“Karve Your Body,” Week 5: Shaping Your Lifestyle

Manic Monday
What does Monday mean to you? Typically, Monday is a dreaded day notorious for its end-of-the-weekend letdown and start-of-the-week blues. Monday is also a day to refocus and start anew. From my standpoint, Monday is not the worst day of the week. Mondays are like reoccurring New Year’s Days when you can start fresh and get back on track.

Last week I planned my Monday evening for running a few errands after work and relaxing around my apartment. After a busy day at work, mindlessly rushing through errands and then haphazardly putting together a “meal,” I couldn’t calm down. Relaxation was wishful thinking. Even with a glass of Chardonnay and Sarah McLachlan playing on my Pandora, I couldn’t put together a complete thought as I wrote an email.

A Difference a Day Makes
Tuesday was different, which made up for Monday’s disappointment and failure. Tuesday I scheduled Karve for after work, and Tuesday evening when class was over, I felt great and most importantly, relaxed. I realized I need a good workout in between work and my evening for mental separation. From the moment I walk into Karve Studio, I refocus my energies and redirect my thought processes. When I walk out of the studio, I’m refreshed and clear-headed.

Remedy for Relaxation and Mindfulness
I’ve consistently gone to Karve classes for longer than a month, and it’s become a staple in my weekly routine. I rely on its power to help me release any anxiety, stress or frustrations through breathing, stretching and full-body intense strength training. For an entire hour, I’m forced to make my head vacant and strictly concentrate on each exercise.  There’s no mental alternative but to focus on the targeted muscle, stretch or variation. Although I feel physical exhaustion after a class, it’s equally a feeling of rejuvenation. The rest of my evening is full of positive energies. Karve replaces phone calls for venting, a glass wine or sweets as a way to unwind and switch gears.

Shaping Your Mind and Body
The positive effects of Karve extend beyond visible results and satisfaction with changing appearances. You become accustomed to the way it makes you feel. You start to depend on its ability to refocus where your mind is at. It doesn’t take long for Karve to become a non-negotiable part of your lifestyle – even when you’re not present in class. Often I’ll want to stretch my legs and take “deep inhalations,” whereas before I never valued stretching or was aware of my breathing. Last week I stood on my tiptoes to reach something high and noticed how effortless it felt. Karve gives you confidence – if not because of changes in your physical appearance but because you undoubtedly know that you’re doing something rewarding and deserving for your mind and body. I perk up when I talk about what happens beyond Karve Studio doors, and I look forward to that hour. It’s the transition that I need in my day.