A couple of non-taxing exercises
Simply Slaw also has stretches about ‘Iris,’ comforting and decompressing
As today’s Simply Slaw takes you from tai chi to therapy and from the IRS to “Iris,” you’ll also find some expert advice (not from me, thankfully) on how to comfort people without coming across as a self-absorbed pooh-pooh head. Here goes:
Murphy Slaw
Something old: If you’re on a quest to try new things this summer, consider tai chi, which has a lot of health benefits while not being as strenuous as strength or cardio workouts. Besides being calming and helping you focus on your breathing, it has practical benefits: You can exercise in a small space without disturbing neighbors or roommates, and it’s easy to do for five or 10 minutes without becoming a sweaty mess.
YouTube has lots of videos to get you started. This one has a five-minute guided routine, then repeats it without the talking, which helps with relaxation.
While we’re at it, don’t overlook qigong, which is a bit different, but offers similar benefits. This 20-minute routine focuses a lot on breathing and relaxation as you’re doing a variety of stretches. All are easy, but you still might find yourself a little sore afterward.
Something new: If you’ve heard of the recently passed tax bill but are sketchy about the details, this New York Times quiz can fill you in on how the major provisions will affect you.
Something borrowed: In this podcast, John Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls describes writing a song for the movie “City of Angels,” a 1998 remake of the classic “Wings of Desire.” “Iris” became a huge hit, even though there’s no one in the movie by that name, and her name isn’t even mentioned in the song. And furthermore: The song you probably know never appeared in the movie; a toned-down version did.
Something blue: When a loved one is having a crisis, even the best of us can say the wrong thing. Want to do better? Consider this Washington Post story about “toxic positivity.” If you want a chaser, the Los Angeles Times recently refocused attention on this 12-year-old essay about Ring Theory.
“Here are the rules,” the story says. “The person in the center ring can say anything she wants to anyone, anywhere. She can kvetch and complain and whine and moan and curse the heavens and say, ‘Life is unfair’ and ‘Why me?’ That’s the one payoff for being in the center ring.
“Everyone else can say those things too, but only to people in larger rings.”
Something calming: Therapist, heal thyself. Hint: Time off is a great step.
