Retreat!

Glo @ Yoga Retreat

ri-treet:  a place of privacy; a place affording peace and quiet; hideaway: an area where you can be alone; withdrawal for prayer and study and meditation; withdrawal of troops to a more favorable position to escape the enemy's superior forces or after a defeat.



Last weekend I was able to retreat to a lovely Georgian country house for 3-days of yoga, meditation and vegetarian food with Michelle Cross.  I don't know that any other "retreat" that I've been on changed me as much as this one and in so many different ways.

Since returning to my life, I feel so much stronger in my body.  Yoga may look like stretching and bending, but there's also a great deal of muscle involved in getting into poses properly and then being able to hold those poses.  I can feel the strength that developed from doing 10 hours of yoga during this weekend.  Yep, you read right ... 10 hours of yoga.  I've noticed this new found strength in my other workout classes, and in how I'm carrying my body.  My back is straighter, I'm holding my head up just a bit higher, and I feel calmer and more in touch with myself.  Not to mention how it's affected my singing.  This week I've been preparing to compete in the Finals of Concorde's Got Talent (which is tonight, by the way) and my breathing is more consistent, my notes are more supported because my core is stronger, and I'm discovering new things that my voice is capable of.



Tilton House

 The other big change has been unplugging a bit more.  Unplugging from the internet and from TV.  It's amazing how much more productive and focused I feel.  I've been reading more this week, I've started to think about the book I want to write, and I've gained some major insight into finding the courage to only doing those things that I really feel passionate about.  When it's quiet and your spirit is still, you're able to hear what's in your heart ... there's beauty in stillness!

Lastly, after eating a completely vegetarian menu and having so much more energy and less strange smells coming from the nether region, I've modified the way I'm eating.  No, I've not gone vegetarian, but I've added more fresh fruit, veggies, and grains to my diet. 

So I ask you, what would a retreat mean for you?  For me it was stepping back from myself in order to see myself a little bit clearer.  Maybe you can't get away for a weekend, but I'm sure you can find a hour over the coming weekend to retreat, be it into a book or magazine (this month's Oprah Magazine is very powerful), or a meditation or Yoga session (or both), or taking a much needed nap.  I encourage you to find a way to retreat in the coming days.  I guarantee you will immediately feel the benefits! 

I'd love to hear about your journey ... happy retreating!

Glo.

Life in the UK - Three Month Review

It's been just over three months that I've been living in the UK and it's been a bit of a roller coaster ride.  In hindsight, I now realize that you can't really mentally prepare for being uprooted from everything that felt safe and familiar and replanted in a place that at times feels unsafe and really unfamiliar.  By unsafe, I don't mean that I worry about getting "jacked" in the sleepy little town of Waterlooville where I live, I mean unsafe in not having all the comforts of the familiar that YOU are probably taking for granted right now!

The biggest, on-going adjustment is to Neal (the hubs) being away so much.  He's an entertainer who works on cruise ships and most of the time he's on a ship and I'm home alone.  "Johnny No Mates," is a term I've picked up over hear and it aptly describes how I feel most of the time since I've only made a few friends since moving to England in July.  It's strange, because sometimes when Neal is home, I feel like he's impinging on my life ... like I have to drop everything to spend time with him.

Honestly, what's taking up most of my time is working out.  I go to the gym and/or yoga class five days a week.  Which brings me to another adjustment that's taking some time.  The Brits are a laid-back people and the Americans are typically not.  I'm a typical American in that I'm friendly, chatty and maybe at times a bit "in-your-face."  This doesn't go over well here.  In the fitness classes at the gym it's dead silent accept for me going "woohoo," "yeah" or making any sound that might come out depending on the level of pain I'm in at any given time.  Even in Zumba class, I'm the ONLY one keeping up a ruckus!  I can't help myself, and I've tried!  Also, no one comes up to speak to you.  I feel as if I'm constantly breaking the ice.  One day just before "Step" class, one of the girls from Zumba struck up a conversation.  Well, apparently it takes just one brave Brit to speak to the newcomer in order for the rest of the Brits to pipe in.  And pipe in they did.  Suddenly, I'm surrounded by ladies and we're all chattering away.  I'm thinking, finally, the ice is broken and I'm no longer "Johnny No Mates."  Wrong!  The next week I was right back to nobody speaking to me. 

