Exercising my right brain…

So, if you want to know a little more about me, here is something you might find interesting.  I work at a retirement community in Boulder, CO.  I’ve been there for six years and I love my job.  I work in the Wellness Center which is basically a gym, but we also have lots of other fun features like massage, acupuncture, a therapy pool, classes, etc.  I found my niche in the fitness field when I started working with older adults.  They are so interesting, wise, full of stories and life advice, willing to invest in you and share with you as much as you’ll let them, and they are interested in what you’re up to as well.  I have the privilege of receiving tons of support from all my “old” fans at Frasier Meadows Retirement Community.  They also crack me up with the kinds of questions (legit ones) they ask about my triathlon endeavors.  Go figure they are quite interested in race topics like going to the bathroom, eating, what you wear, do you really do all those things in one day?, etc.  One of my favorite questions was something like “What do you do when you start lactating?” …um…after I stopped laughing, I had to admit I’ve never ever EVER lactated in my life, but if they were trying to ask me about lactic acid or something related to that I could probably come up with an answer!

Well, today one of the residents asked me to help them out in the Art Room – she is an incredibly talented artist and has worked in pottery, quilting, and painting for many years and has held many an art show.  She has several physically-limiting conditions now, so she can’t work as quickly or nearly as easily as she used to.  However, the “helping” I got to do today consisted mostly of me playing around with paint and her guiding and coaching me in processes of discovering unplanned art.  We had a great time, and it was another reminder to me of why I love my workplace and all the people it brings to me and opportunities to have joyful little experiences on any day of the week.  This woman, Diana, and her husband, have been amongst all the, oh, 100-or-so-person “fan club”  I have at my workplace (including co-workers as well), and they add immensely to my experience of training and racing because they are interested in not only what I do, but who I am and that getting to know me includes being enthusiastic and supportive of my biggest hobby.

And now I have some art to hang on my walls to remind me to use my Right Brain and to not get caught up in what things are “supposed” to look like, but instead find interest and amazement in the process of things.