I wrote a while back about the power of saying no, and said we owed finding our dream home in LA in large part to saying no to everything that wasn’t IT. Some people replied saying they appreciated the reminder that we must say no to what is NOT our heart’s desire, to make it possible for the universe to offer what we do want.
But what about if we have two heart’s desires? What if we have a really great thing and another really great thing to choose from?
While I don’t believe there is a “right answer”, ie, this is what I was “supposed” to choose – as if the script of our lives were already written – I have learned we can use yoga to make the choices that will produce results that will feel good.
For instance, I love teaching Mom + Baby Yoga classes. And I love training teachers. But this month, I felt I had to choose. Our Ma Yoga Certification program is starting up again, and I am re-vamping the Mom Yoga weekend with a deeper dive into what it means to connect, align, and strengthen the core. This means info graphics! Videos!! Yikes. And there are only so many daytime hours before my daughter is out of school.
For a while I’ve been going with the flow, allowing things to be, and accepting what comes my way. But the results were not feeling good – I was feeling frenzied and starting to get resentful of anything that was preventing me from working on my teacher training program.
And in one little moment (I was driving, of course) I remembered: either we are making a choice subconsciously, or consciously. The yoga is making a choice from Consciousness.
What is Consciousness? It’s been described as having the qualities of our highest Self, just in bigger form – such as freedom, power, and playfulness. So, coming from the space within ourselves where we feel these qualities is as close as we can get.
Here are 2 easy steps to making your choices Consciously this week, Mama:
1. What would you do if you had all the time, money, and resources in the world?
2. Then, look at your time, money, and resources – and refine.
When I am working with moms looking for a career change, I have her do this (among many other conscious choice exercises): what would you be doing this week if you had all the time in the world? Traveling, writing, re-doing your bathroom?
Then, write down 5 things you like about your choice.
Finally, looking at your time, money and resources; refine your list into the next steps that will still result in what you want. For instance, if can’t pay to travel to the Italian Riviera then maybe you can get a resort in Ojai to host you for the weekend, in exchange for a review.
Or, if you can find 3 people who will let you re-paint their bathroom you can then afford childcare long enough to re-tile your own.
Of course, most of the time we’re making smaller choices.
Like what should I do for the next 30 minutes?
Pause. Breathe. Ask yourself: if I had all the time in the world.. money… resources… would I take a nap? Do some yoga or start my book?
Then, look at what you’ve got. And maybe, mama, just maybe, you will discover that you have all you need to get the results you truly want today.
Me, I’m going to be working on creating a Teacher Training booklet I can hand out this month, and I will not teach the Mom + Baby classes. If I had all the time in the world, I would do both. But I have to choose one, at this time, in order to get the results I want. I will miss YOU, which I know will make it all the sweeter when I return.
For now, please know that I am choosing from freedom, power and playfulness this week – and I hope this provides a little inspiration for you to do the same!
