One of the things that yoga has taught me is to be nonreactive.  I’ve learned, and am still practicing, that if my body is in an uncomfortable or stressful position that I should take a deep breath and relax into the sensation rather than freak out!  I practice developing a calm, nonreactive mind, and in doing so I feel confident, strong & peaceful.  In this confident, strong & peaceful state I realize that I can handle anything.  I realize that I have more power in letting go, than in fighting.  I realize that my yoga practice is just as much mental as it is physical.  I can do this.

Nope...not me!

I’m sure we’ve all had thoughts like this:  “Yea, you better get out of that pose, you’re going to hurt yourself”.  “How much longer are we going to hold this, I’m about to die!”.  Or, “I can’t do this any longer.  Why is this crazy ass teacher making us hold so long?  She’s not doing this pose, so she has no idea what we’re going through.  I can’t do this”.

I’ve noticed that when thoughts like this go through my head it just makes the pose so much worse.  Taking a deep breath and just allowing the sensations to be there, without judgment, opens me up to a more peaceful world.  It takes me deeper within myself and I begin to feel a sense of calmness.  When I get to this calm state, then I find this intelligence and it guides me.  That’s what tells me if I really need to come out of the pose because I may injure myself, not my mind.  My mind will make up all kinds of things!

So I’ve learned this and continually practice it on my mat, but what’s really cool is that I can take what I’ve learned on my mat and use the same principals in my normal everyday life.  When life throws me an unexpected curve ball, how am I going to react?  What am I thinking?  Am I dwelling in how awful things are (or could get)?  Do I want to bail out or hide and ignore the situation?

When that curve ball first appears my immediate reaction might be to cuss, pout, be bitter, mad, or sad, but soon (if not immediately) I remember my yoga practice.  I remember that I have more power in my peace, than in my rage.  I remember that no matter what is going on around me, my strong, positive mind will make it all better.  I remember that if I can just connect to my inner intelligence, I’ll know what to do.  I shift my perspective and look for the bright side in the situation, or if I don’t see a bright side at that particular moment, I realize that regardless everything will be okay.   Just like on my mat, my hip isn’t going to fall off…Everything will be okay.

**Hell no, that’s not me in the photo!**

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Day 13 of the 21 day gratitude challenge – I’m loving this challenge, but wow it is a challenge!  I’m not used to blogging so much, but glad (and thankful, of course) that I am.

So the assignment is this –  Pick three friends or family members you see regularly. View their actions and gestures through a positive lens, assuming their goodness and witnessing their best intentions.  –

Nearly all my family and friends are positive people.  Of course they have negative thoughts at times (who doesn’t?), but for the most part they’re positive.  When they’re not, they become aware they’re not (which I think is what’s important!).  I’m extremely grateful to be surrounded by their light.  I think we all help each other shine brighter!

In watching and listening to some of my family and friends here’s what I’ve discovered.  It’s enlightening to witness when life gives you lemons.  At first there may be some bitterness, some stress and some anxiety but in the end it always works itself out.  I’m fortunate (and oh so grateful) that I learned this and grasped onto it a long time ago…so I rarely get stressed.  I just sit back and wait for the lemonade!  But, I see this happening with people around me (and in myself at times)…  A life situation arises (not enough money, not enough time, etc) and at the moment it seems horrible…maybe there’s some bitching, complaining, and just negativity.  We all handle stress in a different way.  At a point, though, there’s a shift.  We see just a little glimpse of light in the darkness and there’s hope.  We start to see a little more lightness and the positivity comes back…more hope, more faith, more confidence, more smiles!

I think that entire process is pretty cool.  I see it play out in different people and with different situations.  For some, the gap between the “horrible” situation and the glimpse of light is wide.  It takes a while.  And in some (depending on the person & the situation), the gap is much shorter.  I’m so thankful that my gap is typically really short, and I’m thankful that I have gotten to witness this and write it down.  I think it totally helps it stick.  It helps me remember that there will be light, there will be lemonade!

So thank you to my family and friends for letting me learn from you.  Thank you for being who you are, for having genuine goodness in your heart and for having only the best of intentions.

I’m thankful for having such positive people in my life.  I’m thankful that we all have hope and faith, and I’m really grateful that I’m aware of this!

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I can honestly say that I can’t think of any negativity in my life right now.  Wow.  Writing that feels really good and almost seems impossible, but it’s true.  I work at always finding the positive in all situations, and it looks like it’s paid off!  I also work at being grateful for the things in my life, good and bad.  That’s what I’m here to do today too – to give gratitude for the negative things.

I’m by no means perfect and I absolutely do have negative thoughts at times, and “bad” things do happen, but I realize pretty quickly that negativity is swarming my brain.  When I realize it, I switch my thinking immediately.  Sometimes the negativity will leave almost instantly and sometimes it takes a little while, but I know it’s there so I will focus elsewhere.  Soon it’s gone.

I’m very grateful though for the negative things I do experience, whether in my head or in my so called “reality”.  (Isn’t it always in your head though?)  So…I’d like to give my negative thoughts and feelings a little message.

Dear Negativity,

I’m so grateful you exist.  Without you I wouldn’t know the positive.  In order to know what I want (a positive) I need to know what I don’t want (the negative), so it’s good that you’re around.

Negativity, you teach me so much and for that I’m thankful.  When something happens in my life that I perceive as negative, I always know that there’s a lesson to be learned.  Thank you for that.

And lastly, you challenge me and encourage me to be creative.  When something is not working or I’m feeling my limitations, you nudge me to find a new way.  I like that about you.  Thank you for encouraging me to grow.

With love,

Katrina

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I love it because little kids are absolutely living in the present moment, you can learn so much from them, and them from you (be careful of this one!!).

Since little ones don’t understand time, they have no stress and are always happy (as long as all their needs are met!).  They are totally playing in the moment – living in the moment.  My kids play well by themselves (fortunately!), but I’ve noticed that if they need my attention I can either completely give it to them or I can be there but have my mind elsewhere.  If my mind is on something else I’ve noticed that they need me longer.  If I am there for them completely, in the present moment with them, then the amount of time they “need” me is less.  If I’ve got things to do around the house, jewelry to make, or a blog to write I am able to get those things done if I just spend a little quality time with them.  It makes them happy, I feel great, and in turn I’m more productive.  It’s such a relief for me too because in that moment there’s absolutely nothing lacking…I have no stress and life is perfect!

Lately, my sweet Max (he’s 3) has been teaching me to let go.  His new saying is “but it’s okay”.

“Max, you’ve got food all over your face.” – “yeah, but it’s okay!”

As he’s hitting his brother with a stuffed animal (Miles is mildly laughing) – “Mommy, it’s okay”.

We’re running late for school – “but it’s okay!”

And what’s really cool is that as soon as he says that, I relax and say you’re right IT IS OKAY.  Sometimes we get so caught up in looking perfect, always doing things right, and everything being a certain way but does it really matter?  Can we just let go and have fun?  Because ultimately, it is okay!

Kids watch, learn, and sense our energy too.  The more rushed I am to get out of the house, the more uncooperative they are.  If I’m relaxed and calmly explain how we need to leave immediately, they listen and work with me.  The way I do something, they do too.  For example, I always rinse off the tooth brush and tap the brush on the counter before putting it up.  Max does this too, and can point out that his Daddy doesn’t.

I also came to the realization that Max got his new expression (it’s okay) from me.  I say it quite a bit – like if he drops his food, or can’t find a toy.  So it comes full circle!  I’m teaching him that it’s okay and he’s teaching me the same.  How awesome is that?

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