So, I've started this post about 3 or 4 different times, erasing and re-crafting new opening statements that speak to whatever particular topic I feel should be my go-to for this week. The problem is, my mind is so all over the place that I want to equally speak on 3 or 4 different things, and I figure I'll just do them all instead of trying to choose one.
Bee The Yogi
Last week was a really rough week for a few different reasons. I had a particularly tough day on Thursday but found solace in an unlikely spot - my neighbourhood yoga studio.
I've always been a sporadic yogi, mainly due to cost and the fact that yoga studios were often too far out of the way to make them easy for me to attend. I've always loved how yoga made me feel, so when we moved into our new 'hood over the summer and I realized that a yoga studio was within walking distance from my house, I was curious about the possibilities of signing up. Instead of doing my usual investigative process before attending any fitness class, I simply Googled the studio, found a class starting in 30 minutes, grabbed my mat, a towel, and a bottle of water, and showed up.
I'm so glad I did. Moving my body, sweating, challenging myself, and focusing on something other than my problems worked like magic. After a day where I felt like I could do absolutely nothing right, the "Good job!" I earned from the instructor as I held the eagle pose meant everything. At the end of the class, I cried all through Savasana to release my remaining stress, then signed up for the newcomer special. Let's see how this goes...
Sights Set On Spring
I'm not sure what it is, but winter 2015 is feeling like some ole bullshit for myself and a number of people I've spoken with. It seems like a lot of us welcomed this year in the midst of major flux - people are looking for new jobs, searching for new places to live, dealing with health issues, managing family issues, assessing current relationships, and are generally trying to just figure things out.
I'm calling it now: spring/summer 2015 is about to be amazing. With all of the trials and tribulations people are experiencing right now, I'm clinging to the belief that all of this chaos is just shifting the best parts of our lives thus far into place.
One of the quotes I live by in times like these is from Pearl Cleage:
The Buddhists believe that sometimes when everything is in turmoil, it’s because something wonderful is ready to be born and that thing is distracting you so it can have some privacy during the birthing process.
Here's hoping that springtime gives birth to wonderful things.
Accountability Is Key
Are you working on something? Trying to achieve a goal? If you don't have an accountability partner, do yourself a favour and get one.
I have accountability partners for various things. A group of veritable strangers on Twitter make up one group - if you follow the #GetCreative2015 hashtag there, you'll find a gang of creatives who are using Twitter to keep each other working, learning, and growing, and it's been SO helpful in these first few weeks of the year. I have a girlfriend who lives in Texas who keeps me in check and inspires me on various levels, including my goal to be more physically active (she was super proud when she heard of my yoga adventure the other day). Having even one person that you can check in with and who keeps you on track with whatever it is you're trying to achieve makes a huge difference in productivity.
I've talked about mentorship and sponsorhip (two practices I wholly believe in), but having someone who keeps you accountable is another piece of the puzzle. Try to find that person for yourself, or offer to be that person for someone else - it's truly a gamechanger.
Whew. It feels good to get those mini-thoughts out. At this point, I'm just hoping for a week better than the last - and I wish the same for you.