Remember when you attend a class (Nia, yoga, Zumba, Spin, Boot Camp, whatever), it is for you. Remember that it is important to do what you need at the time you are in class. So you don’t have to do the pose, say you are in a yoga class, to your fullest if you need to save your energy for other things you have to do in the day or the rest of your week. You don’t have to prove to your instructor or other classmates that you can do it. It is more important to do what your body needs. Don’t be afraid to listen to your body intelligence.
I might have posted about this before. If not an entire post, I know I have mentioned it, but sometimes we need reminding. I recently took a class in which I was doing more than I should have. It was what I was capable of doing, so I was doing it. I had told myself before the class that I needed to hold back a little because I was feeling a bit fatigued and I had three more classes left to teach in the week, and I had a long weekend ahead. My allergies had been bothering me, and if you have allergies (hay fever) then you know how exhausting they are. I was tired. My plan had been to do modified poses, but then I got caught up in just DOING the poses and not in doing what I needed.
I found myself thinking to myself, “Listen to what you always tell your students. Do what you need to do at the time. You know you need to conserve a bit of energy for the rest of the week.” So I backed off. I was actually more proud of myself for doing less because I needed to, than if I would have done more just to prove that I could.
In saving a bit of my energy I was able to teach my Nia class the next morning with renewed and full energy. It was a great class. So again, I was so glad I listened to what I always encourage my Nia and yoga students to do.
Now, I am not saying not to push yourself, I am just saying that there might be times when it is necessary to do less than you are capable of and that is ok. I think you do more for your body, mind, emotions, and spirit if you respect your needs. I have a feeling this is not new information to you, that is why I started out this post with “remember”. However, it is one thing to know something and to actually do it. As I said, before class I told myself to be mellow and then once in class I didn’t listen to myself at first. I understand how easy it is to get caught up in the moment of doing, but with some modalities, like Nia and yoga, they are mindful practices. A great exercise in a mindful practice is to do it mindfully, which could mean doing less. Don’t be afraid to listen to your body intelligence.
Have you ever needed to do less in an exercise class? Did you? Did you have to keep reminding yourself?
So you may have heard about the fires in California. It is that time of year. There are always fires in California. There is a fire season, just like there is a tornado season and a hurricane season. It happens. The problem with this year is that we are in a bad drought. The fact that we have no water to spare is what makes it so bad. I did also hear that one of the fires – there are hundreds of fires burning right now, twelve of them are being called major fires – is the worse that we have had in a very long time. I keep reading stories of people losing their homes and animals. But I am also reading a lot of really nice stories. Have you seen any of those?
“UPDATE: We have a huge warehouse arranged by Brenna Sullivan at the Farm Burearu (no relation…we don’t think) The first semi is arriving mid-morning and will have a squeeze there to unload. We have dispensed over $1000 from the Lakeport stores to folks with multiple horses on their property, just today. We are aiming for long term support here so people are not having to make sad decisions down the road after all the hoop la is over. THANK YOU ONE AND ALL for your participation. Suppose to rain…..
Then there was a group of people who banded together with horse trailers and trucks offering to transport animals in need of relocation. (The picture above with the trucks.)
Terre Pruitt's Blog 