nice family, and he lived in a very nice house. David had a fun little sister, named Sally and a wonderful dog named Rusty. He had nice toys to play with a...

(139) 11/15/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Barre - Mat Reading: Inappropriate Tips to Live By #1 1. If you stir coconut oil into your kale, it makes it easier to scrape it into the trash 2. You’d be surprised how quickly employees at Lowe’s assist you after ignoring you for 20 minutes when you try to start a...

(138) 11/08/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: The Dress I work with kids who have medical problems I was out looking at thrift shops with a teenage girl who has significant acquired brain injuries suffered as a baby. This girl has been fixated on dresses, ...

(137) 11/01/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Ankle weights - Mat - Wall space Reading: Halloween Facts The word "witch" comes from the Old English wicce, meaning "wise woman": Taking it a notch further, "wiccan" were actually thought of in a positive light, with their opinions being highly res...

(136) 10/25/22 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: October’s New Moon Tomorrow is the New Moon. In a literal sense, the New Moon indicates the start of a new lunar phase, as this dark lunar phase is considered the reset point of the moon’s monthly cycle, resetting the cycle approximately every...

(135) 10/18/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Ankle weight - Barre - Mat Reading: Clever Advice #5 The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time. Get everything in writing, even if you think you don’t need it. An email, a text message, something in case things don’t go as planned. If your friend is st...

(134) 10/11/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Bath towel - Barre - Mat Reading: National Kick Butt Day is a holiday that’s designed to motivate people to head out into the world and get some wins. This is a day in which excuses are no longer allowed or tolerated. Since it’s impossible to celebrat...

(133) 10/04/22 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Pillow - Mat Reading: Emotional Wellness We might not realize how many different areas of life our emotional wellness, or lack thereof, is involved in. With October being Emotional Awareness Month, let's look at how our ability to handle, understand, and manage our emotio...

(132) 09/27/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Bath towel - Ankle weight - Chair - Mat Reading: Clever Advice #4 Don't put your life on hold waiting for closure on something you’re struggling with. Many of life’s most difficult situations don’t have reasonable explanations. If something in life scares ...

(131) 09/20/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Chair - Mat Reading: The Autumn Equinox - Cleansing our Minds, Homes + Bodies The Autumn equinox becomes the perfect time of the year to reconnect with your true self and deepen the spiritual connection with nature and life. Spiritually, this seasonal...

(130) 09/13/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: Five Fighting Fingers The five fingers on a hand had a heated argument one day. Each finger argued that he was the most important member of their family. The thumb started his claim: “I am absolutely essential for eating, writing and fo...

(129) 09/06/22 - Class

Equipment: - 1 heavy dumbbell or 2 lighter dumbbells - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: The Tortoise & the Hare There once was a speedy hare who bragged about how fast he could run. He ridiculed the short feet and slow pace of the Tortoise. Tired of hearing him boast, the tortoise c...

(128) 08/30/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: The New Moon represents a fresh start, it signifies initiations, a time for another beginning, a time to set new plans for yourself, new things you might like to work on or towards. It’s a time of new beginnings with new potential ...

(127) 08/23/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Ball - Ankle weight - Barre - Mat Reading: The Mayonnaise Jar & 2 Cups of Coffee A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise...

(126) 08/16/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Bath towel - Mat Reading: In honor of “National Tell a Joke Day” One day, Einstein has to speak at an important science conference. On the way there, he tells his driver that looks a bit like him: "I'm sick of all these conferences. I always say ...

(125) 08/09/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Pillow - Barre - Mat - Ankle weights (optional) Reading: Full Sturgeon Moon – Spiritual Meaning When the Full Sturgeon Moon is up in the sky, its spiritual meaning is that of gratitude and reaping the harvest. A flourishing harvest, aka our life, accompany ...

(124) 08/02/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: We’re Overcomplicating Things; Here’s How to Keep Things Simple If you tend to overcomplicate and over think, then learning to keep things simple will reduce your anxiety and make you feel free to enjoy life as it is. The great thing abou...