There's is hope, though, because there are two ladies, Belinda and Tania, who seem to be of the same "tribe" as me and on several occasions we've been chatting away like old friends.  They even invited me shopping today!  Maybe I'm up to five friends now!  I do have some awesome neighbors and I've joined the wives (Clare and Maureen) for Yoga on Monday nights. 

Driving is coming along quite well.  I'm no longer terrified of roundabouts and driving at night only slightly terrifies me.  The fact that I've been doing some performing has made me have to face the night driving.  Speaking of performing, I did my first official gig this past weekend at Thirty Three Restaurant Cafe in Poole which is about an hour from my house.  Prior to that I entered "Concorde's Got Talent" sponsored by The Concorde Club and I performed in the Semi-finals in October and will compete in the Finals on November 12th.  I'm making some good music connections and have even been invited out to Cypress in January to perform at several 5-Star Hotels.  I'm still negotiating the terms, but it's looking promising.

I love the convenience of where I live.  Everything is within walking distance ... the grocery store, the gym, the eye doctor, the medical clinic, shopping in general, to name a few things.  I'm trying to walk more because I entered the "Moon Walk" Marathon in London that will be held in May next year.  I've always wanted to complete a marathon but wasn't thrilled with the idea of running one.  This one you walk during the night and it's proceeds go towards Breast Cancer Research.  I've been trying to talk Neal into walking with me, but so far, he's not having it!

Overall, my first three months have been awesome.  I feel like I'm in my stride now and relishing the adventure and the newness of everything!  I miss my friends and family back in the states and I sometimes feel disconnected from my old life.  However, I'm loving my new life and learning how to cope with the occasional bouts of loneliness.  In American tradition I'm planning a big Thanksgiving Dinner, and I'm looking forward to sharing it with my new family and new friends!  I have so much to be thankful for!

Competition

Lately, I've been noticing how competitive I can be.  My competitiveness seems to be surfacing in the strangest situations.  I recently joined my neighborhood fitness center and have been going to various workout classes.  Because of my competitive nature, I find that I have a much better work out in class because I want to be the best in the room, so I end up pushing myself.  My competitive spirit also reared it's head during Yoga, of all things!  There's one lady in the class who rocks at Yoga, so I found myself holding poses longer and going deeper into stretches with the mindset of, "If she can do, so can I."  And again, this competitiveness is making me a better Yogi. 

My first instinct in seeing my competitive side surface was to suppress it, thinking "you don't have to be the best, just do your best."  But then I thought, if being competitive is making me work harder and push myself beyond what I think I can do, then it's all good.

I guess I've always been competitive, but haven't found myself in situations where it's come to the surface.  I did see glimpses of it when I was living in Milwaukee and booking gigs.  My friend, the fabulous singer Jeannine Rivers, and I definitely had a unspoken, friendly competition going.  I would find myself checking her website and seeing how many bookings she had and then get stirred to action if she had more than me.  That got me on the phone book and on the net researching new places to perform.  I even went after gigs and places she played.  That's right, I'm not afraid to admit it 'cause I know she was doing the same thing ... LOL!  (Jeannine, if you're reading this I just have one thing to say ... "Twist 'N Olive" ... LOL).  That friendly competition with Jeannine kept my calendar filled because I was not going to be outdone!

So many people have asked me if I'd try out for one of the reality shows like "American Idol" or "Britain's Got Talent."  I always say "no" because I can't imagine putting myself under that type of pressure.  However, I have entered a local contest based on one of these shows called "Concorde's Got Talent."  I auditioned for the competition on September 25th and was put through to the Semi-Finals, which are being held tonight ... YIPS!  My competitive nature is stirred up more than ever.  I've got seven minutes to wow the judges and the audience and I haven't been this dedicated to rehearsing and fine tuning my performance in a very long time. 

