Fear
Fear. It's a powerful thing. It can hold us back, it can limit our potential, it can make us believe we aren't capable of greatness, and that we never will be. I have a dirty little secret... Here I am, over 4 years into my yoga practice, nearly one year into my yoga teaching career, and about a third of the way through my 500-hour Teaching Certification...and I can't let go of the wall in headstand. Unbelieveable.
I had literally convinced myself that I could not do it. While I could float up the wall with no assistance at all from the wall itself, I had forced myself to believe that I would never be able to accomplish this in the middle of the room, and most definitely not during a class in the middle of the room. This morning when I woke up I looked at the pose of the day...
Day 15: Headstand
...and instead of taking the "sure bet" against-the-wall picture, I made it my mission to be fearless. After all, it is what I preach in my classes...
My first attempt was ugly. My second attempt was uglier. I left my mat in the small yoga room at the studio, and every time I had a free second I would go in there and simply try. After several failed attempts, I resolved to try it against the wall, and much to my surprise I didn't need the wall at all. Not. At. All. Not for a toe. Not for a toe nail. Not one little bit.
I pulled my mat even further away, and after a few more attempts, up I went! It wasn't perfect, but it was progress. My friend, Jane, even took a picture to prove it...I was smiling ear-to-ear (you can see it in a previous post documenting my day).
So it happened once. One uninhibited, beautiful, fearless moment happened...to me. I wasn't going to let this momentum leave me, if I could achieve this headstand thing once, it was going to happen again.
And it did.
Again and again and again...until it was nearly seamless from start to finish. You see, what was true for last year, or last month, or last week, or yesterday, or even just a moment ago doesn't have to be true for RIGHT NOW. You can resolve to take the safe route and never make any progress, or you can resolve to take the fearless route and find the greatness that lies within you. Your mission: find your fear, stare it in the eye, and kick it out the door. (And then keep me posted on what happens!)
Tomorrow...Day 16: Handstand. Bring it on.
Namaste,
Donielle