Are you looking for a change or something new for yourself in life? If you could envision your future self, what would that feel like and how would it look?
Take a moment and envision yourself of where you would like to be in your life practice in the near or even far future. This does not have to be an actual place but can be about the "who" or "what" you want to be.
Think about all the things you currently do on a regular basis - perhaps the way you do things- day to day. Ask yourself – “Are these the things I need to continue doing to get to the place of "what" or "who" I want to be?”
Remember if you do the same thing day after day, you will only get the same results. In order to see and feel a change you need to make a change. My favorite quote is by Mahatma Gandhi; “Be the change you want to see in the world.” After all changes in our life begins with ourselves making a change. Incremental changes can lead to big shifts in your life practice. Now take a few moments and think about all the steps you need to take to get closer to that vision of the "new you."
These steps may feel overwhelming to even think about thus making us want to just push off the idea and continue staying in our comfort zone. Sometimes it just may feel easier to just stay where we are today even if it makes us feel stuck and perhaps even unhappy.
Rather than jumping on the “all or nothing” wagon perhaps think about what the smallest step or behavioral change you can do today to get a bit closer to your vision. The secret to all of this is defined with one word-"CONSTISTENCY."
I myself have struggled with this many times in my life and continue to do so today. I picture myself doing something but feel stuck thinking that I will never be able to accomplish that goal. I must remind myself regularly that consistency and mindset are the magic wands to getting me closer to my goals and visions. I have learned to be patient with myself and have pulled myself off the “all or nothing” wagon many times. I have learned that taking small steps each day and celebrating even the tiniest accomplishments helped me get closer to my goals and eventually reach them to my fullest potential. I have even found myself taking time to forgive myself when I do find myself slip back into my comfortable old habits. I take time to reflect on the “why” I am trying to make change and the “how” it will better my life practice.
One of my goals and vision by my 50th birthday last year was to get into an inverted pose. I chose headstand and worked on it for almost 6 months before I could even do it against the wall. I continued to be consistent with my practice and did not give up or lose patience with myself. By my birthday I was able to do a supported headstand against the wall. I assure you it was not graceful, but I was able to get into the pose. Along the way I learned that I could move into a tripod headstand away from the wall and wow what a bonus and surprise accomplishment that was for me! Today I am still working on my lift off with my headstand away from the wall without a crash landing. I still have not given up. I also continue to be consistent in my practice and celebrate each time I bring myself back to the mat to try again.
As I was playing on my yoga mat this morning (yes, my yoga mat is my playground 😊), I was able to lift off one of my knees and legs into the air from my tripod headstand for just a second and whoa what a wonderful feeling! I took a moment to celebrate and cheer myself on and gave myself credit for that tiny change I made today. Recognizing and celebrating are so important in our journey to make our vision become clear and more importantly a reality!
Go ahead and make that tiny change in your habits to eventually see and feel big shifts in your life practice! I invite you to write down one thing and post it where you can see it consistently every day to remind yourself that you are going to make your big vision a reality! I know you can do it because I believe in you!
Share with me what small change you would like to do this week to get closer to YOUR Vision of the "What" or "Who" you would like to be.