Alignment - Personal Practice

When I think of alignment I usually think of my posture or something physical.

It wasn’t until recently that I started to think of alignment as something to find with someone else.

I went through the exercise of looking at my goals and values and placing priority on them.  I then took a look at the goals and values of someone in my life to see how we aligned.  It was interesting to see how similar we are.

It was also interesting to recognize that we need to make some adjustments to find a balance and compromise in our communication with one another.  

It’s been challenging to see where I needed to open up and be honest and vocal about what is important to me.  To clearly state what I want.

I’ve done this.  Now it’s time to begin the exciting work of compromise and opening myself up to something new that I hadn’t thought of for myself.  To see what I can do that is completely different from my expectations and be accepting of the changes.

I also will be facing the realization that some adjustments will not be made.  I will need to accept myself for who I am, faults and all, and be okay with that status quo.  I think this will be the most challenging.  Wanting to compromise to make someone else happy, but recognize that I can not compromise as if I do so I will compromise myself.

In relationships with others it’s important to recognize who you are and be honest about it and to also give that same courtesy to others.

It is not my intention to change for the sake of compromise, but to grow and meet my goals and to be accepting of a different path to my goals.  

It is my intention to allow others to participate in my life and share in the excitement of my journey and for them to do the same for me.

I know I will want my own way.  I will want others to bend to my will.  I will have visions and expect them to follow in my outlined path.  

I will practice to keep myself from being so selfish and allow others to be themselves.

I will ask others to respect me and my goals and values along the way and I will do the same for them.

I will recognize when a new path in the journey can be taken.

This is going to be an interesting practice in my journey.

Alignment - Yoga Lesson

Alignment in call forms can be a daunting.

We often think of our yoga practice and getting our alignment in our postures just right.  

It can become an obsession and we spend a lot of time thinking about the adjustments we can make to improve our posture alignment.

What about alignment of our relationships?

We can make adjustments and compromises.  We can challenge ourselves to step out of comfort zones.  We can practice alignment with others.

Why not take a chance and discuss alignment with those closest to you in your life journey?

Be challenged!  Make adjustments!

See what happens.

Priorities! - Personal Practice

I have an ever changing list of priorities.  

Some priorities are necessary for day to day maintenance of my life, while others are priorities that help me to obtain goals in my life.

I have this view that some priorities can slide while others are required.

The ones that slide are usually the ones that are most important to me, while the ones that are completed are most important to someone else.  Why is this?

Possibly because I know there are expectations of me, or my name is attached to something and I take pride in that fact.  

I find I feel obligated to the lists I create to have some sense of order added to my life and so I can account to others.

I have to ask myself, what about the accountability to myself?  Why do I let my personal priorities slide?

Are they the right priorities?

It’s so easy to complete priorities for someone else.  I don’t have to think about the importance they have to me.  I go on autopilot and just get them done.  When I’m praised for a job well done upon completion of the priority, my ego inflates and I move onto the next priority someone has for me.

Why do I do this?  I know what my priorities are.  They are important and will enrich my life.  Bottom line is, I’m Scared!  I’m afraid of my own self.

I create reasons as to why the priority has to wait.  

I create diversions for myself with false priorities and goals.

I do this all because I’m afraid!

When I think of what I’m doing.  I can’t help but be disappointed in myself.

Then I realize.  I’m aware.  I know what I’m doing.  No need to be disappointed, just stay aware!

So I continue to practice staying aware and making the transition to focus on my real priorities in life.

I am in control!

Priorities! - Yoga Lesson

Priorities can feel like a prison!

We list them out and then work to stay on track with them.

Are the priorities in your life relevant?

Possibly they were relevant sometime in your past, but need a little updating.

When you start to feel like a slave to your priorities it may be time to re-evaluate them.

Give yourself the freedom “literally” to let go of some of your priorities.

It may be overwhelming to do this as you have been following the priorities of your life closely for some time, but what can it hurt to question your own priorities?  You are more than a list put together sometime ago in your past.

Make it a priority to re-prioritize and see what freedom you may gain.

Ask! - Personal Practice

I’ve been afraid to say out loud what I really want.

Why?

It goes back to interpretation of what I “should” want.  What I have felt would define happiness.

It has felt silly to look myself in the mirror and say what I want out loud.

I find it stressful and I’m uneasy with the process.

