An End of Year Challenge
Imagine your body at it healthiest. How does it look? More importantly, how does it feel?
Have you just completed the hardest yoga class you’ve ever done? Are you laying on the floor feeling a little queasy after an extremely tough work out? Are you waking up in the morning with your quads on fire and your biceps so tight you can’t fully extend your arms? Were you mentally able to push through that last Chaturanga without dropping your knees, despite that nagging feeling in the front of your shoulders? Could you run that last sprint, even though the previous one drove you to vomit? Did you slide into full split for the first time but felt that little twinge in your hamstring again?
Why have some of us succumbed to the idea that in order to be “healthy” and “fit”, we need to punish our bodies? What about longevity? What about quality of life? What is going to allow us to keep up with our grandchildren?
I get it. I am guilty of it. I am guilty of pushing my body past where it should go in the moments when I could benefit from rest. I question my dedication, my drive, and my passion when asking for subs or when my body feels less than optimal. “But this is my business!” “But I signed up for this!” “But I love doing this!” Occasionally, I push through. But at what cost? Buti yoga is a practice of energy transfer. For those of you who haven’t been to Raw Renewal yet, the instructors practice along side the student. We gift and receive energy throughout the class through our movement.
My students, peers, family and I deserve me at my best.
What if feeling healthy could feel a bit more gentle. More compassionate. What if feeling your healthiest meant waking up in the morning ready to move, clear thoughts and a healthy dose of motivation. Maybe it means taking a day off from your usual Buti class, Power Vinyasa, bootcamp, weight training or HIIT class in exchange for a restorative yoga class or a walk around the block. Maybe your body and mind will feel healthier if you allowed yourself to take a break from the “Beast Mode” or “Savage” mentality that so many have glorified.
This is my challenge to you, with 2019 upon us and resolutions of health and fitness goals creeping up. Stop. Breathe. Be kind to your body. Find a healthy balance between your drive to be better and honoring your body’s request for stillness.
