Like any red blooded Kenyan woman, I have been wanting to get my body right fitness wise. I wasn’t doing to bad in that department (#humblebrag?) but I knew I wasn’t at my peak performance, so to speak.
One of my pre-covid goals was to start lifting. I thought I would up the intensity of my yoga practice and focus on bodyweight strength type workouts to prepare for the weights. I ended up joining my friends (yogis) in a morning YOD class. Besides the initial soreness, it was going swimmingly. (I’ve always wanted to use that word casually #winkwink)
Enter stage left… the SWEAT. SERVE. SHARE challenge with Africa Yoga Project. From September 1st to the 10th I took part in what was, on the surface of it a straight forward challenge. The point of the whole challenge was to continue AYP’s efforts to provide COVID relief to our beneficiary communities AND… build healthy sustainable habits. Marvellous! Doable and an opportunity to be of service. Accountability partners, fun catch ups to share on how it was going. The perfect challenge.
The daily activities were
Read through Guiding theme/ content of the day
Meditation,
A strength workout,
Yoga
A Service/ SEVA element
Sharing on your experience of that content and the day
Straight forward, yes?
No!
The most challenging bits of this experience was the content and service bits. Day 4, day 5 and Day 8 had me totally out of my comfort zone! Evidence by this post weeks after the fact.
Day 4’s theme was Sthira Sukha. Yoga speak, for firmness and softness. Generally the goal here is balance. A play or dance between the two at the appropriate time needed. You know the saying, “Too much of anything is poison.” The reason this hit me different is my personal struggle with being too soft. My personal perception is that I need to be more firm. That, firm this is the ideal. While there are situations where that is true, I end up carrying that energy in places it ought not to be. It creates the should’ve could’ve would’ve tape playing on repeat in my mind.
Day 5’s theme was Creating connection. This is a good thing. It is truly amazing to have that oneness and flow with a person. Something I love and look out for. Then I saw this… “Remember Sharon Gannon says, “shyness is a form of selfishness, what you are not sharing, what you are not inviting people to, you are keeping for yourself.” And it brought to mind so many situations where I hold back. Because I feel unworthy, unqualified, weak or completely out of my depth. One of the things I am most grateful for this yoga practice is that I no longer have to be the person that only listens and never shares, I can find balance and share a little more, day by day.
Day 8’s theme was Forgiveness. Hard work. Not immediately rewarding. I recently had to say out loud that I forgive you. I still feel justifiably wronged and like a raw wound, every is fine until even the slightest unintentional brush stings anew. I did mean it, but I did not feel it. This is a story for another day. At the risk of being cliché, I felt unburdened. I no longer had to work to show my displeasure. I can feel what I feel without the need to constantly remind myself that I am hurt.
The 10 day challenge, on its surface, is clear. Practice these habits and support a good cause. While my body did get stronger, my way of being got a workout as well. AYP will be doing this challenge again in November, so check out my socials for the joining details.
Uncle Google says a habit is a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up. This is the goal. What habit are you creating?
See you when I see you.
Julie.
An alleged yogi.
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