Beyond the Comfort Zone: Yoga and Personal Growth

Embracing a Life Lived Fully

We've recently embraced the goal of living fully, a concept that embraces every aspect of life. This means being conscious of our relationships, connecting with others and ourselves in a genuine and profound way. It's about being proactive, making wholesome choices, and actively pursuing the things we've longed to do instead of making excuses. Living fully is about finding joy, satisfaction, and a sense of community as we plan and achieve our objectives.

Mindset Shift

Adopting the mindset of living fully has begun to transform my thought patterns. For instance, waking up sore and stiff serves as a stark reminder of aging and the inevitable changes in my body. With aches in my back, pains in my knees, and joints that creak and pop, I'm motivated to take action. Instead of letting life set my limits, I'm determined to maintain and enhance my vitality.

A Challenging New Goal

My new goal? Practice yoga three times a week. This is particularly challenging for me; I'm accustomed to high-impact, competitive sports and powerlifting, activities that preoccupy the mind. Yoga, in contrast, brings stillness and amplifies the inner voice, which can be surprisingly uncomfortable.

I invited Michael to join me in this yoga journey, and he's bravely agreed. I ambitiously suggested a 5:30am start – a setup for immediate failure. Sigh. But, inspired by a runner who placed his shoes by the door for motivation, I followed suit with my yoga gear. While the 5:30 am session didn't happen, I did eventually slip into my yoga clothes. Just 15 minutes of stretching and breathing made a significant difference. I didn't meet my exact goal, but I still accomplished it later that morning. My body felt rejuvenated, ready to embrace the day ahead, proving that the victory lies in the doing, not in the timing.