Pacific Strength

Marilyn needs our love & prayers. She was in a car accident & is at a local hospital. Whatever you have, send it her way. @mkatzmark

DM me to join . #findyourstrength #bookclub #zoomforthewin

Through the pandemic, I have followed the teachings of my dear friend & ashtanga instructor Diana @pacificashtanga, a small business owner who was challenged by this year & has shifted beautifully. She offers donation based weekly teachings, low-cost workshops, & has been a constant light in a year filled with darkness. . In the self study workshops, we discussed how to handle dark & difficult things. Whether the worry, the fear, the hard time is real, imagined or inflated, ...she encouraged us to hold that difficult thing in one hand. Sit with it, experience it, feel it. Then in the other hand, hold three things that are also true but are positive and bring you happiness or joy. Sit with those things, feel them, take them into your heart. . It’s another version of a gratitude practice, but it’s been really powerful for me. What I’ve found is that not only does it lighten the load of the difficult thing, it also has allowed me to see so much gray. . I have always been a very black & white person. Something is either right or wrong, good or bad. You’re either following the rules or you’re breaking them. But with this practice, I have been able to see the negative and the positive exist together. And I’m noticing how often it happens. . Maybe this isn’t a revelation to anyone else, but it’s really been eye-opening for me. . No person is all good or all bad. Not even Donald Trump or Nancy Pelosi. (*gasp*) The right thing for you may be the wrong thing for a close friend. A bad decision for you may be a good one for your sister. Even in the worst situations, there are so many positive things that exist at the same time. You’ll find them if you look. . So while it may be funny to tell 2020 to not let the door hit you on the way out, I am going to be thankful for the things I learned because of what 2020 was: challenging, heartbreaking, eye-opening, thought-provoking, and at times wonderful. I will be forever grateful for the time with my husband, my kids, my dogs, myself, my pod, my mom, my students. Because of 2020, I was forced to take a step back and with that step, I am choosing to get closer to who I want to be. . #gratitude #thankyoudiana #bealight See more

I have an idea . And it feels like a good one. . But first, some questions for you: Who are the people you go to on instagram for inspiration? What are the pages you regularly check for good news? Or a laugh? For exercise tips? For mindfulness? What t-shirts or stickers bring a smile to your face? What podcasts do you listen to when you want to learn? Or laugh so hard you cry? ... . I think it would be great if you found a way to pay those people for making your life better. . DM them. Get their Venmo. Donate to them. $5, $20, $50 Whatever you can. Buy something if you feel like you need an exchange of goods. And if you’re not in a position to give, write a message & let these people know that what they are doing is helping you. . Disclaimer: I’m not looking to benefit from this. At. All. I don’t believe I do enough on this platform to warrant anything. . I was on here today, looking for inspiration and I was inspired to give. . I know first hand what it’s like to lose students and income and relationships while trying to do what I thought/felt was the right thing in this crazy reality we’re living in. . If someone posted something that made your day better or your life easier, let them know. . Let’s do some good in 2020. End on a high note. . #payitforward #beagoodhuman #sendlove #betteryet #sendmoney #makesomeonesday See more

The End of an Era . About one month ago, I closed my gym: the physical space that has been my second home. More importantly, the place where an amazing community of people got together to build strength, support each other, and become better humans. . I’ve definitely been missing that. ... . It’s still hard to process. . In the past 11 years of being a gym owner, there have been so many ups and downs. (Swipe to see the graph of the feelings of a small business owner) And the last 7 months have had even higher peaks and lower valleys. . I’m not going to blame the shutdown. I’m not going to blame the virus. Closing the physical space is part of the evolution of things. . A couple things will always be true: I love teaching strength. I love being a part of your personal evolutions - watching you do things you never thought you could do. I am grateful for everyone who’s been a part of this journey. I assure you I will continue to teach and train it will just look a little different. . There are now online video training options available. . If you have a specific goal and like to train on your own, I have a couple slots open for program design. . There will be small-group training sessions available soon. . I’m still figuring some of it out, but I am embracing this change and know that better brighter things are ahead. . #thankful #pacstrength #strongforlife #sanclemente #sanclementepersonaltrainer #dowhatyoulove #letmehelpyou #findyourstrength See more

Some things I would like my kids to know: . Firsts should be celebrated. . Living room dance parties are perfect celebrations. ... . Work hard, be kind, & you can do or be anything. . Trust science. . Kindness matters. . Empathy matters. . Decency matters. . Apparently, a clean house doesn’t matter. . Lifting others up does not bring you down. . We can do difficult things. . Choose decency over money. Every day. . Educate yourself. . Lead with your heart and your mind. . You are not better than anyone. And no one is better than you. . Stand up for what is right. . Work together. . Accept victory & defeat with grace. . Root for the underdog. . Listen to both sides. . Make an informed decision. . Give as much and as often as you can. . Love big. . #kindnessmatters #empathymatters #decencymatters #lovebig #choosedecencyovermoney #everyday #herecomesthesun #theworkisnotover See more

So excited: We'll be on our rooftop deck for this event! Outside, oceanview, smaller group (yay for individual attention), following social distancing guidelines, so we can get our kettlebell on! Hooray!

I am smiling. . Wearing a mask and trying to connect with people is a challenge. . I keep being reminded of a poster my dad @maestro132mecom always had on the wall of his office of a bald eagle with three words: I am smiling.... . So, FYI, I am smiling behind this mask. Luckily my age allows for my eye wrinkles to be seen when I smile. . Pro tip: pretend everyone you see is smiling behind their masks. It’ll brighten your day. . Happy Friday, y’all! . Xo, Val , #pacstrength #strongforlife #iamsmiling #wearyourmask #keepotherssafe #sanclemente #beagoodhuman @ Pacific Strength See more

It’s a comment I deleted from a video I posted the other day. . I rolled my eyes, clicked on the person who posted the comment to see if I knew who this person was. It was a teenage boy I don’t know. So I deleted the comment. I thought, ‘what an ignorant troll’ and went about my day. . I thought about it later and felt proud of myself. I didn’t let this person I don’t know and who doesn’t know me bring me down. I’ve always had muscular arms and in the past I’ve hidden them (...Continue reading