Yoga

Just when I decided to show up consistently

I knew this was the year of building at least one steady business! Yes, if you know me, I state that every year—is a new time for hope, opportunities, and business ventures. I was excited with a capital E. My other venture Heart Full of Wellness, was gaining traction. I was on the road to growth. Of course, just like that, something happened. If you heard me state this previously well, I must express this again. I felt like I was in an episode of the show Good Times!!! If you are familiar with this classic sitcom you would recall as soon as the family was about to live that champagne life….shyt happened. The plans of life were altered repeatedly.

I was showing up regularly for myself. On Saturdays, I attended a Yoga class with one of my Spiritual Sisters at a not-so-faraway but could-be-closer studio. I wanted to build my skillset and confidence level to teach real-life courses instead of virtually. The Zumba class I taught with my other Spiritual Sister at her church was growing. We were teaching Zumba to an actual crowd. I mean, more than five people were showing up. Consistently!

Oh yeah, I was finally using my gym membership. Besides having fees drawn from my bank account, I was spending time at the gym with a group of others, motivating me. Also, I was offered to teach a summer yoga class in a community garden and would receive a monetary donation. I finally felt my wellness business wasn’t just the seed I planted in the ground but was blossoming into something viable and visible.

Outside of my business, I was preparing to lead a Yoga class once a month at the school I was assigned to. However, the unimaginable happened. An injury in my body occurred, which bullied me into sitting down. I knew my body wasn’t feeling its best. I felt like the egotistical enemy in a Rocky or Creed movie. I arrogantly fought the fight against the pain I was feeling in my body a few times and the outcome wasn’t favorable. My body told me to “Sit down somewhere.” So, for now, that is what I must do. Well, not quite. I continue to fight but strategically!

Dealing with the adjustments

Just like that, my schedule and enthusiasm were altered. I had to revise what exercising or “wellness” looked like to me. I needed to alter my business plans with disappointment. Teaching Zumba classes would be placed on hiatus. Also, no teaching Yoga in the Garden this summer. No gym visits. Take it easy is what the physicians were telling my brain, but depression had a conversation with my heart and said another business venture failed. So, I sat there with sadness while pain invaded me. Just like that, on a Saturday morning, things changed from regular routines of activity to rounds of nothingness. The mind is a powerful tool!!! But, of course, you already know that. So, now that I have survived yet another episode of Good Times in my life, what’s next?

Five Steps that are helping me adjust to alterations of everyday life that can help you too!

Honor your strengths

Observe and recognize the changes that have occurred then focus on your strengths. The injuries my body have sustained may change how I show up in the boxing ring of life (figuratively speaking), but it doesn’t mean I can’t appear in those boxing matches differently. For example, instead of showing up on the Yoga mat, I am practicing Chair Yoga which hasn’t been a stranger to me. Chair Yoga and I used to hang out regularly. I welcomed the practice back into my life and saw the practice as my strength, not my weakness. I taught a chair yoga class session to two parents at the school a week ago!

Utilize your support systems

Remember, support systems mean Support!!!! Reach out and rely on them when needed. My sister continues to teach Zumba, and the participants keep showing up. Though I won’t be able to teach Yoga in the Garden this summer, I have reached out to my Yoga Mentor, who is excited to embrace the opportunity. I haven’t returned to Saturday morning Yoga or Zumba classes yet, but I remembered to keep moving. I revisited Walk away the Pounds with Leslie Sansone on YouTube and work out at my own pace in the living room. Also, I mute the talking and tell Amazon to play my favorite tunes be it ratched or not; don’t judge!

The true meaning of practicing wellness

Sadness engulfed me and made me forget what the true meaning of wellness meant. I was concentrating on wellness from an aspect of being physically fit. When I first introduced Heart Full of Wellness to the world, I incorporated the definition of practicing wellness more from a mental perspective. I even wrote a whole book about changing your mindset entitled, “Caterpillar Dreams to Butterfly Visions,” https://a.co/d/aaLIty6 . I have to remove my ego, change my outlook and most likely reread my book again. Practicing wellness also involves sustaining a healthy mindset to cope with the bad times to appreciate the good times. I wasn’t consistently journaling, meditating, and incorporating mindfulness into my daily routine. I spoke eloquently to others about practicing wellness mentally but wasn’t applying it to myself.