(123) 07/26/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ankle weights - Chair - Barre - Mat Reading: Big Cat Facts #1 Tigers are able to eat A LOT. A tiger can consume up to 88 pounds of meat at one time. But that's not surprising as male tigers can weigh up to 660 pounds. Tigers rely primarily on sight and sou...

(122) 07/19/22 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Ball - Ankle weights - Mat Reading: Full Buck Moon July’s full moon is called the Buck Moon because the antlers of male deer (bucks) typically reach the peak of their growth at this point in the summer. Bucks shed and regrow their antlers each year, producing a larger a...

(120) 07/12/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Ankle weights - Mat "Carrying on our friend's legacy is a dutiful task. Trying to live a lesson they taught through their way of life is a way to honor them"

(119) 07/05/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Bath towel - Barre - Mat Reading: Becoming More Independent (in honor of Independence Day) Even though there are a variety of definitions for independence, there are some basic steps we can take to become more independent in life. Become Your Own Best Friend: This ...

(118) 06/28/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Bath towel - Barre - Mat Reading: It Couldn't Hurt Random Acts of Kindness! -- It couldn't hurt I told my husband I love him. -- It couldn't hurt I packed a note in my son's lunch box telling him how special he is. -- It couldn't hurt I opened the door for a...

(117) 06/21/22 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat - Sneakers (optional) Reading: The Summer Solstice The Summer solstice is almost upon us, reminding us to celebrate the nourishing light of the Sun and the light within each of us. During the Summer solstice, the Sun reaches its highest point in the s...

(116) 06/14/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Mat - Bath towel (optional) Reading: Kitchen Disaster Stories One Thanksgivings, Four Turkeys: “Not me, but my mom. She can’t cook at all. One Thanksgiving we had four turkeys. The first one she left in the sink overnight; cat got it. Second she burn...

(115) 06/07/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Bath towel - Barre - Mat Reading: Getting Through Tough Times Maybe you’re experiencing a financial setback. Or someone you love might be facing a health challenge. Maybe you’ve lost your job, or an unhealthy relationship is weighing you down. You might not ...

(114) 05/31/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Ball - Mat Reading: A Tale of Two Cities A traveler nearing a great city asked a woman seated by the wayside, “What are the people like in the city?” “How were the people where you came from?” “A terrible lot,” the traveler responded. “Mean, untr...

(113) 05/24/22 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Hand towel - Barre - Mat Reading: Grandma Ruby Being a mother of two very active boys, ages seven and one, I am sometimes worried about their making a shambles of my carefully decorated home. In their innocence and play, they occasionally knock over my favorite lamp or u...

(112) 05/17/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball or Bath towel - Barre - Mat Reading: The Symbolic Full Flower Moon The Flower Moon symbolizes us humans. Like the flowers, it is time for us to blossom, to grow day by day by soaking up the sun’s rays, and to gather our energy from it. The full moon also symbo...

(111) 05/10/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Band - Barre - Mat - Sneakers (optional) Reading: Help Wanted - The Ideal Mother The transition into motherhood can be tough on anyone. ''I just wasn't cut out to be a good mother," says the weary voice of my friend on the telephone. "I can't get...

(110) 05/03/22 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: Clever Advice #3 Don’t talk about an achievement until it is 100% complete. Positive feedback from others can give you a false feeling of accomplishment, tricking you into thinking you’ve already succeeded, which can hinder your efforts to cha...

(109) 04/26/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Bath towel - Barre - Mat Reading: Bond of Brothers (who found each other through DNA testing) Walter Macfarlane, 76, and Alan Robinson, 74, have been friends for more than 60 years. They grew up a few miles away from each other in Honolulu and met in sixth g...

(108) 04/19/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Throw pillow - Bath towel - Ankle weights - Barre - Mat Reading: A Man was asked to Paint a Boat A man was asked to paint a boat. He brought with him paint and brushes and began to paint the boat bright red, as the owner instructed. While painting, he noti...

(107) 04/12/22 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Ball - Ankle weight - Barre - Mat Reading: Pet Stories A Quaker parrot saved a child from choking. Two-year-old Hannah Kuusk started choking on her breakfast while her mom, Megan, was in the bathroom. Willie the parrot started screaming and flapping his wings. When tha...

