Gravity and the New.

What is it about New Year’s?  Even I, in all my ho-hum pensiveness, cannot escape the inevitable draw to reflect and look forward at this time of year.  So here I am.  It’s January 1, 2009.  I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about the importance of this date.  Of course, it’s a new year, day one.  But at the same time, it’s just another day.  This day found me much the same as the past few days have found me.  I woke, ate, showered, dressed, went out.  I took a yoga class, came home.  Not much is really different.  But there is some sort of strange gravity about this day, and I kinda like it.

I’ve had a killer year.  2008 was by far, the best year of my life..  ever.  I accomplished things this year that I would never have even thought were possible.  I never like overly quantifying things, especially good things, because I think it somehow devalues them.  So, I’m not going to say, “this was the best thing, and that was the second best thing..”  It doesn’t matter.  It was a good year.  I made some incredible life changes this year, climbed some amazing mountains, dealt with huge things, and gained some very important perspective on my life.  I grew up, got healthier, took control of my life, and did things I’ve always wanted to do.  It was a good year.

I was reading Matt’s recent post on his New Blog (which I love) and was inspired to think of all the New things in my life.  I have a New Job.  I am a New Bikram Yoga Teacher.  I have a New Life, New Body, and New Hope.  I have many New Friends, who have become like a precious family to me.  I have New Patterns and New Dreams.  I want even more New Things for 2009.

I am not the type to make New Year’s Resolutions.  I think they’re fine, for what they are, but they have never served me well.  I don’t make lists of things I want to do.  Instead, I set my intention on making changes.  This year I have a few major changes I want to make.  They are things that have already been set in motion over the past few months, and even years.  I look forward to seeing them come to fruition in 2009.

Even with all the New things in my life, even with the goals I have set for this year, I still find myself mostly just grateful for right now.  2008 was an incredible year for me.  So, in light of that, I will share a list with you all of some of the things I am most thankful for from the past year.

I am thankful that I am healthier today than I was one year ago.
I am thankful that I am still doing Bikram Yoga
I am thankful that my family is healthy and whole.
I am thankful for the love Dave and I share.
I am thankful to have the ability to maintain the boundaries I have set in my life.
I am thankful to have met so many amazing new friends this year.
I am thankful for the strength I have found inside.
I am thankful that I was able to do Teacher Training.
I am thankful for the support that I have to pursue my dreams.
I am thankful for my home studio, my job, my bosses, my fellow teachers, and the amazing community at BYTW.
I am thankful that I can share yoga with others.
I am thankful this year brought me hope.
I am thankful to be healthy and well.
I am thankful for every blessing.

I wish you all an amazing New Year.  Remember to give thanks always.

Namaste.

I am officially famous, kind of..

I have been mentioned on the fabulous Punkin Pockets Blog

You should check it out, daily.. But in case you don’t, here’s the post.. Doesn’t hurt that she also mentions my favorite singing blue eyed Memphis boy Mr Sexy..

From the Fabulous Mrs Tori..

So, now that my very dear friend and neighbor Ren has finally inherited her mother’s piano and had it delivered a couple weeks ago, I have to figure out a way to get my fingers on those delicious ivories on a regular basis. You see, ever since I was a child, I’ve dreamed of becoming a concert pianist. (For those of you who are paying really close attention, yes, that would make this Dream No. 327.) I began lessons at the little Baptist school down the street when I was in 2nd or 3rd grade and fell in love instantly. But I’ve been unable to keep my skills honed throughout the years.

Looks like now’s my chance! (Insert sinister laugh here.)

The way I figure it, she’ll be needing a babysitter a few times a week for yoga and for various other Mommy missions and that’s when I’ll make my move. I’ll have to be careful because I haven’t visited in a while and she may get suspicious. “Why Tori! You walked all the way down the street just to see me?” Better make some double chocolate vegan carob brownies and use that as my excuse. That and Zoë needed a play date. I’ll sign up for some free Piano lessons & piano chords from this cool site I found and show them to her. We’ll get into some playful duets, dance, and she’ll sing a Justin Timberlake song while I play the accompaniment. Thanks to those free Piano lessons & piano chords I will be able to play JT by ear in no time. It will be delightful. And Ren will never be the wiser because she, of all people, does not read this blog.

A perfect plan!

Impossible is nothing

Someone recently commented to me that my yoga challenge was “insane” and “impossible this time of year…” and honestly I can kinda agree. But the truth of the matter is there really is no GOOD time to cram 60 Bikram classes in, is there?? If you follow that logic, you’d never really ever do the class. I mean, nobody really LOVES what goes on in there, right?? 90 mins of heat, sweat, and HARD work.. Why? Because impossible is nothing.. Nothing. Arnie (one of my teachers) often says “you can talk yourself into or out of anything..” So true, so true.. Often I think we exercise the latter. Telling ourselves “it’s a bad time of year to focus on yoga” or “now’s not a good time to commit to a routine..” whatever, it’s easy and even logical to call sixty straight days of Bikram impossible. But don’t tell the 54 other students enrolled in the challenge that, we all have our eyes on the prize. New health, a new body, and most importantly – that warm fuzzy feeling. I DID IT.. I did it.. Impossible is nothing..

So, today I did a back to back class. Totaling just over three hours in the heat. Working, working hard. Tonight I am markedly more exhausted than usual. But I do feel good. It’s interesting what your mind goes through.. Euphoria, excitement, anxiety, exhaustion, fear, denial, bargaining, complaining, and then somewhere along the way.. acceptance.. Just do the class, Karen. Just do it.. The first class is all good. Work hard, do the class. Then the second class starts and you start to question just how good of an idea all this sweating is.. I mean, it’s not really THAT healthy for me, right?? Today, I went through about seventy different emotions between the time first class ended and the third posture of my second class started.. Impossible is nothing, but dammit if I can’t turn my stupid brain off.

Tomorrow, luckily, I am only doing ONE class. only one. Which, I guess is a good reason to be grateful. Impossible is nothing..