Handle yourself with care

The changes in my life have taught me to keep practicing what I preach. “Listen to your body.” I knew I wasn’t feeling my best, but I pushed through the pain, which caused more damage. If you need to sit down somewhere and mind your business, then do that. Being busy all the time does not mean you’re being productive all of the time. Handle yourself with care physically and emotionally. Take a break. Take a deep breath. Take a pause. Take care of yourself!

Take a moment to process your feelings

It’s alright to be emotional!!! Being angry with myself didn’t look good on me, but I gave myself permission to be angry. If I have a moment where I want to feel sad, then that’s what I do. I process my feelings those wanted and unwanted. Life won’t always be a fairytale but there’s always a lesson to learn in every story. Most importantly, while going through the motions of what I thought was most important, I realized to be thankful in spite of life alterations. Nope it ain’t easy! I am not a robot (spoken in my robotic voice). I’m understanding what it means to practice gratitude as each birthday reminds me, I made it through another year. I recall what I am grateful for in my life to help me stay grounded.

Now what happens!

Oh yeah! Beginning physical therapy is leading me in the right direction to recovery! I continue to “pivot.” Hey, you know I must place a buzzword in here. Yes, I allow myself to be creative, so I won’t give up on myself or my business.

I hope this encouraged you when life doesn’t go as expected, but that doesn’t mean to stop showing up. However, if you continue to find yourself unable to adjust to life alterations and challenges, seek professional help. You deserve to enjoy Good Times, and I don’t mean that in a bad way! Until next time……

-Let your heart be full of new ventures that will lead you to the possibilities of limitless conversations!

References

Caterpillar Dreams to Butterfly Visions https://a.co/d/aaLIty6

Featured image for post

Photo by Jeff Stapleton from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-a-cardboard-banner-with-what-now-written-on-it-5802888/

https://www.youtube.com/@LeslieSansonesWalkatHome

Adapting My Mind to a New Perspective about Yoga! by Chellyz View

I am trying to remember my first encounter with Yoga. There was a mat, people who may not have resembled me, the instructor, and a studio. I have practiced Yoga, or should I state, inconsistently participated the art form on the mat for years. However, it wasn’t until I enrolled in the 200hour Yoga Teacher Training Program offered by My Vinyasa Practice and conducting the research that I had a newfound realization about the Practice. It is different for everyone and can be for anyone, especially for people who look like me!

It’s incredible how we discuss healing but are hesitant about finding methods to help us heal. 2020 was grueling, challenging, upsetting, and downright disrespectful. I’ve said this before but let me state this again, a national health crisis by the name of COVID-19, the ills of racism, the pain from witnessing police brutality, and the aggressive death angel who snatched my beloved granny by November 2020 was too much. Rewinding to June 2020, a confident being by the name of Imani @imaniizlove shared that there were Scholarships available for People of Color to obtain their 200YTT certification. After applying, I was one of the hundreds of recipients awarded the scholarship, but I was scuuuurrreedd, nervous, and excited all at once!

Subconsciously, I knew I wanted to be a Yoga Teacher. As I mature in life, healing and trying to maintain my sanity are essential values that I have adopted. Yoga would help me remain afloat, and I could assist others to stay above water with me. Still, after observing others on their journey and remembering my experiences with the Practice, I began to believe that it wasn’t designed for me (a woman of color). I would practice and study on and off, but I felt intimidated, so I didn’t take this opportunity as seriously as I should have.