With this competition, though, I don't feel the need to be the best singer.  I'm focusing on giving the best performance that I can possibly give, and I've been rehearsing and preparing to do just that.  Don't get me wrong, I WANT to win, but I also want to absorb the lesson that I'm to learn from this experience.  It's given me such a boost that I'm thinking, maybe I will try out for Britain's "X Factor" next year, especially since they're doing the over 28s category.  You never know, right!

So, I said all that to say this ... a little "healthy" competition is a great tool to make you the best that you can be.  If you find that you have a bit of a competitive nature, use it to help you grow at whatever it is you're endeavoring to do!  Win or lose, I guarantee you'll discover a little bit more about what you're really made of.

Jeannine recently told me that she may be moving to London to go to school.  It seems Jeannine will be keeping me on my toes, even in England ... bring it on, sister!!

Quit Your Whining, Move It!

The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. Hi, my name is Gloria Miller, and I’m a whiner. Well, lately anyway. I’m not usually a whiner, but the past six weeks of living in this strange country called to UK … yes, I’ve been whining … a lot! I thought it would be easy adjusting to life here but it hasn’t. I haven’t at all been motivated to do the things I know I need to do to plug in to this existence. As much as the US and UK are alike, they are equally, if not more, different. Just because you’re using the same words does not mean you’re speaking the same language.

Example … I asked my niece (in-law) Millie to hand me my purse. So she rummaged around in my purse and brought me my wallet. I said, not just the wallet, bring me my purse. Then she stood there perplexed ‘cause she had already brought me my purse. You see, in the UK purse means wallet and bag means purse. So the proper thing to say would have been “Millie, bring me my bag.” It took us 20-minutes to sort that out.

Also, I’m starting to lose some of my words … to the accent. I didn’t think it would happen, but it’s starting to. I met this awesome lady, Marlene, who is also an American who married a Brit and now lives in England. However, when I first spoke with her on the phone, I thought she was a Brit! She has an amazing British accent. It wasn’t until we were out for drinks that she told me she was from the states. I couldn’t believe it! I never would have guessed it. Then I started to worry about my accent (which is a strange mix of Midwest meets Southern meets Ebonics). Marlene said she picked up the accent so that she could be understood by the locals. And strangely enough, I get that. I wasn’t expecting to have so much miscommunication in a country that speaks the same language.

Then there’s the fashion. The UK style is not quite European and not quite American. It’s a strange in-between look that I’m not sure I want to adopt. There are definitely some fashionistas that know how to bring it, but the typical look is unique to this part of the world. Admittedly, I’m no fashion plate, but when I walk into the City Center of the bustling metropolis of Waterlooville, my new town, I feel quite fashion forward.

I do love that the full-figure is celebrated in the UK in a way that it’s not done in the states! Thanks to Gok, I love my big bangers! Gok hosts a show called “How To Look Good Naked” and it’s been an education for me on dressing for my body type (and age). My sister Ruth always says I dress like an overgrown teenager. I’m working on that. However, I did go shopping with Millie this weekend and was introduced to a wonderful store called Hollister featuring clothing for 12 to 18 year olds. Alright, maybe I had a minor relapse ‘cause I bought the cutest pink top … LOL!

Wow, did I get side-tracked. Anyway, back to what I was saying about whining … something seems to have clicked in my mind yesterday to kick me into gear to get my life up and running. I’ve been idling for six-weeks and today when I got out of bed, I did so with purpose, focus and a clarity that both surprised and excited me. Now that I’m back in gear, there’s no stopping me.

Today, I’m happy to say I’m in recovery from whining. I know I have to take it one day at a time and that there might be the temptation to whine again. My intention, though, is to stay whine-free!

If you haven’t done so already, please check out “The Power” by Rhonda Byrne. It’s the sequel to “The Secret.” I just started reading it today and it’s a great read so far.   Click here to preview the new book.

Glo.

