So Many Hats, So Little Time

Lately, I've been adding hats to my already diverse collection. These are great hats, some are simple by design and others are more intricate. My sombreros have names and include the following: real estate agent, marketing specialist, bookkeeper, office manager, yoga teacher, qigong instructor, stress management coach, blogger, friend, sister, wife, auntie, daughter, mom to 4-legged child, home CEO (domestic goddess), etc... Whew, I'm exhausted just reading the list.

During this economic turmoil, we are all wearing more hats. I find they all need to be worn at least once in a while or they get dusty and start to feel neglected. The important thing to remember while wearing that specific hat is to BE THE HAT. While wearing the yoga teacher hat, I stay focused on being the teacher, not get distracted by all the other hats waiting to be worn. Focusing on the present task at hand allows us to live in the moment and be our best. It also keeps me from burning dinner - where's my chef's hat?

Knowing when to turn down another hat is also paramount. After all, we only have one head, and you look silly wearing several hats at the same time!! You may need to juggle a few hats at a time, just know you might drop one or two inadvertently.

How many hats do you wear? Are there some you could give to someone else or retire completely? Taking inventory, every now and then, of our duties in life helps us prioritize and discard what no longer serves us. As you look at that hat, ask yourself the question: Does this serve me any longer?

Off comes the blogger chapeau as I snug on my hiker cap.

Take a Chill Pill...

and pass the bottle on. People just need to slow down, stop overreacting, being judgmental and selfish. Wow, I think I just solved the world's problems in one sentence. Now why is something so seemingly simple so difficult to do? Mind-body practices rewire our brain to do just that! Hatha (physical) yoga teaches us to slow down, both within and without. Qigong and tai chi quiet the mind by focusing on the present moment. All brands of meditation not only train the brain and body to chill, but habituate us into "unplugging" our mind and disassociate the memories that trigger overreaction, judgement, anger and all negative thought patterns.
When we become aware of our thoughts, we can change them. Self-awareness eventually stamps out self-involvement.
We only need to convince all the politicians and leaders of this blue planet that the answer to a better world is meditation. I think the Dalai Lama's been at this for a while and will be (unless we give these people partial lobotomies). Now there's an idea!

The Art of Effort and Surrender

I over effort. No surprise to those who know me or any of my yoga teachers. In yoga, we try to find that delicate balance between efforting in a pose and finding that point of relaxation. At times, it feels as if I'm balancing on the head of a pin, it's such a small window to discover. And yet, while furiously trying to balance in Pincha Mayurasana (my Achilles heel pose), if I take a deep breath and open my heart, I feel my body start to melt and release some muscular energy. Effortless effort, is what one of my teachers calls it. It enables us to enjoy and go deeper, allowing for that opening and release we yogis look for in each asana (pose).

What we learn on the mat, we take off the mat and into our everyday lives. This is a well-known mantra in yoga. Sometimes, we work too hard at something, afraid to soften the grip, fearing we will lose whatever it is we think we have a hold of. But the truth is, through surrender and stepping back is where we gain freedom and power. Difficult concept to process, but a good analogy would be skydiving. One has to trust the shoot will open to jump out of a perfectly good airplane. (Brian swears he's doing this on his 50th birthday. As long as his life insurance is paid up.)
Knowing when to surrender and not over effort is surely an art form that enfolds and unfolds infinitely throughout our lifetime. It's part of the yin yang, the constant flow of life.

It's Dark, Damp, with Screaming Bats!

Well, there are bats in my tunnel. It adds to the drama. Although this is a serious subject, humor and laughter are great destressors!

We all have moments or events in our lives we don't want to experience. We have no control or choice but to plow through the crisis. A job loss, unexpected health issue, death in the family... These acute stress events usually blindside us and throw us off our axis. One way to relieve the anxiety is to process the life changing circumstance through visual imagery. It is one of the methods I use to help me accept a difficult situation. It is my true desire that it benefits you as well.

I visualize myself standing, facing a one-way tunnel on the side of a high mountain range, like the Alps. I can't turn around, it's impossible for me to bypass the tunnel and realize I have to go through it. I know there is an end to the tunnel and there is light on the other side. I just don't know what will happen in the tunnel (here is where my bats come in) or how long it is. I take a deep breath, muster all my courage, shed my fears (as I know bats smell fear), and step into the darkness. The only motivation that keeps me walking down the tunnel is knowing there is another side. I don't know what's there waiting for me, but I do know there will be light, in the form of revealment, resolution, acceptance and knowledge.

Now, if I could just find that bat repellent spray...