When there are losses, there are gains. Stripping the armored vest to unleash the superpowers I have insides me to unlock a new chapter while growing from the last chapter.
We all wear multiple types of vests whether or not we know it that we believe protect us from fear, uncertainty, and the uncomfortable. By doing so we shield vulnerability which is why we never grow out of our habitual ways. This type of fear is not the adrenaline sky diving scary fear, it is the type of fear that keeps us in a box. The uncertainty is not should or should you not buy the oversized tv, it is about moving forward to feel content in spite of what might happen. The uncomfortable is not sitting on an airplane for 4 hours, it is learning about the limitations you put on yourself. These 3 interconnected superpowers help prevent a false sense of reality.
When I teach I stand powerfully in front of 5 or 100 students that count on me provide balance mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. What they don’t recognize is that I teach opportunity.
Opportunity to discover what you are capable of controlling and learning to understand what you can do when a moment is out of your control. The opportunity to gain a different perspective about each of our own insecurities. What yoga teaches you is trust. Trusting yourself on a level that unzips comfortable, especially when you are upside down or leaning into my hand during the assist I offer…now that is trust 😉
I digress. The fear each of feel is lack of self knowledge and a lack of trust. It is okay to have feelings and to express them with an ugly cry. I have had more of those in the past 3 years than ever before. From happiness, to sadness, to stress, etc. Emotion is a part of human language. Choose fear to be the roots you grow from, to learn, to blossom into opportunity no matter how many times you fall, the only way is up. Rather than creating negative energy and linger on the feeling of loss, the unknown, the incapability to control what we cannot, we are survived by the courage to move forward. We cannot erase time but we can create stories in our head that are based by the fears we believe. This type of brain activity leads to a downward spiral that is hard to climb back up.
The capacity at which you allow any type of fear to surround your daily mindset is the moment you hold yourself back from an opportunity you did not know you had yet. There are millions of examples I could speak to for hours, but I’ll bore you with just one. One fear I have seen pop up during this pandemic is silly to some but super important to others. Gym’s are closed. This put the majority of gym rats into panic mode. Why? Most feared that without a gym they don’t “get a good workout in” and all the “work they have done will be lost.” This is the perfect example of false reality. The brain reacts naturally (something out of our control) until the information sinks in and realize we cannot change the state order. This is when you have the choice to embrace the other opportunities or live in this type of fear that my life is ruined and my world is crushed because one thing was taken away. We rely so much in our daily routine that one things goes “wrong” our downward spiral begins, we stop breathing, then turns on panic mode because uncertainty is formed from the fear of loss. During this time, creativity was at an all time high. New businesses started because of this pandemic with classes outside, holding privates lesson, etc. There is beauty behind the loss, opportunities gained were the results of what many feared. Leaning into what we can control prevents the fear of loss. This is just one example of the bigger population. Life is on pause, not permanently closed.
On a personal level, a small fear I have is sharing photos of myself. Silly, right? I can speak to hundreds of people at a time but posting a photo of myself these days is scarier than roller coasters! It is a lack of self love and appreciation for who I am. I don’t fear trolls, it is more of THIS is what people see me as? The criticism that comes from my mouth and in my brain is heartbreaking. I am learning to practice what I preach and reduce the amount of negative story telling and embrace my body as whole. Sure, there are parts we may want to change but heck, I am so broke I better just start liking how I look. LOL! In all seriousness, fear is the backbone of all reality. Internal knowledge about your triggers can lead to healthier mindset with a positive emotion behind situations. We can see fear arise on many levels, big and small. The super power take away is emotion will never disappear, but when you take the emotion out of the equation the focus transitions into a world of opportunity, creativity, and mental gain.
Lastly, uncertainty and uncomfortable. This I can speak to for days. I hear every single excuse in the book of “Why I can’t.” Quick story, had a client that brought a friend to practice yoga. Everything that we did she interrupted with, “I can’t because….”
I finally said, “Then what can you do?” She looked at me stunned. I then asked, “you can’t or you don’t want to?” Her answer was, “it is hard.” My face said it all. As an instructor I have worked with clients from 13-80 years old of all body types and physical capacity levels. I understand each body is different and has temporary limitations. I told my clients’ friend, let’s call her Betty, to switch her mindset. This planted the seed in Betty’s head that she can lie to herself and waster her own time or dance with discomfort and just do the dang pose.
The best part about my job is educating other’s on uncertainty and discomfort. I don’t know if you know, but everyone starts somewhere. We hold back from opportunities and activities because it might be “hard” when the challenge is getting away from the mental roadblock protecting you from a comfort zone. The uncertainty factor is a state of mind that questions whether we say yes or no. We say yes because we are comfortable and no because we are uncomfortable without seeing the end result. Pause! The end result stops us from going down the unknown path. What if you took the end result out of your path? What if there was no plan to create an end result? Wipe away the end point and shoot for the galaxy because if the end results was easy to get to that means your journey was mediocre. In order to better ourselves, because we all want to better ourselves in SOME way, then your path shouldn’t be easy. Remove “unsure” from your vocabulary and protect yourself by giving yourself freedom from the ropes of emotional words you wrap your body with.
Betty has now practiced with me for so many years and never again after that day has she put limitations on herself to strive for an extraordinary version of herself.
Excuses creates menetally instability. Period. We make them to “get out” of doing something. Changes is hard. If change was easy this world would look a little differently.
Personal growth comes from within. As a teacher, I can only express/say so many words to help others step outside the habitual way of thinking. The light eventually will come on but why wait for that moment. You can’t! You have to create that moment every day. The work is hard and never ending, however, the reward is forever lasting. Cultivating strength, stability, and a lifetime of happiness begins with unleashing the power and control that you have inside.
Opportunity is endless. Personal growth is endless. Fear, uncertainty, and discomfort are the toxins we leave swirling in our bodies unless we are willing to let them dissipate. This doesn’t mean go out and change the world. It means change your world. Discover possibility through fear, lead yourself down the path of uncertainty, and go dance with discomfort. One of my favorite sayings is, “Do one thing a day that scares you most.” Start with ripping off your armored vest to cultivate hope, space, and transformation.