Walking my Talk
Slow down! ;)
I hope the photo above makes you giggle as much as I do.
As you may well know, if you attend my classes, I'm a promoter of slowing down, softness and relaxation. The reason being is that much of life can seem to ask us to go fast, tense up and stay on high alert. We've all heard at some point that we should push our limits, step out of our comfort zone and do more. In some ways (sometimes) I agree, AND I suggest balancing it with the opposite. Especially if we've had the tendency to be an "A-type," have been on the go a lot or have a lot of stress.
“Do you think that you need to think more or rest more?”
So, here's where I walk my talk even more. I've cancelled my Saturday class at Oracle Yoga for the summer, so I can have a 2 day weekend. As a Yoga Instructor, I'm also a small business owner, so I spend a lot of time working on my business (which can mean studying and computer time among other things) as well as teaching upwards of 15 classes per week. I've always believed that I should be relaxed and practicing self-care myself in order to support others in the same, so I make sure to start my days slow (no work before teaching) and take time to practice Yoga, Yoga Nidra, get outside and relax with a book (non-fiction mostly though). This is so I show up for class relaxed rather than tense, so I won't add to any tension students may be feeling when they show up. Because I love teaching so much, I've been known to have no days off per week and no vacation, so having one day off a week from teaching has been my commitment to myself for the last while. Taking it to two days was actually a challenge as I like to be there for students as much as possible because I believe so much in the "medicine" of Yoga and that we all need time for ourself. Yes, there's the practice what you preach part. I need to do that for myself as much as I support others to practice that as well. Not like this is a huge revelation... we all teach what we need to learn, so here I am practicing and sharing self-care and balance.
The funny part is that there is so much telling us (maybe especially as entrepreneurs) to keep going, push a little harder, check off the to-do list, set goals, etc, etc. I'm saying do the opposite, as often or maybe more, to balance out all of that. Like in a Yoga posture, soften into what is and be receptive and open. As I've seen with my body, I get more out of the practice when I soften rather than just push. A balance of effort and ease. Inhaling and exhaling,
I'd love to hear how you also practice this and wish you as much ease as effort (which is sometimes the mental effort it takes to change a pattern or even to do nothing).
Hug yourself for me ;)
Alissa