Healthy Living with Cathy

Recovery isn’t always sitting still.

Some of my best recovery days involve gentle movement in the pool. The water reduces impact while challenging balance, mobility, and coordination in ways that help me return to running, walking, strength training, and everyday life feeling better.

Recovery isn’t one-size-fits-all. The right strategy depends on your goals, training history, and how your body responds to stress.

That’s why I spend as much time helping people recover well as I do helping them exercise.

What’s your favorite recovery tool or routine?

Every teacher had a teacher. 🀄️

This week I’m back in North Carolina playing Mahjong with my mother-in-law, who introduced me to the game years ago. I’m grateful for the friendships, fun, and community that have grown from a simple invitation to sit down and learn (plus a few house rules 😆).

Sometimes the most meaningful things begin with someone pulling up a chair and saying, “Let me show you how.”

🀄️ I’m excited to share that I’m now listed in the American Mah Jongg Instructor Directory!

If you’ve enjoyed learning with me through the YMCA, CJ’s, Spring House, or a private group, would you consider leaving a short review? It only takes a minute and helps new players find me.

Thank you for your support and for making Mahjong such a rewarding part of my Healthy Living with Cathy offerings. ❤️

Link:
https://meetups.americanmahjonggassociation.com/united-states/perrysburg/cathy-ward

Not sure about hosting everyone at your home? 🀄️
Join me in June at CJ’s with your friends instead! We’ll take care of the setup, materials, and guided instruction — you just come ready to learn and play. 😊

American Mahjong - Learn to Play Series | Cjs On Third Curious about American Mahjong? 🀄 Join us for a 3-week Learn to Play series at CJs On Third—where strategy meets community. Learn the basics, build confidence, and enjoy a relaxed, social experience in our cozy space. All materials provided. Seats are very limited. BYOBooze & Snacks

Grateful for the women who taught me strength, care, resilience, and how to keep showing up. Spending Mother’s Day learning, reflecting, and soaking up a little Arizona sunshine. 💛

Coming soon in the studio ✨

Adding more recovery tools alongside movement.

Sometimes progress isn’t more reps—it’s better tissue prep, better awareness, and knowing when to downshift.

This will start showing up in the Mobility Lab where it makes sense.

Bringing out the tiles 🀄️

Today is our first Mahjong lesson, and there’s something about opening the cards and setting up the table that feels a little like starting fresh.

It’s not just learning a game — it’s slowing down, focusing, and letting your mind work in a different way. Pattern recognition, patience, a little strategy… and a lot of figuring it out as you go.

Looking forward to seeing how this group builds over the next few weeks.

Lately, Mahjong has become part of my routine again 🀄️
Not as a “game night,” but as a different kind of practice — one that challenges focus, pattern recognition, and patience in a way that feels surprisingly grounding.

It’s been a reminder that taking care of ourselves isn’t just physical. There’s value in stretching the mind, slowing down, and engaging in something social and a little strategic.

I wrote a bit more about why I’ve been drawn to it and how it fits into a balanced approach to wellness here:
link: https://www.springhousepilatesohio.com/post/mahjong-for-the-mind-why-it-belongs-in-a-healthy-living-routine

Curious if anyone else has something like this — a practice that’s not exercise, but still feels like it supports your well-being?

🀄️ Mahjong for the Mind: Why It Belongs in a Healthy Living Routine When people think about improving their health, they often focus on movement — strength, flexibility, balance.Those matter.Healthy living isn’t just physical, though. It’s also about how we think, focus, and connect. This is where Mahjong comes in.🧠 What Mahjong Builds (Beyond the Table)Mah...