Yoga Is For Everybody? Not Quite...

This 2-minute quiz shows you if yoga is for you. Or what you should do instead.

Impractical Magic: Finding Faith In Uncertainty

Yoga | Yoga for Beginners

If our comfort zone were a physical place, I imagine it as a baron neighborhood with no trees; a place where all of the houses look identical. There are no sounds of children’s laughter because children are masters of imagination and this zone has no life force energy.

Nothing grows or evolves in this zone called comfort. It is a movie set in my mind because just like watching a movie, there is no participation. There is only powerlessness as we sit and wait to see how it will end.

Out Of Comfort Zone And Into Creation Zone

I am a third grade teacher who loves her job. I do not want to quit my job nor do I feel stuck in my career choice. I’m also enrolled in a hot yoga teacher training program due to begin in about one week. As I sat and read about the program, I found myself asking the “why” questions:

  • Why I would spend money on a yoga teacher training program if I do not intend to earn a living teaching yoga?
  • Why am I going to work incredibly hard at something that I may not actually pursue as a career?
  • Is this practical?
  • Then I had a radical, impractical answer for myself, “why not?”

Why should anyone stop pursuing a dream? Stop feeling passionate about life? We create our lives every single day in the choices that we make. Why on earth shouldn’t I create a learning experience and deepen my knowledge in something that I am passionate about?

Having Faith Based On Fear

I spent much of my life driven by fear with my beliefs and faith placed firmly in doubt. Fear was such a part of my existence that I would plan my life around my panic attacks. I wouldn’t go too far from home and would play it as safe as possible. I felt powerless to my circumstances and my comfort zone was my home.

I met a reiki master and spiritual teacher who taught me how to relax, meditate, trust myself, and take more risks. At first, the risks were as small as driving longer distances by myself. Over time, I uncovered a new perspective. It took a while, but I realized that it took just as much energy to mentally list all the reasons why my life choices might work out, as it did to doubt myself.

Investing my energy in believing with positive focus was not only more fun, but it began to pay off. I began to attract like-minded people who supported my growth and helped me celebrate myself. Most importantly, I began to enjoy my life immensely.

“Doubt is merely another kind of faith. It is faith in the negative instead of faith in the positive.” ~ Teal Swan

Who Are The Voices In Your Head?

Pause for a moment and really ask yourself: who are the people speaking to you when you doubt yourself? Is it a parent that could never quite give you that pat on the back? A friend who was always consumed by their own fear and judged you?

Very often, we (women especially) are afraid to have confidence. We fear that we may not be liked, or considered conceited, or self-congratulatory if we celebrate ourselves too loudly. We play small and use self-denigrating talk in order to seem humble. Why not be self-congratulatory? Why not celebrate our accomplishments and passions? Why not love ourselves and admit that we are self-focused?

I say, why not! If our success and self-love is the catalyst for a relationship ending, well then maybe it’s time for a relationship make over. Take notice of that and allow yourself the wisdom to allow for change. As I became more self-loving and self –focused, I found that if we are the most positive person in a room, we are probably in the wrong room.

Silence those voices in your head that tell you you’re shining too bright and living too loudly. Those voices never got you very far, have they? If you’re feeling judged or torn down for your growth…move on. Tap into the voice that feels joyful and unattached to anyone’s judgment – it’s not easy, but it’s worth a try.

You Are A Powerful Creator

My perspective has shifted and this new space exists for me; a space of positive focus. This is an existence I was completely ignorant to years ago. Now, I am a lot more willing to take risks, try new things, connect with people on a level that I was not open to before.

I was once a fearful person who felt powerless to my life and circumstances. I made the most practical decisions, but I wasn’t living the life I desired.

Remember: We are powerful creators.

Do I always trust the process and believe in the power of my creations? Am I always creating from a place of self- love and recognizing my deepest desires?

Of course not. I'm human. But I fear…less. I fear less.

We can have faith in uncertainty as we create the lives we want; faith in the beauty that all will unfold for our greatest good. If it seems we aren’t making practical choice, as we enter unfamiliar territory, we can learn to trust our desires. Perspective can be shifted from fear of the unknown, to faith in just that.

You may find your doubts taking you back to that boring, dark neighborhood otherwise known as your comfort zone, your play-it-safe zone. But you don’t have to live there anymore. Your creation zone exists. Unpack and settle in.

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