(106) 04/05/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: 5 Ways Mentally Strong People Deal With Rejection Ever notice how being turned down stops some people from trying again, while others bounce back from rejection stronger than before? Everyone experiences the sting of rejection, bu...

(105) 03/29/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Ball - Bath towel - Hand towel - Barre - Mat Reading: Animal Kingdom Facts #8 The male seahorse goes through pregnancy and gives birth to babies. They are the only animal on earth where the male carries the baby rather than the female. The male ...

(104) 03/22/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Bath towel - Barre - Mat Reading: How the World Rings in the Spring Equinox For years, people around the world have celebrated the vernal equinox with various rituals meant to honor the day's cultural significance. Whether with a colorful festival, a...

(103) 03/15/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Bath towel - Barre - Mat - Ankle weights (optional) Reading: The Night before St. Patrick’s Day Twas the night before St. Patrick's Day - the day to wear green. Not a creature was stirring except Tim and Maureen. They decked out the den, from ceiling to floor, wit...

(102) 03/08/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Bath towel - Barre - Mat Reading: The Story of Sand and Stone This story tells of two friends, Mandy and Margot. They fought for many reasons, but never gave up their friendship. They went in search of a job and visited many places to earn some money. They passed t...

(099) 03/01/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Pillow - Barre - Mat Reading: The Stone Cutter Once upon a time, there was a stone cutter. The stone cutter lived in a land where a life of privilege meant being powerful. Looking at his life he decided that he was unsatisfied with the way things were and so he set ...

(098) 02/22/22 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Ball - Bath towel - Barre - Mat Reading: Clever Advice #2 Getting angry with people for making mistakes doesn’t teach them not to make mistakes, it teaches them to hide their mistakes. For the students in our life: If you’re planning your career, look up postings of yo...

(097) 02/15/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: An Old Wet Dog It was several years ago. The air was cool, rain was falling, and it felt more like early Spring than early Summer. I was sitting at the desk I am sitting at now working on my old computer when I saw him. He was an old, wet...

(096) 02/08/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Ball - Bath towel - Barre - Mat - Ankle weights (optional) Reading: Animal Kingdom Facts #7 Panda’s must eat 25 – 90 pounds (12-38 kg) of bamboo every day to meet their energy needs. This is because bamboo contains very little nutritional value,...

(095) 02/01/22 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Ball - Bath towel - Barre - Mat Reading: Random Acts of Kindness Windshield Note I was doing my shopping at a local supermarket and came back to my car to see what I thought was a ticket on my windshield. I looked at the parking sign which was 1 ½ hours and I knew that ...

(094) 01/25/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Band - Barre - Mat - Ankle weight (optional) Reading: Every Single Thing "I just don’t know what my purpose, what my mission in this life is!" a friend wrote me in an email recently. For some reason her letter awakened an old memory in me so I wr...

(093) 01/18/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Mat Reading: Stories about Forgiveness in Honor of MLK, Jr: Years ago when I was a newlywed, my mother-in-law was consistently mean to me. I tried everything in my power to please her, but nothing worked. It got so bad that I found it difficult to be a...

(092) 01/11/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Bath towel - Barre - Mat Reading: Missing Stuffies The Kindest of Kind Things Happened Today The kindest of kind things happened today. Last week my 4 year old son, Basti, and I went for a walk and found a toy whale just off the track. Basti was so excited b...

(091) 01/04/22 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: The History of New Year’s Resolutions You might be surprised to know that New Year’s resolutions go back 4,000 years. The first resolutions began with the ancient Babylonians. They were also the first to hold recorded celebrations...

(090) 12/21/21 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Barre - Mat Reading: A Holiday Story It was the holiday season, and the shopping downtown was starting to get to us. I remember crowds of people waiting impatiently for slow-moving buses and cars. Most of us were loaded down with packages, and it looked like many of us we...

