Lessons from the Mat.....

I got reminded of an important mantra/saying this morning. And it's related to fear.  For the past year of so, I had decided to "embrace my fear" and "do it with fear!" and have certainly been preaching it to many others.  However, I realized today that I wasn't always embracing my fear at every opportunity that I could.  Today I was reminded that I still play it safe with my yoga practice....

I totally admit it, I'm very easily intimated by other teachers and taking their classes, especially if they are more "advanced" in their practice than I am.  Today, I was fortunate enough to be able to take a yoga class after the class I taught this morning, and it's one that has been deemed a challenging one {at least in my mind anyways}.  

So today in class, the amazing Jackie at Roswell Yoga Life encouraged us to "flip our dogs" aka "wild thing" while in downward facing dog.   I froze. This transition/asana has always intimated me, maybe it's because my lower back is usually sore, maybe it's because I think I suck or maybe it is because it involves some blind faith to a point.  Regardless, I skipped the first side.  Then it started bothering me...why not take the risk? 

So when it came time to do the other side, I just decided to do it... and..... I NAILED IT! {insert happy dance here}. And I realized it was actually quite easy to do, I had just let my fear make the decision and tell me that I couldn't do it or that I would fall on my ass, literally {said in a Chris Traeger voice of course}.  I luckily didn't fall on my ass, but so what if I had. Not the first time I would have tried a pose and not succeed the first time.  If I don't take risks or try, then I will never progress or meet my goals.  What kind of life is that? I want to move in life...forward, to the side, diagonal, any way really! {just not backwards if I can help it}

I was so happy when I left class. I texted a couple close friends and their response was "huh?" So I sent them a video and then they said they were proud of me! I also offered them the unsolicited feedback of how fear holds us back to much.  My friends LOVE being friends with me....I promise....

And to make sure it wasn't a fluke, I did wild thing on BOTH sides when I got home! BOOM!! Nailed it! 

So, in closing, think about what in your life is fear in control of. Is it worth trying? If you fall, can you get back up again? Brush off the bruised ego and keep trying and taking risks until you can succeed.  



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