Brashy.

When boundaries and rashes collide.

I used to scoff at the month of September because it felt like a sharp goodbye from the ease and carefree energy that the summer months tend to hold.

Then I experienced “summer of 2023” where the ease and carefree part aggressively and confidently jumped out the window. There was more planning, more work, more travel, more “try new things”, more moving parts than the summer’s I’ve known in the past.

And 99% of those things were freaking awesome.

However you frame it, this summer was life altering, life affirming, and absolutely exhausting. So exhausting in fact, I’m currently sporting a full body non contagious rash from the neck down. I laugh as I type this because it’s pretty comical considering I don’t *feel* stressed.

Is this what acclimation looks like?

Can you call it acclimating if your body is actively protesting?

This email is not about my mystery rash although I have a sneaky suspicion my work-load-life-balance is playing a part in it’s overstaying it’s welcome. So BRASH of my rash. lol

Where do we draw the line?

I asked this question last week as I got into a very animated, very passionate discussion with some of the other football parents at practice. This group of parents are awesome; involved, nurturing, educated, curious and funny. We were discussing the state of the world which as you can imagine is just a dumpster fire of a conversation to begin with…I posed the question: Where do we draw the line? In so many realms and categories of life it seems if we just smudge the edges a bit, we can be more empathetic, more accommodating, and more open. All the while we are wearing ourselves down creating a permeable membrane that keeps new problems cropping up.

Sometimes, I think a line is nice.

You could call this a boundary.

There are clear boundaries on the road. (hopefully)

There are clear boundaries in sports. (most of the time)

There are clear boundaries in science. (I guess this is changing but at least we still have the scientific method…)

Whyyy ohhh whyyy do we need to smudge boundaries when it comes to ourselves and our personal needs or expectations. You must create them or you will become a living breathing walking rash. Baaahahaha. Okay, again, we do not know for certain that this rash is from stress (I’ve had a biopsy and there are answers in the works) but it’s certainly being prolonged by my stressing over it’s origin. That much I know.

When it comes to mobility boundaries matter. I often hear people tell me they had no idea that they were pushing into pain. My clients typically share that “closing angle joint pain” was never discussed or explained to them prior to working with me or taking class. I feel this deeply, as I too had never heard this prior to 2017. For instance, I specifically remember taking this photo in 2008/2009 and feeling closing angle joint pain in my low back. Oh well, at least we “got the shot”.

May I remind you that a boundary is a safety net of sorts and when we honor them, we create proper feedback loops for joints and for interpersonal relationships, ya heard.

Now, Closing Angle Joint Pain (CAJP) can be anything.

Hmph. That’s not confusing, Nicole.

I mean it can be bone on bone sensation, nerve pain, mechanical tension, etc. As the brilliant Dr. Moses Bernard says “Closing Angle Anything” is a no-go. It’s not exclusive to “pain” as we’ve come to know it. When your’e performing CARs, you can gauge this by where in the rotation you feel such discomfort. A series of joints like your spine or a big ball and socket joint like your hips and shoulders will require a bit more investigation.

More commonly, folks are shocked to learn about the wrist. If you try and stand up from a sofa using your hand, look down at your hand/wrist you’ll see wrinkles forming on the CLOSING ANGLE of your wrist. This can be referred to as regressive tissue. The open angle would be the ‘palm side’, closer to the material of the sofa. Often students will tell me they experience this closing angle pain in plank pose (top of a pushup position) and just thought they needed to ‘stretch it more’. You can not stretch away CAJP. That’s important to know. You can improve it in other ways but step 1 is identifying it.

Here is a little video from the TikTok that explains how to move around closing angle joint pain. I hope you enjoy it and if you have questions I’m here for those as usual.

Boundaries are important. Respecting boundaries seems to pay off in a multitude of ways. Take it from the rash-y lady who is spending the remainder of her afternoon in quiet self care and relaxation honoring the brashness of this Brash.

Boundaries + Rash.

Get it.

I’ve got Dad jokes for days, fam.

In the meantime; learn your boundaries, respect them, and don’t forget to rest.

OKAYILOVEYOUBYEEE,

xx

Nic.

ps. Classes this week:

* Tuesday (today) QUICKIE YOGA 12-12:30pm pst. $10. All levels yoga...this is a feel good, mobility based sesh…you might sweat a little but overall it’s just a great break in the day. This class has always been $10 as it began as a community class. If you need financial assistance with any of my classes, just ask - we'll make it work.  Sign up here.

* Wednesday FULL BODY STRENGTH 6:30-7:05am pst. $20. This is our last August Fit class for the month and it begins with CARS, we’ll strength upper and lower body, have 2 cardio dance breaks and a brief meditation, CARS and a brief stretch. That’s how you do hump day. Sign up here.

pps. A REAL LIFE BARNES & NOBLE BOOK SIGNING AND AUTHOR Q&A!! Please come out and support us as this is such a major dream come true for me and my fellow authors. Our publisher Samantha Joy, founder of Landon Hail Press, is crushing the game and helping folks tell their stories. If you are on the fence about writing a book, you must come and meet her. We have such a family of authors ready and willing to support one another. Barnes & Noble at THE GROVE Sept 6th 7-9pm.

ppps. SEPTEMBER FIT 2023 will be open any day now. Sorry for the delay-we’ve had a few technical glitches in launching this month’s program but don’t worry…there will be plenty of time to sign up. We’ve got 13 classes over the course of 30 days. Beginning Friday 9/8 through Saturday 9/30. They all begin and end with CARS, because obviously.

We start the month with a welcome party aka a virtual check in and an opportunity to share your “word/phrase of the month”. My September phrase is “Prioritize space”.

Every class is modifiable for whatever level of fitness you embody today.

Classes are all 35 minutes, and they will live On Demand in case you miss the live session or have a time zone conflict.

Monday is lower body. Wednesday is upper body. Friday is a mobility based yoga flow. Saturday is full body.

We have an optional IG chat group that keeps the party going all month long.

This monthly group has grown into a family of like minded friends that make showing up THAT MUCH EASIER. We have FUN. Honestly, if you can’t have a little fun while you’re doing hard stuff, how will you stay committed? This is your opportunity to get in on something before fall and winter roll through and try to plow us down. LOL. I’m kidding but also dead serious. Stack your healthy habits now. Check out more here!!

pppps. Sample my FREE CLASSES and BEGINNER content to see how it goes for you. Would LOVE to see you in weekly classes or September Fit if you’re up for it.