To Be Honest…

To be honest I’m actually scared sh*tless half of the time. I live my life dancing between feeling inspired and doubting myself. I dream big dreams and I even go after them. The thing is…when I do go after them, inside I’m freaking out screaming ‘how am I going to do this?’ Who am I to be a teacher, to lead people, to inspire people, to create something? Who am I to….(fill in the blank with everything I have created  or want to create in my life).

To be honest…
I’m still learning. I start things way before I am I think I am ready for them and most of the time I come out on the other side demolishing my own doubts. I do it and I do it well.

Where does this doubt come from?

To be honest…
I’m not sure but I’m exploring it. I’m peeling away the layers little by little. I sit quietly or I come to my mat hoping the answers will appear. Sometimes they do in little glimmers and sometimes they don’t.

To be honest…
Writing this is really just a way for me to give myself a pep talk.

You got this girl. Everything you need to know is already in you. You just have to trust yourself, your knowledge, your commitment, your love.

To put it simply…all you are doing is creating space for people in a world where it is so desperately needed.

Space to breathe, to move, to relax, to nourish, to heal. Space to find ease and peace so that life is a little easier and more peaceful. Space to find joy, make connections, whether with themselves or with others. Space to understand what makes them tick, makes them feel alive. Space to realize where they’re holding back or what they’re hiding from. Space to get back to who they truly are with out the layers upon layers of mud collected through out life.

Because that’s what yoga has opened up for me. And even though it’s a never ending journey, I am overwhelmingly grateful I’m on it.

Over the past few weeks I have been talking to my yoga students about what we actually need to practice in order to cultivate gratitude.  It’s easy to just say, especially around this time of year, ‘be grateful’ or ‘think of three things you are thankful for.’

You can easily spew out a few things around the Thanksgiving dinner table that you are glad to have in your life, right?  In order to truly reach this state of gratitude I think there are a few other steps on the road to getting there. 

Presence.  Are you really present for your life?  In your conversations with loved ones?  On your drive to work? Continue reading →