Stuck in the Middle

Have you ever felt like you were stuck “in the middle?”  That’s how I’m feeling these days and rightly so. Here’s why. I seem to be somewhere in the middle between …

Old & Young - I turned 44 this month and somehow that seems waaaaaayyyyyy older than 43. I find myself modifying my goals ‘cause it seems unrealistic to keep “trying” at this age. I know that’s not where my head should be … but it is!

Being a Mother & Being Childless - Trust me, Neal and I are definitely trying to rectify this one. Until I was 37 I never thought I wanted kids. Then I met Neal and something changed … I also started having night sweats. The idea that the “kid-having thing” might no longer be under my control seemed to have jump-started my internal clock. I swear, prior to that, I never heard the tick, tock!

Famous & “Who?” - Worldwide CD release, minimal sales. Wanna buy a CD?

American & British - My husband Neal is British and I just moved to the UK this month. I didn’t think I’d feel so lost during this transition period, but I am. It’s only been a couple weeks but I’m not sure where to start in order to plug myself into “this” life. I’m slowly coming out of neutral and into first gear. I guess that is a start, right?

Fat & Thin – Currently, bulge is winning. But I’m not defeated yet. Two-weeks ago I started “Body for Life” and I gained 1 pound! I’m pretty sure that 1 pound is muscle and not the nachos I ate on the cruise ship last week!

My Ego & My Self - Can’t I just be me? Why are we defined by what we do instead of who we are? Wife … daughter … sister … friend … singer … entertainer … writer … when these titles are striped away, what’s left? Me. Is that enough?

So I ask again … Have you ever felt stuck in the middle? I would love to hear about your “middle” ground or how you’ve managed to pick a side. As always, I welcome your thoughts, rants and comments!

Much love …

Glo.

CD Release, Wedding, Relocation – Update

CD Release

It’s been almost 2 months since “Let Go” was released and I’m amazed at the wonderful feedback I’m getting on the project. It’s one thing when you think you’re great … it’s something completely different when someone else thinks you’re great, LOL! The release party was at Piano Blu on May 14th and it was an awesome night. So many of my friends and family came out to support and buy the CD. I have worldwide distribution through www.cdbaby.com/cd/gloria3 and worldwide airplay through www.Jango.com/music/Gloria+Miller, so I’ve also had some internet sales and internet airplay all around the world. The latest single, “Your Touch,” is available as a free download when you join my mailing list. Join and download yours today!

Wedding

About a week before the wedding I seriously started to wonder why people even bother with planning big ceremonies. Everything was starting to go wrong, people who I thought I could count on went AWOL and time was ticking away! Then, June 5th arrived and it was one of the happiest days of my life. Honestly, I couldn’t stop smiling. When I began planning the wedding, I knew I wanted it to be an intimate setting with the people who love and support Neal and me. We arranged the ceremony so that Neal and I would face the audience instead of having our backs to them, and as I stood there looking around the room, all I saw were the faces of the people I love most in the world and I was overwhelmed by the love and joy emanating from them! It was an incredible day.

I have to say a little about the honeymoon too …

Neal and I do a lot of travelling between the US and the UK, as well as for Neal’s work, so the last thing we wanted to do was spend a lot of time travelling to a destination. We decided to take a “driving” trip through some of the New England states. We flew into Providence, Rhode Island where we picked up our rental car and embarked on a week of leisurely drives, Bed & Breakfasts, and the best seafood I’ve ever tasted! We visited Cape Cod; Cheers in Boston; Portland, Maine; and Bar Harbor, Maine where we spent two days exploring Acadia National Park and eating lobster.

Of course, a week wasn’t long enough. As soon as I started to unwind, it was time to come back home. We were so blessed that we travelled when we did, ‘cause we were just ahead of the mad rush that the area was gearing up for. We were able to spend time walking and travelling at our own pace without the hassle of traffic and the typical tourist trade. We even stuck to the coastal roads instead of the main highways, and some of the views of the seaside and the homes were breathtaking. We’d like to go back in the fall when the leaves are changing … that has to be amazing!

