On the eve..
I used to be one of those make a buncha lists--never get shit done, people.
Yep, I'd fire off a zillion things-to-do.. on crappy little pieces of scrap. in neat 'n tidy professional notepads I'd steal from work. on the back of Chipotle napkins. in pretty little fabric covered journals. on the back of junk mail envelopes..
the lists went on and on. and on.
work-agenda lists. people I needed to email, text, and call, lists. lists of weird ingredients for recipes I'd hope to get around to that weekend. actual grocery lists for actual food that I actually ate. lists of books I wanted to read, people I meant to write sympathy cards to, essential oils I wanted to sniff, you name it.
I'd wake up to lists on my nightstand. On the kitchen counter. I'd find them in the center console in my car. Lists were growing out of my ears like corkscrew noodles.
The best part (meaning the worst part) is that I would pour all the effort into the list itself, and NEVER CHECK ANYTHING OFF. ever. And I always showed up to Trader Joe's without my list. This went on for like 10 years.
Then I found yoga.
And discovered that in order to get shit done, I needed to take a step back, detach my nose from the grindstone, and actually see--really see--what in the hell is going on. Or as yogis put it, if you can stand it, "be the observer."
But it's not a stupid slogan or a redundant cue teachers lean on. It's a true story: Without observing first, you're never going to get squat done. Here, in this program. Or anywhere for that matter.
So how do you like that for your first assignment? Put the pen + paper down, along with any self invented ideas that you are in some kind of adult version of summer school.
You're only job tomorrow, on Day 1--is to notice.
and the moment you try to change, fix, or DO anything--stop. Resist the urge to pull apart your closet, try kale 3 ways, quit your job, detox your pantry, or break up with your boyfriend. (Unless he's a total loser. Then you can break up with your boyfriend tomorrow. Better yet, tonight.)
but seriously, notice the urge to do-do-do. and resist it.
I also want you to notice your reaction to me asking this of you. are you pissed because you want to get this frickin detox party started NOW? or did you just let out a big exhale because.. what a relief she's not the ass kicker I thought she'd be. or maybe you are impatiently sitting on the other side of this email saying JUST TELL ME WHAT TO EAT FOR BREAKFAST TOMORROW GODDAMMIT.
notice.
because yoga, my friends, is not the pose itself, but your reaction to being inside of it.
does this prompt make you feel stuck, scared, irked? notice. then begin anyway.
Yep, I'd fire off a zillion things-to-do.. on crappy little pieces of scrap. in neat 'n tidy professional notepads I'd steal from work. on the back of Chipotle napkins. in pretty little fabric covered journals. on the back of junk mail envelopes..
the lists went on and on. and on.
work-agenda lists. people I needed to email, text, and call, lists. lists of weird ingredients for recipes I'd hope to get around to that weekend. actual grocery lists for actual food that I actually ate. lists of books I wanted to read, people I meant to write sympathy cards to, essential oils I wanted to sniff, you name it.
I'd wake up to lists on my nightstand. On the kitchen counter. I'd find them in the center console in my car. Lists were growing out of my ears like corkscrew noodles.
The best part (meaning the worst part) is that I would pour all the effort into the list itself, and NEVER CHECK ANYTHING OFF. ever. And I always showed up to Trader Joe's without my list. This went on for like 10 years.
Then I found yoga.
And discovered that in order to get shit done, I needed to take a step back, detach my nose from the grindstone, and actually see--really see--what in the hell is going on. Or as yogis put it, if you can stand it, "be the observer."
But it's not a stupid slogan or a redundant cue teachers lean on. It's a true story: Without observing first, you're never going to get squat done. Here, in this program. Or anywhere for that matter.
So how do you like that for your first assignment? Put the pen + paper down, along with any self invented ideas that you are in some kind of adult version of summer school.
You're only job tomorrow, on Day 1--is to notice.
and the moment you try to change, fix, or DO anything--stop. Resist the urge to pull apart your closet, try kale 3 ways, quit your job, detox your pantry, or break up with your boyfriend. (Unless he's a total loser. Then you can break up with your boyfriend tomorrow. Better yet, tonight.)
but seriously, notice the urge to do-do-do. and resist it.
I also want you to notice your reaction to me asking this of you. are you pissed because you want to get this frickin detox party started NOW? or did you just let out a big exhale because.. what a relief she's not the ass kicker I thought she'd be. or maybe you are impatiently sitting on the other side of this email saying JUST TELL ME WHAT TO EAT FOR BREAKFAST TOMORROW GODDAMMIT.
notice.
because yoga, my friends, is not the pose itself, but your reaction to being inside of it.
does this prompt make you feel stuck, scared, irked? notice. then begin anyway.
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