I'm one of those...whatchacallits...Human Beings.
Being a Human is a tough assignment. It means (among other things) that I have this irrational need to want the ability to look around corners, predict the future and know what's coming long before it arrives. To fast-forward to the end of the movie. To read the last chapter. To skip to the last episode of your binge-watch du jour. Look-Around-the-Corner Syndrome. It's uniquely Human.
When undertaking any new task or challenge, especially one with a defined Time Box (in this case: 31 days), it's a natural human response to question on Day 1: "I've got 31 days ahead of me. How am I going to get through this?! What the hell have I committed myself to?!"
But I'd rather phrase the question in a positive way: "How will I be different in a month than I am now?!" The challenge, however, is just because it's a positive question doesn't eliminate the absurdity of the question. Because there is only one answer, and it's utterly unsatisfying: "Who knows?!?!"
So on Day 1 of my self-assigned 31 DAYS OF YOGA, the first thing I need to remind myself is...I don't have to get through 31 days; I need to be present for TODAY. That's it.
On any Journey to PointBe, "Just Getting Through It" misses the whole point.
I'm really not just looking "to get through it." I'm so pumped to begin 31 Day journey. But there's been so much discussion recently about "getting through it" -- the pandemic, the racial strife, the election. But like an uncomfortable chair pose, I know that all of 2020's drama and trauma are teaching me a lot about myself. "Getting Through It" risks missing the most profound lessons from the most profound period in my lifetime.
Since I posted that I would be doing this 31 Days of Yoga, I've had a couple of inquiries. They go something like this: "Ummm, dude...31 Days of Yoga?! You?...What's that about?"
I get this question. I'm just a normal guy. I'm no guru. I'm no yoga instructor. My practice is serviceable. I grunt and groan through a 60-minute class. And at 30 pounds overweight, I don't exactly flow. But I love yoga so much. As a high-school has-been athlete who is now middle-aged, I love the physicality of Baptiste Power Yoga. I love the mind-body-spirit unification through movement. I love the sweat that comes pouring off my body within the first few minutes.
So let me say this as loudly as I can type it: I. LOVE. YOGA.
So this 31-day journey isn't because I lost a bet or something. It's an experiment for me. I want to see how my body will react. I want to prove some things to myself. I am so psyched to do this, I'm like a little kid.
A Pandemic is a Terrible Thing to Waste
The Pandemic has destroyed lives, completely overturned almost everything we knew to be true in this world, and forever altered how we work, interact, and just plain ol' live. So I decided a few months ago, if we're going to endure all of these ramifications, I'm going to put out the effort to emerge from this as a better man than when I went into it.
I have learned this about myself -- Time Boxed programs give me focus. So far this year I've participated in Baron Baptiste's "40 Days to Personal Revolution." Because I wanted to keep that momentum going, I created my own "90 Days to Build Strength & Flexibility." And now, after a grand total of one day of rest, I am beginning 31 straight days of yoga -- no rest days.
I'll be posting my progress, or lack thereof throughout the month of September. Come join me -- not only on a yoga journey, but because it is a symbol of all the journeys we take in our lives. Stay tuned.