A Positive Impact on Lives

I started presenting Facebook live yoga classes two months ago because I miss the members of my classes during this Covid-19 pandemic and wanted to connect. Though I cannot see them on screen I know they are there and talk to them like they are with me. I find that every time I teach these classes my focus is on yoga and the members and I don't think about anything else going on in the world. It is a lovely escape for me for a renewal of positive energy. I've heard from a number of participants and they are delighted as well with the yoga and the connection, many sharing with me how much these events mean to them. I had no idea.

My husband and I recently watched a movie from 9 years ago - Larry Crowne. Tom Hanks plays Larry who works at UMart and is one of their top employees. He is fired because he does not have a college degree. He ends up going to college so that he can never be fired for that reason again. Julia Roberts is one of his professors. She is looking for meaning in her work and feels like she isn't having any impact. One of her classes is a speech class that Crowne is enrolled in. It turns out in the end that many lives are actually impacted very positively by her work and she finally gets to see that in the growth and performance of her students, especially Crowne. It means the world to her and changes her whole approach and enjoyment of her work and life going forward.

I always loved the Christmas movie with Jimmy Stewart - It's A Wonderful Life. In it Jimmy's character gets to see what life would be like if he had never existed. We never rally get to know fully how we are impacting others. You can make sure your impact is a positive one. A slight tweak to your behavior and attitude will make a world of difference. Know that if you hear a positive response from one person, there are probably many more having the same kind of experience through your energy. Think about the kind of impact you would like to have on others and the world. Make a plan for some actions you can take to head in that direction and then go for it!

Lonely Toys

(Photo credit - Nathan Legakis)

Every time I teach yoga I drag a cart full of yoga mats, a bag of straps and two bags of yoga blocks into the studio. The gym where I teach does not have yoga supplies, so I bring my stash to every class for those that might not have a collection of the toys they might need. As we were moving into a pose that would be aided with straps and blocks, I encouraged the class to take some of the props I brought into class and use them for the pose. No one responded. I asked them if they knew the movie Toy Story. Many of them nodded their heads. "The toys were so lonely", I said. "No one was playing with them! My yoga props are so lonely. Won't you play with them - make them happy?" I teased the group and a few of them did finally grab some of the blocks and straps. I'm not sure why people won't use them. Maybe they think it is a sign of weakness to use a prop. They actually enhance the pose and assit you in enjoying the depth a bit more.

During this pandemic - the Corona virus - and the resulting wide open schedule - I had plenty of time to declutter my office and garage. It was amazing what I found. In my office I organized my books and discovered that because I couldn't find a book before, I had actually ordered a second copy of it not realizing I had it on the shelf buried in two layers of rows. I also found some art supplies - pencils and sketch pads - that I'd forgotten I owned. In the garage I discovered my old tennis rackets that were still in perfect shape except for the grips on the handles. An Amazon order later of grip tape and a few minutes of wrapping and I was ready to go again. All of these marvelous things just sitting there unused.

It's time to bring out the toys that were hiding and use them. What has been hidden away that you need to bring back in your life?

Boxing Yourself In

Since the locations where I teach yoga closed down for the Stay at Home orders, I've started to do a few Facebook Live yoga sessions. I vary them from an evening event to a crack of dawn class time and have many happy faithful followers. I always try to focus on something different in each class - maybe strength one day and more flexibility on another day. The other day I crisscrossed two mats since I am always turning and trying to show poses from different angles. I frequently set up like that in class as it keeps some padding under my body at all times. I also have a wonderful giant circular mat that I love - but it is cumbersome to drag to the gym all the time.

I received a comment after my last Facebook Live class that the yogi had seen a lot of things but had never seen what I did that day in the class. She learned something new. She loved the crisscrossed mats and was going to make that her norm from now on. Sometimes things become such a habit to us that we really don't think about them. I like it when people point out something that clicked with them. It is always something different for each person.

It's interesting to me that in most every class I've attended the yoga mats are all set up in the same direction (mine too) facing toward the instructor. In very crowded classes it is almost a necessity to make sure everyone can fit in. It seems to set up a barrier though, that you need to stay on your mat and you can't go outside of your "box".

There are many poses and activities in my class that require you to step off your mat or roll around on the floor. Most people jump right in and enjoy the activities. Some stay on their mats - not because they are concerned about being out of their box, but because they may not be into rolling around on the floor. In many cases, we don't realize how we have set up a boundary for ourselves and our activities. So many times we follow along without really thinking about if there is another way. This has been working so we don't think about other options.

What boundaries have you set up for yourself? Are you aware of any? Do they inhibit your activity? Your progress? How often do you just do things one way because that is the way you've always done it? What needs to change?

#SWOW