INSIDE

Thanks for taking time out of your daily life to read this and I am grateful for each and every one of you! To be transparent, 2020 started off a bit less than ideal, but it’s all good because adversity breeds resilience and growth. 

As we were ringing in the new year, 2019 was closed out with a bang. During the Vail Ski Demonstration following the torchlight parade, my father came down to do his synchronization routine with his team. With the snow sprayed into the air from my dad’s teammates, my dad didn’t even have the chance to see the lone snow gun in the middle of the run, leaving him unconscious upon impact. After a minute or so of darkness, he came to and is lucky to be alive. The rest of the evening involved a trip to the Vail Emergency Room and Denver Hospital with a minor brain bleed making for an eventful New Years Eve for the whole family. 

The next few weeks offered some time for him to recover and it was definitely a rollercoaster with some complications and a strain on the whole family. In the middle of all this, I crashed while riding my little dirtbike and smashed my knee on the ice resulting in a partially torn quad and 5-7 weeks of recovery forcing me into rest mode. And while this was minor, it definitely couped me up during one of the toughest parts of the year for me. The focus of writing this is not for sympathy, but rather the purpose of sharing that it is okay to slow down and when you are resisting, the Universe will remind you to do so. I write this as a reminder to myself as well because if you know the Bredeson boys, taking time to chill is one of the most challenging things for us to do. Fortunately, it gave me more time and opportunity to dive inward to grow and become more aware of my actions, thoughts, and behavior. 

Overall, the winter can take a toll on my summer soul, active lifestyle, and my overall mental well-being (S.A.D: Seasonal Affective Disorder, it’s a thing). And while I genuinely enjoy skiing, I definitely thrive during the warmer months. As the temperature drops, I am spending more time indoors, it also allows me to spend more time inside mentally, emotionally, and spiritually as well. This would include doing overall mental wellness activities such as reading self growth books, writing, meditating, gratitude, and also some physical fitness. 

READING: Reading is one of the most grounding activities for me and because of that, it is an absolute staple in my daily routine. Just before 2019, I set out a goal to read five engaging and thought provoking books. That was four more books than I read the previous year, but I had to start somewhere. With that goal, I ended up setting aside at least 30-45 minutes to read each day. If I don’t, I notice a substantial difference in my mental state and attitude throughout the day. Did I meet the goal? Of course, I definitely read a few more books than five and a strong majority focused on developing your awareness, presence, business, and mind. Fortunately, with more time indoors and time to recover, I was able to channel my energy to being productive and reading during the winter months and it dramatically helps my mental well being. 

JOURNALING/WRITING: Journaling and writing have been a great emotional release for me. It allows me to slow my mind down, write down my intentions, organize my thoughts between the lines of the paper or on a computer. Journaling with intention can be so powerful, it allows me to consciously put what I desire into the Universe. For me, I take time to write a daily journal in the morning stating what I am grateful for, my intentions, and any lingering thoughts that may need to be cleansed. There are different ways you can journal, but doing it with purpose can increase your frequency and elevate your life. Do it in the morning, write down your intentions for the day, jot down any thoughts, try to stay present and allow the issues of yesterday stay in the past, and then express gratitude. What the hell are you grateful for? There is so much everyday! One form of journaling that is an absolute staple is a gratitude journal. Each evening, write down every single thing that you are grateful for. Feel the energy along with your gratitude and put yourself in a strong place mentally prior to going to bed. 

MEDITATION: If you read any self-help book, it will suggest taking time for silence and stillness. Why? Meditation allows you to slow down, become the observer of your mind and thoughts (negative and positive), and become mindful. This presence is often overlooked throughout the day. This has been one of the more challenging pieces of my elevation time, but it is also becoming the most important. I recently discovered the Insight Timer app and it has allowed me to pick and choose what kind of meditation I want to do in the morning and evening. Take five minutes, take an hour, commit to it and feel the benefits of consistent meditation. This is a learning process, it may be easy to get distracted, with time comes discipline and mastery. Meditate and elevate. 

MOVEMENT: Exercise and movement are so important for your mental health as well as physical health. With colder months, I tend to spend more time at Endorphin (fantastic name for the best gym). While I do coach strength there, it is also where I enjoy preparing my mind and body for the summer adventures and releasing endorphins to keep me happy and energized. I am a morning person, always have been, always will be, so I love getting up in the morning to exercise whether it is strength training, some form of cardio, or yoga. It also helps elevate my energy in the morning and get me stoked for the day ahead. If you want the most unreal, positive environment, come take a class at Endorphin. Not because I work there, but also because I absolutely love the amazing combination of ambiance, social connectedness, and physical fitness opportunity. 

As I finish this, the sun is starting to stay out longer, the days are getting warmer, and it is igniting the fire of my desire. I can feel the warmth of my soul and energy increasing and I am ready for spring and more outdoor activities ahead, but I am grateful that I was able to take time to slow down and dig inward. It has been a great opportunity to implement more daily activities to elevate my life, evaluate my intentions, and focus on other parts that I may have been distracted from. While my adversity was minor, it bred resilience and opportunity to pursue other passions and pieces of elevation.