I kinda knew that the International Yoga Day is this week; it's in my calendar after all.
Yet there was the familiar "tension" creak in my neck, after receiving a message from my studio saying that Lululemon is treating us teachers this Thursday; then came a flurry of pictures from a teacher friend of Yoga Day activities on the weekend. That creak got worst, when someone asked me what am I doing this International Yoga Day.
I said “Nothing.”
And I felt surprisingly liberated. No guilt! What??
So you know, the creak in my neck is usually the first sign of stress; before the ceiling hits the fan. The overwhelm starts with worrying that I’m not keeping up, I’m not doing enough. Then I get overly busy, frantically trying to plan and getting everything done. "Should I do a free yoga class, oh no - I’ve not done my community class this month yet? or maybe a yoga video or a how to video! I don't have the time! OH NO!!!"
That is a possible scenario for the superbusyme. But not the surprisingly chilled me this time! Well, I did had a minor neck pain that disappeared and I discovered my new way of being.
"When you are NO to something, you are a YES to something else."
- Baron Baptiste
I’m a No to doing nothing and I’m a Yes to being a bad yogi.
"And Sophie, you know what - it is Hari Raya on the weekend. Yes, you could have planned ahead but it's not the end of the world. And you did sprain your ankle and had indigestion from eating too much sambal prawns. You were busy, living in the moment, even if it's imperfect. So it’s perfectly ok for you to miss this yoga day.”
Come let's celebrate #JOMO OK? Let's celebrate the Joy of Missing out!
This year have been a whole lot JOMO; but I've actually been busy.
♥ I got married.
♥ I started my own classes under AMI Power Yoga.
♥ I am going to end those classes under AMI Power Yoga.
♥ I am in the creation of yoga teacher mentorship program.
♥ I am revamping my blog.
♥ I apprenticed Level 1 Baptiste Yoga
♥ ♥ ♥ And a whole lot of other adult married stuff.
So technically I didn’t do nothing.
By saying No to my concern to looking a good, I’m a Yes to Freedom.
THUS, I’m gifting to you this International Yoga Day -
the Practice of Saying No.
I’m sure there are times when you really say wanna no, but you said yes, right?
Say No.
To yourself, to others.
You need it.
Give yourself permission because you can!
Consider WHAT is more important to you.
It’ll open up a whole new world of possibilities; of other YESes, waiting to be discovered.
It’s going to be hard.
There's going to be a lot of judgement (by you!) You'll feel anxious. You’ll feel guilty. You’ll feel bad. So what! Drop the stories.
You need this.
In fact, you can even say no to this.
And you can say YES anytime you know that. It’s your choice!
But the fact that you read till the end, means you know you need to do this.
And if you say No, be Committed.
Dance in the fire!
Celebrate your Freedom!