Different - Personal Practice

I was told this past week that "Different" is my favorite word.

I didn't disagree!

I'm always looking for a way to be different or to do something different.  

I want everywhere I go to be different.  I want to wear my clothes different.  I want my house to be different.

I want every yoga class I teach to be different.

Then I started to think that I may be pushing this different thing a bit too far.

I noticed how hard I fight things that I perceive as being main stream or like anything someone else may have or do.

I started to think about the things I thought I'd have in my life and how different my life is from my plans.

I challenged myself to embrace the things that I have or do that may be perceived by others and myself as main stream.  I asked myself to let go of the worry with regard to how I'm not different like I thought I'd be according to the plans.

But because it isn't to plan, isn't that different?

I think so.

I look back at all the things that went according to plan, how I forced myself, others, or things to be just so.  Those were mostly miserable experiences.  

Do I want to push my ideal of perfection, or do I want to be imperfect and different and embrace this moment for what it is?  I choose the latter.

I suggest to anyone to question differences, but also to question why different may be "in opinion" good or bad.

Look deeper.  Different is a perspective and it may or may not be shared by others around you.

Regardless I choose to embrace "different" and I hope others do too!

Different - Yoga Lesson

Different is a perspective.

What one person thinks is different, another may find it completely normal or seemingly similar to someone or something else.

Notice how one person may take a thought or an idea and build upon it quite different from someone else who was presented with the same information.

The same mass produced item can be used or appreciated differently.

Different is based on the vision the unique individual has.

Whether it's a way to live life, how an item is used, or how an idea is created.

Sometimes we force an ideal and it's perceived perfection on ourselves or others.  We want a mold that allows everything to be the same.

We want an exact replica of the item or experience, or even of people.

What fun is that?

Differences are what make life special.

Be Different!