(089) 12/14/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Band - Ball - Mat Reading: Clever Advice No matter how much you trust them or how close you are, never expect to get lent money back. Think about all the nice things you would say at your friend or family member’s funeral, then tell them while they’re still alive. ...

(088) 12/07/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: Helping a Classmate I received this letter from my 8-year-old son's teacher. He has ASD and ADHD. Two years ago he was suspended because he couldn't regulate his behavior. He's now in a new school and special ed program. This just melted ...

(087) 11/30/21 - Class

Equipment: - Band - Ball - Mat Reading: Animal Kingdom Facts #6 Orcas (killer whales) can learn to speak dolphin Groups of killer whales have their own dialects that are further influenced by the company they keep. One study revealed that orcas housed with bottlenose dolphins over a long per...

(086) 11/23/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Ball - Barre - Mat - Ankle weight (optional) Reading: Why He Carried the Turkey In Richmond, Virginia, one Saturday morning, an old man went into the market to buy something. He was dressed plainly, his coat was worn, and his hat was dingy. On hi...

(085) 11/16/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Barre - Mat - Ankle weight (optional) Reading - Compliments of Nori: An anthropologist had been studying the habits and customs of an African tribe. Upon finishing his work, he had to wait for transportation that would take him to the airport to return home...

(084) 11/09/21 - Class

Equipment: - Resistance band - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Ball - Bath towel - Barre - Mat Reading: Love Notes Talking to children is simple. It's getting them to listen that is the real challenge. As my children approached school age, I noticed they had already perfected the skill of looking atten...

(083) 11/02/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Barre - Mat - Band (optional) Reading: Animal Kingdom Facts #5 - Horses have distinct facial expressions: Horses can make 17 facial movements, which is 3 more than chimps and only 10 fewer than humans. - Deer can run up to 35 miles per hour: White-tail...

(082) 10/26/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Bath towel or yoga block - Barre - Mat - Resistance band (optional) Reading: The Ghost of Oxford Milford Road Storyteller, writer & editor Brad Culp When Brad Culp was a student at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, there was a rumor that the town was one of the...

(081) 10/19/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: Anything Worth Doing is Worth Doing Poorly One of my college professors used to say "anything worth doing is worth doing poorly." I didn't understand that for years because I didn't do anything poorly, I couldn't do anything poorly, I ha...

(080) 10/12/21 - Class

Equipment: - Light/medium resistance band (or dumbbells) - Ball - Barre - Mat Reading: My Favorite Father's Day The summer after my son Kotter's freshman year of high school, with the exception of senior league baseball, was spent home alone. He wasn't happy. Without any malice on Kotter's ...

(079) 10/05/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Ball - Bath towel - Barre - Mat Reading: Helping a Stranger Change Careers If you were raised right (or, hope to be liked by others), you know that politeness and kindness go a long way in life. Say, holding the door for a stranger or offering to...

(078) 09/28/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Mat/carpet - Ball/pillow (optional) - Ankle weight (optional) Reading: Animal Kingdom Facts #4 - A grizzly bear's bite is strong enough to crush a bowling ball: Those who find themselves in the presence of a grizzly bear will surely wa...

(077) 09/21/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Ball - Light or medium resistance band - Bath towel - Barre/chair - Mat/carpet Reading: Ancient Wisdom Inspires Guidelines to Good Life Is it possible to enjoy a peaceful life in a world that is increasingly challenged by threats and u...

(076) 09/14/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Ball - Chair - Mat/carpet - Ankle weight (optional) Reading: Missing Pieces When I got pregnant at 17, the circumstances could not have been worse. The father was 38 years old. He was furious at the news of "my" problem. Life at home wit...

(075) 09/07/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Ball/pillow - Sturdy chair - Mat/carpet Reading: Mikey's Goal Last night was the last game for my eight year old son's soccer team. It was the final quarter. The score was two to one, my son's team in the lead. Parents ...

(074) 08/31/21 - Class

08/31/21 Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Barre/chair - Pillow - Mat/carpet - Ankle weight (optional) Reading: Animal Kingdom Facts #3 - The world's oldest known breed of domesticated dog dates back to 329 BC: Saluki dogs were revered in ancient Egypt, being kept as ro...

