As this week started, several super awesome projects started either getting finished up or finally getting started. I’m talking THREE big, HUGE deals finally came to fruition–all at the same time (isn’t that funny how that seems to happen?) As I was sitting down trying to go over my “list” of things to do to help complete these projects, it dawned on me that I had been holding back subconsciously –for at least a few months & I wanted to share this in case you’re stuck somewhere. Things were finally starting to move (and all at once it seemed), but only because I did something, I took action. Maybe my stickiness will help to unstick you. For the past several months, I have basically been sitting on a special project that Monika Patel and I had been wanting to do–actually since February. SOMETHING always came up and that project just always got pushed to the back burner. This particular project was actually taking the time to sit down and write about our last clinic–our Posture Clinic, to provide an amazing resource to you–or anyone –that was interested in alleviating chronic pain due to poor posture (which, believe it or not, IS A THING.)
I believe in this concept and I know it can help –it’s helped me! With literally millions of people suffering from low back, neck and shoulder pain at any given time, this content we had put together for you guys during the Posture Clinic was down right life changing. We needed to get it out, we had prepared to get it out. I just kept freezing.
Even when I did sit down to compile our photos, notes, etc, something always got in my way–whether it was me not knowing how to format, or whatever–it wasn’t until I got a swift kick in the pants by a mentor that I finally realized what it was.
I was and am afraid of failure.
This past year has been a LOT of me getting “out there” –whether it’s more personal videos and photos of my family and practice, or more blog posts–you name it.. I am sharing my love of Yoga with You–and the rest of the world, in the hope that it will help one person be introduced to this amazing practice. THAT–in and of itself has been a struggle.
Now, here I was, trying to write a book that’ll go on Amazon, for the whole world to potentially see–and I just was FREEZING.
Here’s the thing: doing hard stuff is just that, it’s HARD. If it was easy to practice everyday or exercise, or do whatever hard thing –then everyone would do it, and it wouldn’t really be hard.
I was avoiding doing the hard stuff–ie exposing anymore of myself for ultimate failure, because it was scary.
I don’t know if you do this or not, but I also avoid the hard stuff I hate in my personal yoga practice too. However–and this is the most ironic part of my whole frozen dilemma–I tell my students all the time, the pose you don’t want to do is usually the pose you need to do more of! (hello FROG pose!)
(this is hans down, one of my least favorite poses…clearly, you can see that on my face.)
The Most amazing part about doing the “hard” thing, is that once it is done, that becomes the standard–the new floor, which is harder or higher than your old floor–so in essence, every time you do something hard, you’re raising yourself up a notch. When you accomplish a goal, or at least try to do something that’s hard –even if you fail, you are increasing your potential. How’s that for a deep thought?!?!
Even if this new ebook (which will hopefully be live on Amazon in the next few days) is a complete failure–You know what, I have a book now, that is on amazon. HOLY FREAKING COW! Even if the only person that buys it is my mother (God Bless her), I wrote a book with a dear friend, and that is HUGE! The next time I put something like this together, it won’t be so scary–i will know that you don’t start out with a google slide document, but with an actual word document. I Will know that you don’t make a title page, because Amazon does it. Each time I go through the process, I will learn something, and that, in turn, makes the following time a little easier.
It’s just like that with your yoga practice. Remember the first time you tried to do a tree pose? The idea of standing with your foot basically into your rear end looked more than a little crazy. You tried putting your one foot on your ankle and prayed to the Dear Lord, Baby Jesus that would wouldn’t fall down. (ok, that may have just been me.) Now, I can do tree pose, I can transition into and out of it from other positions, and I Can even do it with my eyes closed (sometimes.) THe point is, the first time was the hardest and each time after that, it got a little easier because I learned.
You can do the same thing.
My words of encouragement for you today are–whatever it is you want to do but are struggling because it is hard….take a good hard, deep look at it and you tell that –whatever it is–either yoga pose or book, or dream–you tell it that you aren’t afraid of it. Recognize there’s a risk of failure, but that’s ok–failure is impossible if you just keep on working towards it. You will get it.
Maybe your first attempt won’t be perfect, but you’ll learn something, your floor will raise, and before you know it, you’ll be higher than you ever thought possible. You can do it, I believe you can. Now is your turn to believe you can.
If you’d like to check out a copy of the book, Moves to Improve Your Posture Learn exercises to help you stand taller and reduce neck, shoulder, and back pain you can find it at AMAZON. Currently, this is only available in digital format (sorry all you real book lovers!) My next floor raising will be learning how to publish an actual, real live, you can hold it in your hands BOOK!
If you’re interested in coming to practice some amazing, life changing yoga, I welcome you to Thrive Yoga and Wellness. We are conveniently located in the suburbs of Chattanooga, TN and offer over 40 classes each week! If you are not in our area, and you’re looking for some online yoga classes, we have a full library of free content on our YOUTUBE channel. I also have a full e-series available for purchase, now on Udemy! You can also purchase these videos and join a growing community of encouraging, fitness inspired yogis at Thrive Online. I hope to see you on the mat very soon!