30 day yoga challenge....check!

30 days! Yes. I. Did.  

I'm not sure if completing my 30 day yoga challenge is as important as understanding where it all began, and how much has changed since then.  

Prior to last December, I had done yoga exactly 1 time.  1 time.  In clinical practice, I had encouraged others to try yoga thinking in a very existential way that it "must be good" for people to help stretch and relax, but really didn't understand (1) the effort it takes to practice, (2) the strength it takes to practice or (3) the commitment it takes to practice.

So on a random day last December, I decided I wanted to try yoga and signed up for a class with my neighbor.  I was awkward, nervous, uncoordinated and quickly became acutely aware of my lack of upper and core body strength.  But I loved it, weird?

8 months later, I decided to try a "30 day yoga challenge."   

My journey to the "30 day challenge" isn't markedly unlike my journey with running, my journey with writing, my journey with now writing my book..once I make up my mind to do something, I'm all in! 

But the thing I find relatable, perhaps, or want people to understand is I had zero experience with it (and also have a chronic pain condition I deal with everyday) and I did it anyway.  It's somewhat like jumping off a cliff with a parachute and "hoping" it opens and glides me safely to the ground and in the meantime, there is something I need to learn in the process.  I had no idea what I was getting into, but somewhere inside of me I felt like I was being pushed to try something new.  

• There were days I didn't want to get up and go to yoga, I got up anyway. 
• There were days I was sore and exhausted, but I went anyway. 
• There were days I was juggling my family life, work life, and had a run to do, but I went anyway. 
• There were days I felt insecure with my mind and body and really didn't want to go to yoga, but I went anyway.  

Doing something we feel like we can't do or are scared of doing does far more for us than doing something in our comfort zone ever will.  Sometimes, we need to be uncomfortable, we need to feel uneasy to really push ourselves towards our full potential.

So how does pushing beyond our comfort zone enable us to do things we once thought were impossible?  

My 20s and 30s year old self would've never thought it was possible to: 

• Leave a consistent steady job (and paycheck) and opt for a more challenging/fulfilling career as a private therapist (every paycheck is a "mystery' depending on # clients seen, etc).  The fear of the unknown "could've" kept me from the best job I've ever had! 
• Run a block.  Let alone a 5k, or half or full or the wonderful distances in between. I may never be the first one to finish a race, but I finish.  And had I let the fear of "what do I look like when I"m running" override my thoughts, I would've never known how sweet it is to receive a medal just for having the courage to run the race.  I wish everyone could know that feeling. 
• Do yoga.  That was for hippie dippie types.  Wait...I was much more hippie dippie then, why wasn't I doing yoga then? 
• Commit to write a book and start interviewing people, some of whom I hardly know, about peace.  Me.  Of all the things I've done and I'm doing, this one is the most daunting and thus scares me the most...... But....

Having the success of other things in my life that I've been scared of or insecure about has helped me prepare for this next challenge.  And isn't that what life is all about?  Getting ready for the next challenge in life?  Big or small....I believe with all that I am that challenges keep us moving forward, interesting and interested in life.  

So if you're considering the next challenge in life that you're scared to take on for fear of the unknown....you are not alone!

Know I've done this....

• Had days I've second guessed myself leaving the security of my steady paycheck and job.  
• Started a race I couldn't finish...but at least I had the courage to start.  
• Had to take child's pose, been terrified doing a handstand, had to modify my stances in yoga because I have had to face and accept my limitations.
• Put out writing that has been critiqued by others, and accept whatever feedback has been offered.

The uncertainty, failures, limitations of life, and critiques have done more to help me more forward in my journey than the desire to stay "safe" ever could.  

"Your time is limited, so don't waste time living someone else's life.  Don't be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people's thinking.  Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your inner voice.  And most important, have the courage to follow your own heart and intuition." Steve Jobs