Relocating

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It’s official now, I’m a UK Resident. I applied for my Spouse VISA just before the wedding and was expecting to have the VISA before we left for the honeymoon. We knew that we would only have a few days after the honeymoon before Neal would have to fly back to the UK for work, and we were hoping I’d be able to go with him. Of course, the VISA didn’t come before Neal had to leave, so less than a week after the honeymoon, Neal left me. We were only separated for a couple weeks. The VISA arrived about 3 days after Neal left, but since he was headed right to a ship for work, we decided to fly me over later when he’d be back home to get me from the airport. That was Saturday, July 2nd.

Packing up my house was strange. However, when I first moved into the house in 2007, I kept saying that I’d only be living in it for a couple years. Neal was completely out of the picture at that time, but somehow I knew my living there would be temporary. By the time I sold or gave away my stuff, my life was reduced to eight boxes that cost a small fortune to ship to the UK. Did you know that the post office will only ship boxes internationally by Priority Mail? Well, I didn’t! Neal and I were sweating bullets as the dollars were adding up as the clerk weighed each box. Well, in actuality, it cost under $1,000 which is much less than it would have cost had I been shipping furniture, etc. I basically shipped music, clothes, books, and all my memories that you simply can’t get rid of (photos, year books, video tapes of shows, etc.).

So, I’m starting over yet again and I’m jumping in with both feet. I’m excited to see what happens over the next few months as I adjust to my new marriage, home and country! I love the idea of having a fresh start and feel like this is a chance to reinvent myself. Please stay tuned to this blog and take the journey with me! Come on … it will be fun!!

As always, I welcome your thoughts, rants or comments!  Join the conversation ...
 
Glo.

CD Release, Wedding, Relocating

Word of advice, never try to accomplish the above-mentioned, life-changing events at the same time. I wish someone had given me this advice!

CD Release (and Party)

I started working on this CD almost two years ago and have finally sent it off to the manufacturer to have the CDs pressed. It was such a relief when the project was no longer in my hands ... at least for a few days before I began marketing the thing. The party ... well, really it was a gig I already had booked and since the timing was good, I decided to turn that gig into a release party. I'm pleased with how the CD has turned out and I'm proud to present it to the world. I just hope somebody buys it ... LOL!

Wedding

I'm getting married on June 5th and honestly, it's been a very smooth process so far. I've enjoyed every minute of the planning and thankfully, I had some great friends to help out ... thanks Georgie and Andrea! As I'm writing this, I'm in the UK so I've had to be creative in managing all of these projects, especially with the 6 hour time difference. I've still got a few loose ends to tie up for the wedding ... hostess dresses, Neal's ring sized, wedding programs, table settings ... Okay, I'm gonna stop there 'cause I just felt my blood pressure go up! Plus, I've got home work from my DJ to do and I just can't face it. Being a musician, planning the music should be the easiest part ... well, it isn't! Any suggestions about music to play at the wedding/reception?

Relocating

That's what I get for marrying a Brit! Yep, I'm moving to the UK just after the wedding. This one has taken me by surprise. A year ago there's no way you could have convinced me that I'd be leaving my family, friends and local music scene to start all over again in England. But I am. The idea of it is both exciting and terrifying. The past few weeks I've been getting a taste of life in Waterlooville (you read correctly, that's the name of my new town ...LOL!) and because I don't know anyone yet, and because Neal travels a lot, I've been on my own for most of this visit. It's been a challenge. Luckily, I have a CD, wedding and relocation to prepare for to keep me busy ... otherwise I'd be talking to a soccer ball right now (Castaway ... Tom Hanks ... Wilson)!

Oh, and did I mention the volcano? I was supposed to join Neal on a ship just a few days after the London airports closed, and unfortunately, my flight was cancelled. I've lived in Chicago with its wind, snow and tornado warnings ... Florida with its hurricanes ... Milwaukee with its cold weather and snow ... but never anything like this. I have flown since the airports re-opened, and surprisingly, there were no delays, the plane wasn't even full, and there were no issues in the air. Thank you Jesus!

So, I guess it's going to be a busy couple of months and I'm going to have to do yoga everyday to keep myself calm. Stay tuned as I countdown to the UK!