I’m working on getting certain and confident with myself.  So I practice sitting in front of the mirror and looking myself in the eye’s while I make the request out loud as to what I really want out of life.

I ask for a life that is contrary to expectation or what I’m capable of achieving if I stay in and on my current path.

I’m afraid to let go of what I know as my life to this point.

I want something different and I know this deep within.

I continue to play with what I ask and how I ask for it.

Until it feels right I know I won’t get what I’m asking for.

I know every time I suffer a disappointment for not receiving what I asked for, it’s because it wasn’t right.  I didn’t really want it.  I just thought I did because of my preconceptions.  

So I practice letting go of what I did not get and focus on getting certain about what I want.

I continue to practice asking.

I simply ASK!

Ask! - Yoga Lesson

It may feel silly to ask for what you want.

This is normal.

We are so conditioned to deny ourselves and follow expectations.

When we take the time to be honest with ourselves and say what we want, doors open.

Why not take time to get clear about what you really want out of this life journey and then say it out loud?  

What could it hurt?

Who cares if you feel silly?

Be Silly!

Say what you want and Get It!

Make Time For You! - Personal Practice

I’ve been feeling a little out of control.  

I’ve felt lost.  

I have been sharing, gaining new perspectives, and taking on challenges.  I’ve taken the practice very seriously.

Then I realized.  There is value in making time for me and who I have been and who I am.

I have comfort and joy in knowing who I am and how I live my life.

I notice there are good and bad things about me.  I can be positive and I can be negative.

I can be overzealous and extreme!

Why not take the time for me?  

I know cleaning the house gives me visual pleasure and a sense of peace, so I do it.  

I know exercise is my meditation and clears my mind, so I do it.

I know spending time with my friends brings me joy, so I do it.

I know working on projects that are important to me give me a sense of accomplishment, so I do it.

I do it for me!

I have a renewed energy.  I’m confident in what I want and what makes me happy.

I go back to sharing of myself and what is important to me with others.

I go back listening to the perspective of others and I’m more accepting.

I take on new challenges with enthusiasm and I step out of the feeling of being overwhelmed and feeling like there is too much on my plate.

Now I feel I have more to give, because I gave to myself.

I listened to my heart.  I used my intuition.  I let go of others expectations.

I made time for myself.

Make Time For You! - Yoga Lesson

Taking time for self can feel selfish!

Why?

Is it usually because we want to make others in our lives happy and feel like a priority?

Can we do both?  Take time for self and for others in our lives.

Sure!

Open communication and expression of personal needs can lend to cohabitation with people in our lives.  

You can find compromise to achieve self and let go of feeling selfish.

Open up and talk about it.  Allow for freedom of expression and personal choice for yourself.  

Here’s the trick.  You have to allow others the same luxury!

We all need time for ourselves!

Challenge! - Personal Practice

Challenges!  

How come I’m always being faced with new challenges?!

Every time I think I make headway on something I’ve been working on, a new twist is introduced and I’m challenged “Again”!

I get all emotional about the challenge and then I take a step back.  I calm down.

I realize that I’m all worked up because the challenge is something new and unknown.  I don’t know how I’m going to go about meeting the challenge.  It’s unnerving and scary and that’s why I’ve gotten myself all worked up!

That’s the hard part of any challenge.  How you approach it.

So once again I’m back to practicing.  I’m aware and I noticed that I have a new challenge with unknowns and it’s up to me to ask for help.  It’s up to me to recognize that I do not have all the answers and that’s what makes a challenge fun!

Now I take on a new perspective.  I stop trying to force the challenge to fit something I know and accept that I must take the approach of student.  I believe I can do it!  I can take this challenge and learn from it.

I don’t know how the outcome will look when I finish.

Now the challenge becomes something exciting because of the unknown!

I can take the approach that I’m forced to get creative, or I can allow myself to be creative and enjoy the creativity of meeting my new challenge.

I choose to be creative!  I choose to explore options!  I choose to use my intuition!  I choose to take the opportunity to learn! 

I’m taking the challenge! 

Challenge! - Yoga Lesson

Challenge can be so fearful!

We can start to think about the unknown and failure.

When you find yourself afraid, take note and “Stop”!

Ask yourself how you can get creative about your challenge.

Step out of the expectations and make the challenge your own, make it interesting!

You have a world of possibilities at your fingertips if you allow yourself to believe that and be certain about it.

Embrace the challenge!