"Practice and All Is Coming" --K. Pattabhi Jois

I cannot think of a truer statement!  Looking at this picture you may not guess that when I first began my yoga practice, I had such a difficult time achieving headstand (Sirsasana).

I honestly cannot tell you how much I beat myself up over and over because I could not do this pose.  I compared myself to others in class and felt a real disdain for myself at times.  This obviously is not the point of yoga, in fact it is the antithesis. But I was at the beginning of my yoga journey and had much to learn on the path ahead of me.

It probably would have been easy to quit—I sure as hell hated that anxiety that came up every time the teacher announced it was time to come into headstand. But I knew if I quit, that feeling of anxiety might lift but it would be replaced with self-loathing. So, as they say, “pick your poison.”

I love this quote from Sean Croxton, “Successful people live in a state of anxiety.” A different kind of anxiety.  This anxiety is a result of YOU taking the risk to have what you want!

As I continued to practice with a dogged determination, I cannot tell you how many times I fell or flipped over.  I even remember a time I was in a crowded Ashtanga class and prayed that I would not fall over because I would have certainly created a domino effect!

I continued to practice and over time became steady in headstand. And as I developed my strength training practice alongside my yoga practice, I was eventually able to hold headstand for 8 minutes.

Too often we give up before the journey even begins. I share this story because the journey whether it is to headstand, weight loss, strength training, creating a business is not easy but if you want something bad enough you WILL have to work for it. And if I can motivate at least one person to start somewhere and stay on their path then that brings me joy.

Tell me something you are working on!