(073) 08/24/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Ball/pillow - Barre/chair - Mat/carpet Reading: Making Room for Shooting Stars This was the big game. The bleachers were packed with parents and kids. Lights blazed down on the baseball field, giving it a real "big league" feel. The kids ...

(072) 08/17/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Pillow - Mat/carpet - Ankle weights (optional) Reading: Meditation during Exercise The revelation that meditation can happen with movement is often profound for people - especially those who have resisted meditation because they don’t lik...

(071) 08/10/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Ball/pillow - Barre/chair - Mat/carpet - Ankle weight (optional) Reading: First Day Employee My father had a small business, employing approximately fifteen people at any given time. We pasteurized and homogenized milk from farmers each ...

(070) 08/03/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Ball - Pillow - Barre/chair - Mat/carpet - Resistance band (optional) Reading: First Night The knock was so soft that I might not have heard it at all if I hadn't heard the footsteps on my wooden front porch immediate...

(069) 07/27/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Bath towel - Ball/pillow - Barre/chair - Mat/carpet - Resistance band (optional) Reading: Animal Kingdom Facts #2 - Zebra stripes act as a natural bug repellent: One report suggests that zebras' black and white stripes may be an evol...

(068) 07/20/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Ball/pillow - Mat/carpet Reading: An 87 Year Old College Student Named Rose The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn’t already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle h...

(067) 07/13/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Ball - Chair - Mat/carpet Reading: What is Homeopathy? Homeopathy is medicine that is fundamentally different from conventional (allopathic) medicine. Allopathic medicine focuses on suppression of symptoms and Homeopathy seeks to correct ...

(066) 07/06/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Ball/pillow - Barre/chair - Mat/carpet - Resistance band (optional) Reading: Visualization and the Science that can Change your Life - Visualizing your Future Brings it Closer to Reality I’m sure everyone has thought about the things the...

(065) 06/29/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Bath towel - Barre/chair - Mat/carpet Reading: Animal Kingdom Facts - Koala fingerprints are so close to humans' that they could taint crime scenes: Koalas might not seem to have a lot in common with us, but if you were to take a close...

(064) 06/22/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - One 4-5 lb dumbbell or two 2 lb dumbbells - Ball - Sturdy chair (with padded seat or bath towel) - Mat/carpet Reading: Discretion Is the Better Part of Marriage Seventeen years ago on a cold and blustery Saturday, I stood in the arch of...

(063) 06/15/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Mat/carpet - Resistance band (optional) Reading: A Room of One's Own by Leah Kraft Virginia Woolf's ‘A Room of One's Own’ ignited me early on to look for my own special place of peace and solitude. My soul longed for the beauty of some lan...

(062) 06/08/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Bath towel - Barre/chair - Mat/carpet Reading: Grandma Moses and Me I'm too old and it's too late, played over and over in my mind. I was discouraged and exhausted after ending my marriage and my law career at the same time. Despite my in...

(061) 06/01/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - One 4-5 lb dumbbell or two 2 lb dumbbells - Ball/pillow - Bath towel - Chair - Mat/carpet Reading: The Valentine’s Day Story “I’m going to tell you a story,” I tell my class of high school seniors. All eyes look up. Nothing quiets a cha...

(060) 05/25/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Mat/carpet Reading: The Save As mountains go, 1,642-foot Squaw Peak isn’t particularly imposing. But its inviting views of western Massachusetts have tricked hikers into becoming complacent amid its steep, slippery cliffs, resulting in coun...

(059) 05/18/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Ball/pillow - Mat/carpet - Sneakers + short platform like a step (optional) Reading: Animal Rescue Stories: Three Lions Save Girl from Kidnappers In June of 2005, a twelve-year-old girl was snatched by four men in rural south-west Ethiopi...

(058) 05/11/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Pillow - Low sturdy chair - Mat/carpet Reading: Love Notes From the time each of my children started school, I packed their lunches. And in each lunch I packed, I included a note. Often written on a napkin, the note might be a thank-you f...

