“Don't be afraid of mistakes, because the only original thing we ever do is make mistakes. You can be taught how to do something perfectly right, but only you can screw it up in your own inimitable way.” - Billy Joel
Curated Track: Vienna by Billy Joel (listen along for full immersion)
As humans, it is in our nature to be on a perpetual scavenger hunt towards happiness through external achievement, whether personal or professional. Our Western world glorifies doing more, working harder, and smiling even when we want to curl up in a ball. There is this societal expectation to always be “on.” I am SO guilty of this, real talk, I straight up have a master’s degree in spreading myself too thin...
Yoga is about looking at the balance between doing and being, knowing when to push and when to take a step back. Perfect example: we’ve been working on our handstands. I was practicing at home one day and got so excited that I was able to land the pose….so then I kept going even though I could feel my arms/wrists start to hurt. For days after this experience, my arms were in pain. I absolutely KNEW that I had gone too far, but my ambition surpassed my desire to listen. In this example, it all comes down to love and patience. You only have so much energy available to you in a given moment, and how you choose to spend that is entirely up to you (no judgement ever from me.)
In our consumerist culture, we are told that we are not enough, that we could be working harder, and buying/doing more things to make us “happier.”
But hear me loud and clear, YOU ARE ENOUGH; I say this with so much love.
I’m not advocating for laziness or complacency, as I believe that we should always challenge ourselves to grow. But there’s a fine line between doing too much and patiently listening to your needs. Taking a step back is not a sign of weakness!
On the other end of the spectrum, if you are ALWAYS taking it easy, you may miss out on valuable growth opportunities by consistently remaining in your comfort zone and avoiding challenge.
Again, it all comes down to having a healthy balance, and that looks different for everyone. The one common thread we all possess is the ability to gauge when to say yes and when to say no; your body will let you know, but you have to be paying attention.
In what areas of your life can you do less? More? What does balance feel like to you? These are all great questions to consider as your continue on your life journey.