namaste.

so today is september 30th which means...i have successfully completed my 30-day yoga challenge!! yahoo! i've got to admit, the challenge was a little tougher than i thought it would be...not physically but fitting yoga into a pretty busy schedule was not as easy as i expected. but i did it! it didn't change my life...i have not become an enlightened yogi, "oooommmm"ing my way through my day...my hamstrings and hips are still ridiculously tight...but it did re-affirm the importance of some of yoga's most basic principles. the practice of yoga can be applied to everyday life in so many ways. below is a list of the 10 things i learn from yoga:

1. HAVE PATIENCE - it's called a practice for a reason. i love yoga because it is not about the journey but the destination. it's about being patient with yourself and your body and appreciating it where it is right now. there are some days when i just can't master a simple pose, even if i did it fine the day before. there are some days when one side of my body is less flexible than the other. and that is totally fine. what a refreshing change to the other more competitive sports that i love. (that's right running, i'm looking at you!)
2. BREATHE - webster defines breathing as: to draw air into and expel it from the lungs : respire; broadly : to take in oxygen and give out carbon dioxide through natural processes b : to inhale and exhale freely
breathing also "centers" you, it brings you to the present, calms your mind and gives you balance (physically & mentally). In yoga you learn to breathe through tough poses. when your legs are screaming in warrior III or your arms are begging for mercy in plank, you learn to turn your mind toward your breath, to breathe oxygen to revitalize those specific muscles. as a result, you amaze yourself with the strength you can muster.
3. BE PRESENT - in yoga, there is very little distraction...maybe some light music and that's about it. in other forms of exercise, there are screaming instructors, blaring pop tunes, harsh lights, television...all forms of distraction from what you are actually doing. in some cases (stepmill) this is a good thing :) but in yoga, you take time to focus on yourself...and appreciate the moment that you are in right NOW.
4. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY - without said distraction, you can really tune in to yourself. once you learn to listen to your body, you can celebrate it's strength and (lovingly) work on it's weakness. you focus on what's sore, which muscles are tight, and how your balance feels. you not only tune in to the physical "you" but you learn to tune into the emotional/spiritual/mental "you" as well. one thing in particular i became aware of during this month was this internal tuning aspect of yoga. my toughest yoga practice, hands down, was not after pounding out 10 fast miles on the trail, or lifting weights in body pump when i was legitimately tired & sore...nope. the toughest yoga for me was when i wasn't "good" emotionally/spiritually/mentally. when i was upset about something...that was the toughest time for me to do yoga, which really speaks to the internal conditioning the practice achieves.
5. COMMIT - like i said, 30 days of yoga was tougher than i thought! but i figured, i promised myself i'd do this...i owed it to myself to take a little time out each day to "check in". and i'm oh so glad i saw that commitment through.
6. TRY - damn you crow pose! no matter how many times i try, i just can't seem to get this one. i try setting up different, i use my core more, i focus. and while i can hold it for maybe maaaaaaaybe 5 seconds, i always wind up with bruises on my arms and a look of exasperation on my face. but the point is i TRY. and i will continue to try. there are other poses that i thought "no way!" but i tried and you know what?..."way!" my body fell right into them...gotta give it a try or you'll never know.
7. STUMBLE & FALL - it's okay to try and fall (not fail...just fall). you just get right back into the pose. there is no judgement, no failure. it's an expected part of the practice. you won't achieve king dancer pose unless you pull that foot up higher....which may mean falling a few times but once you get it....you realize, man, those stumbles were totally worth it!
8. ACCEPT - accept where you are right now. accept what you are doing right now. accept your limitations and accept your abilities. and while you're at it, don't just accept....EMBRACE and...
9. LOVE YOURSELF - always. always. no matter what. whether you are pulling off the perfect pose or vinyasa or whether you are falling flat on your face.
10. RESPECT - deeply respect both yourself and others. open your eyes & see the intrinsic value in yourself and the world around you. the closing statement in yoga class is "namaste" which means "the good/divine in me BOWS to the good/divine in you". when you look through it with a lens of respect, the whole world changes. you begin to see the worth in all you do and in all the people you encounter, which makes your life incredibly rich.