There's a lot I need to work on still, and continue to improve. I've been working on my mind more than my body the passed couple of weeks, and I need to let myself be proud of that. That's not to say I don't seriously need to kick the physical training into high gear... but my mind has been in serious need of some tender love and care and the passed ten days have been the most up and up I've felt in a while.
I decided to commit to a 30-Day Yoga Camp via YouTube. I've mentioned her with love before, Miss Adriene Mishler, founder and host of Yoga With Adriene . Seriously - if you have not checked her out. Do it. I owe it to my friend Steph, who inspires me in her own wonderful ways, for telling me Adriene even existed. I've tuned in for videos here and there since Steph made her suggestion back in January, but despite (what I thought were) my best efforts, I've yet to stick to it. Adriene has more videos than I know what to do with sometimes (all free by the way) but she has two 30 day sets of practices, one of which is Yoga Camp - and I'm loving every breath of it.
I draw a lot of things from the videos: inspiration, affirmation, light, calm, breath. It's hard to wrap your head around if you can't open your mind to the possibility of feeling good, but once you do - it's truly amazing how connected you can feel to someone whose talking to you through a computer screen, especially when thousands of other people around the world are in the audience with you. Adriene has this way of reading your mind - her intuition is key in making her videos feel so easy. Even if you're shaking and wobbling in and out of poses, she encourages you to laugh at yourself, she grounds you. She's also great at offering different versions of poses to ease the pressure of "trying to get it right". Often I find she calls me out on things, like maybe my tail bone isn't tucked in quite right or I'm anchoring through the wrong foot or I'm falling into a pose instead of holding it strong - and it's freaky deaky but in a good way! Her empathy and ability to read her audience is surreal. And she's so genuine - you can feel it. Her dog makes appearances from time to time, instead of fancy yoga equipment she uses pillows and blankets, and sometimes she sings just for the heck of it. She rhymes for fun, makes silly references but at the end of the day - or should I say at the end of the practice - I leave my mat brighter than I was when I stepped onto it, wanting to be the best version of myself.
People think yoga, and feel they can't because they aren't flexible enough, or can't sit still. Or the house is too noisy or you can't clear your mind well enough.
These are all reasons you SHOULD be doing it. The fact that you don't think you can do it, the fact that you are doubting yourself - is the very reason you need it. And that's how I get myself on my mat. I know my day won't be as bright as it can be, that my mind won't have the same clarity, unless I have my morning pow-wow with Adriene.
I'm not that flexible. In fact I'm stiff and sore and tight in a lot of areas. Almost all the time.
That's why I do yoga.
I fidget. A lot. I'm always shifting my weight or trying to unkink something, or twirling my hair or rubbing my eyes.
That's why I do yoga.
There's a lot of people under one roof in my house, 6 + pets and frequent guests. Quiet doesn't come easy in my house. Hubby and I have our space, yes, but even still it's us and three pets - a golden retriever and two rambunctious cats - in a basement apartment. Things get crowded, things get loud and hectic. And that's why I do yoga (at 5:30 in the morning lol)
My mind races. Always. I worry about time, having enough, running out, being late. But when I roll out my mat, sit in front of my laptop, and press play, I ignore the clock. Whether it's 10 minutes, 25 minutes, or 50 minute practices. I just go with the flow. I breathe, I stretch, I relax. I recharge. THAT's why I do yoga.
Actually. That's why I do Yoga with Adriene.
She didn't ask me to write this. Now that I'm this far into this post though I might share it with her. I don't plan my posts out, I wing it. Whatever flows through my fingers to the keyboard happens. Today I must have been extra inspired. It was day seven of Yoga Camp today. Each day has a different affirmation or theme. Day 1 was "I Accept". Day 3 was "I Embrace". Today was "I Am Capable".
A different mantra every day with the same underlying goal - to find what feels good. To be there for myself. To love myself. To be aware and mindful, to let go of that which no longer serves me and move forward. Serious stuff right? Well this all comes to fruition while breathing deeply, smiling brightly, and the occasional LOL at whatever cooky thing comes out of my eccentric, charismatic yoga teacher.
So, yes, with Tough Mudder around the corner, the physical training needs a serious notch kick...y'know... kick it up a notch.. same thing. Anyway... Between that and my fundraising craziness, I am so thankful to have found a way to ground myself. I am not cured of craziness, but it's helping me manage it. Which means everything.
32 days left till Tough Mudder.
23 days left of Yoga Camp.
three weeks to get pumped, get fit, get ready, for one of the biggest challenges I've ever given myself.
Bring it on