(057) 05/05/20 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells or water bottles - Rolled bath towel - Barre or heavy piece of furniture/windowsill - Mat or rug Reading: The Businessman & The Banker Centuries ago, in a small Italian town, there was a business owner who was in a great amount of debt. His banker, who was an old...

(057) 05/04/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Ball/pillow - Sturdy chair - Mat/carpet Reading: Soaring Free A big new home, a swimming pool in the back yard, two nice cars in the driveway and my first child on the way. After nine years of marriage I had it all, or so I thought. I was...

(056) 04/06/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - 4-5 lb dumbbell - Medium towel - Ball/pillow - Mat/carpet Reading: Hello, Dolly! Music, I suppose, will be the thing that sustains me in the time of my life when I am too old for sex and not quite ready to meet God. It has always been a...

(055) 03/30/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Pillow - Barre/chair - Mat/carpet Reading: Dog Rescue Stories: Dog Rescues Infant from House Fire As Jason watched his home go up in flames, he took account of his family and, for one heart-stopping moment, realized one of his children wa...

(054) 03/23/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Ball/pillow - Bath towel - Barre/chair - Mat/carpet Reading: Help Wanted - The Ideal Mother The transition into motherhood can be tough on anyone. ''I just wasn't cut out to be a good mother," says the weary voice of my friend on the tel...

(053) 03/16/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Barre/chair - Mat/carpet Reading: 365 Days According to my friends and associates, I'm secure, educated, modestly intelligent, organized and creative. But for most of my adult life, for 14 days out of each year, I felt exactly the opposite...

(052) 03/09/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Ball + pillow or 2 pillows - Barre/chair - Mat/carpet - Sneakers (optional) Reading: The Gift of Gab Although she told me not to talk to strangers, my mother always did. At the checkout line. Browsing through handbags. During a slow elev...

(051) 03/02/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Ball/pillow - Barre/chair - Mat/carpet - Light resistance band (optional) Reading: Just Say Yes I'm a standup comic. I was working at a radio station in New York, doing the weather as this character called June East. One day, a woman fro...

(050) 02/23/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Mat/carpet - Ankle weight (optional) Reading: A Salesman's First Sale I hurried home one Saturday afternoon in the fall to try to get some much-needed yard work done. While raking leaves, my five-year-old son, Nick, came over and pulled on...

(049) 02/16/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Ball/pillow - Barre/chair - Mat/carpet - Heavy resistance band (optional) Reading: Where Do the Mermaids Stand? “What is right for one soul may not be right for another. It may mean having to stand on your own and do something strange in...

(048) 02/09/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Ball/pillow - Ball/towel - Barre/chair - Mat/carpet Reading: Martha's Secret Ingredient It bothered Ben every time he went through the kitchen. It was that little metal container on the shelf above Martha's oven. He probably would not ha...

(047) 02/02/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Ball/pillow - Barre/chair - Mat/carpet - Towel (optional) Reading: The Other Woman After 21 years of marriage, I've discovered a new way of keeping the spark of love and intimacy alive in my relationship with my wife: I've recently start...

(046) 01/26/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Ball/pillow - Barre/chair - Mat/carpet Reading: Let There Be Peace A wise old gentleman retired and purchased a modest home near a junior high school. He spent the first few weeks of his retirement in peace and contentment . . . then a ne...

(045) 01/19/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Pillow - Barre/chair - Mat/carpet Reading: A Scoutmaster Saves the Day For weeks the troop had been engaged in expectant preparation for its Parents' Night program. Everything was in order. The walls were filled with displays, the scouts ...

(044) 01/12/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Ball, preferable, or small pillow - Barre/chair - Mat/carpet Reading: The Hospital Window Once upon a time, two men shared a hospital room. Now, one of these men was allowed to sit up for an hour every day as part of his treatment. The ot...

(043) 01/05/21 - Class

Equipment: - Dumbbells/water bottles or 1L bottles - Ball/pillow - Barre/chair - Mat/carpet Reading: Starting Over So often we find ourselves on autopilot - waking up in the same home, putting on the same clothes, taking the same transportation to the same-old job. Even our New Year’s resol...