Eventually, by the end of September 2020, the Holy Spirit allowed me to cross paths with Queen Yoga Pro Sis Jinave, who graduated from the program in January 2021. She taught me to start embracing my journey as a Yoga Teacher in Training, quit overthinking the process, and challenged me to create and present Yoga flows. She held me accountable! Also, she stressed Yoga is practiced on the mat and most definitely off the mat. By November and December, I read more and more about this Ancient Practice’s philosophy, but it wasn’t until January 2021 I became dedicated to practicing more consistently. By then, Queen Yoga Pro Sis Jinave @baldheadedbusiness introduced me to the P.H.D. Queen of Yoga Maya @naturallymaya. These two mentors were not placed on this Earth to play. They showed me that Women of Color in this world show up and show out to help and heal with Yoga by their definition and not how society “believes” it should be.

Since increasing my knowledge base about Yoga, I have learned that there are adaptations to various poses and different forms such as Hatha, Vinyasa, Ashtanga, and Restorative. My brain was dancing with delight as I mentally absorbed the foundations and concepts of Yoga. I knew this was a lifetime journey that I can apply to myself daily. I was learning about Compassionate Self-Forgiveness in the program. I was retaining valuable information about the Yamas and Niyamas of Yoga which are the first two paths of the eight-limbed paths of Patanjali. These first two limbs can be described as the moral codes of conduct for Yoga. There are five concepts associated with the Yamas and five concepts related to the Niyamas. The Yama principle that stood out for me was Brachmachaya (moderation).

My path to enlightenment is ongoing. I am dedicated to building a stronger relationship with the Holy Spirit. I am integrating the philosophies of Yoga to help me to become a better human at home, work, and in the community. I am patient with myself as I learn about standing poses, inversions, flexions, and extensions. Earlier in my training, I eagerly tried to jump into bridge pose as a beginner and was traumatized for two weeks. It made me realize I must build myself to that point. Again, there’s that word MODERATION! Take your time with the Practice! Learn at your own pace.

Sometimes you have to block out the negativity

Two years ago, I was at a Yoga Studio attempting to move into a pose (asana), and a lady turned and looked at me and stated, “Oh, you are doing it wrong.” I just looked at her and shrugged my shoulders. However, I wanted to yell and say, “Who are You? You don’t know me like that.” Any who, now, I know there is no right or wrong way to evolve or allow your body to move into a pose. We don’t have to adapt our bodies to Yoga when feeling bullied in a studio, watching some You Tube video, Instagram post or Tik Tok Challenge. However, Yoga must adapt to our bodies. When trained properly, we can safely make Yoga look like we want to as we allow ourselves to heal. People need to understand it is perfectly fine to “modify a pose!” I am sharing the fundamentals I am acquiring about the Practice with my teenaged daughter as she shows interest in Yoga. She recognizes when the world tries to convince her how Yoga “should” look, they are wrong.

I also learned about unwanted samskaras. Those are the negative thoughts I continue to welcome into my life after showing them the exit door. Yes, they kept walking back into my life and were holding on so tight that I almost strangled myself with constant self-doubt. I thought I had recovered from this, but I needed a gentle reminder to slow my thoughts, release the pain and breathe. I am becoming more self-disciplined when focusing on life goals. I will be a Yoga Teacher offering light in times of despair. I am strength. I will be compassionate to myself and others so we can welcome healing into our hearts and souls.

I am appreciative to all those who are helping me on this journey. I am thankful for the program and scholarships founder Michelle Young of My Vinyasa Practice, and the organization Yoga Pose has offered to allow scholars of color to obtain their 200YTT certification at no cost. I have delved deeper into understanding the foundations of the Practice and feel more confident. Yes, Yoga is inclusive, and there is space for every race and shape to enjoy its mental and physical healing powers! Namaste!

I have Graduated! Now time to teach and practice with YOU!

-Let your heart be full of new ventures that will lead you to the possibilities of limitless conversations!

A Heart Full of Conversations

Inspired by my Appreciation and Admiration for Detroit

Five Steps to Help You Recover When Life Plans Alter Your Plans by Chellyz View