It has been awhile since I've shared an update with you all. 7 months to be more specific.
Back in March 2021 the world began its "soft-opening" and I was juggling all of the balls I created in the midst of a pandemic - full-time work, a small business, getting my 300HR yoga certification, and teaching again in public.
A plus - I can juggle pretty well! \ The drawback - Too many damn balls!
I wanted to give 10 out of 10 to all that I was doing and in reality, I was beat. So really I was delivering 6 out of 10s left and right. I knew my quality as a teacher was dwindling because of the quantity of things I put on my ethereal plate. This didn't sit right with me, and at the same time it was so hard to let some things go.
In Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, the concept of aparigraha exists to remind us to be: non-attached, non-possessive and non-greedy. In other words, "freaking, let go."
Have you ever started to ride a bike or something where you were white-knuckling the handles for hours? And then you let go and for a moment your fingers feel like they are frozen into a curved death-grip, but eventually they straighten back to their previous form? That's how it felt when I finally let go. Uncomfortable and freeing, at the same time.
Although I absolutely loved working with my clients, I needed to "freaking, let go" of how I was running my business because it was running me into the ground. And no one wants a burnt out yoga teacher.
After the dust settled I am happy to say that I am now a 500HR Registered Yoga Teacher and I still have my business (although it looks a little different now). I am seeing fewer private clients, teaching more classes in-person in my local Salinas community, and offering yoga workshops to dive deeper into all things yoga. All the while, I am going to school to get my Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy and am rockin' a full-time job.
Even though I still have a full plate, I feel so much less weight because I let go of what my ego wanted and made room for what my spirit needed. I let go of the daily stress that kept my nervous system on overdrive and dropped out of the race against the invisible clock.
The key takeaways from these last several months.
Your energy is worth a hell of a lot more than any money or award
Sometimes the route we need to travel isn't always the easiest
Mistakes are key to learning
It's okay to be afraid to let things go, but do it anyways
I guess this is the exceptional thing about life - it is a never-ending buffet of lessons and self-growth. Overall, I hope to continue to share more about how yoga isn't just the shapes you make on a mat, but a way you can intentionally shape your life for the better.
CURRENT OFFERINGS
Public class: Vinyasa Flow | Yoga Salinas | Thursdays 4:30PM \ Sundays 10:00AM
Yoga workshop: What the heck is vinyasa | Yoga Salinas | Saturday, Nov. 6, 2:00PM
Currently I am only taking private clients for single yoga sessions.
With gratitude,
Allison