Trying Something New

Yesterday, I decided I want to try yoga. I've done yoga a couple of times before, but hardly anything I would consider serious. I took one class at the YMCA with about 30 other people who all seemed to know what they were doing and I've tried to mimic Jillian Michaels on a 30 minute youtube video she released. Yes, these are both technically yoga, but again, I didn't consider either one of them seriously-instructed yoga. The one time I tried yoga at the YMCA I wasn't sold at all and actually told myself it wasn't for me. I'm so used to doing things that are fast-paced and calorie-TORCHING that I didn't really see the benefits of yoga and didn't think it aligned with my goals at the time. This was also a few years back when I was still competing in college I believe.

It's been three years since I played in college but I still train just as often as I did back then. I gained more weight than I'd like to admit during the holidays this past year and have been kicking my own ass to get back in shape during the last couple of months. I lost a few inches during the past few weeks but felt that I was beginning to plateau so I started researching ways I could mix up my routine. I happened to see some interviews done by my favorite fitness models and a number of them mentioned the inclusion of yoga and pilates in their routine. Hmm, maybe I should give this another shot. My company just so happens to offer a number of classes in our gym and there are a few different yoga classes among them. So last night, I went to a class for an hour! I have to say, I loved it! The stretching felt amazing and I already felt so much better after just one class. I've had back issues, tight hips, and all around muscle tension since training and playing competitively in college and these have never really gone away -- these are other reasons why I now want to start including less intense workouts like yoga and pilates into my routine.

So what's the point of this post? Just to tell you I tried yoga? No.

About half way through the class, our instructor said we would be working on handstands again. Again?? Umm, this is my first time here! And I really don't want to crack my head open on day 1. She showed us how to gradually get into a handstand and ways that we could work up to it until we mastered our balance. Some people could start on the floor where they were and others started near a wall to help them get upright first. I started in the middle of the floor (most of the wall space was taken) and I actually got pretty close to vertical at which point, I remember saying, "I'm nervous I'm actually going to get it." Why did I say this? Why was I nervous? Maybe I was nervous of falling. Maybe I was nervous of thrusting too much and actually flipping over backwards. ...all valid reasons...but I began to wonder if I was scared of being successful. It's always a little nerve-racking when you do something outside of your comfort zone. You don't know what to expect and so maybe you won't know how to react. It's been a long time since I did things outside of my comfort zone. My coach used to always tell me to be comfortable being uncomfortable and, if I'm being honest with myself, I don't think I've felt this way for a long time because I haven't put myself in new situations for a long time.

This was a reminder to myself that I shouldn't fear success. In the attempts of being successful, failure is sure to arise but this is all part of the process. Who knows what great things could come from this experience if I'm too nervous or scared to...try? succeed? And when we reach success, it's nothing to be ashamed of. So often, I try to remain modest by never showing what I've accomplished, but allowing other people to see your successes doesn't make you arrogant or vain, like I sometimes fear it does. Feel confident about the work you put in for the results you get out.