In this new reality of Covid-19 Pandemic "social distancing" (aka #stayhome), the days feel like they are passing so fast, but the weeks feel like an eternity. So much has changed in my world and around the world in the span of a week. Big changes that would normally take years to play out are happening overnight all around us. It's like a stealth army of disruptors just invaded planet earth to dramatically accelerate disruption in the way we live, work, and connect. My mind's normal rhythm of timelines has been completely disrupted and I'm finding that it makes it harder for me to stay grounded in the present. Over the last few days, I'm finding great comfort in the Little Things. The little wins. I'd love to start sharing some of those.
In so many areas of life, we often get lured into believing that a destination or a goal is just a straight line from where we are today. If we want to achieve a goal in business, in sports/fitness, or in health, we mistakenly assume there's one big action that needs to be taken. In reality, it's a bunch of little things and actions, little plots on the graph, that get us to that end goal...over time. Those little things create habits over time. Those little thoughts change perspective over time. To that end, I see that I can't fast-track through a straight line to the end of the Pandemic. I just need to settle in and start creating the little plots on the graph that will set my trajectory as I move forward.
I'm finding it's important for me to focus on the little things when the weight of the current global pandemic starts to feel heavy. I woke 2 nights ago almost in a panic with an overwhelming feeling of dread. This is not usual behavior for me, as I usually sleep like a baby. In fact, I'm borderline neurotic about protecting my sleep to ensure health. [For all the Oura ring fans like me, I'd love to see all your sleep scores over the last 2 weeks to see if everyone is as jacked as me]. After waking to that heavy feeling, I knew I needed to take control of my day by refocusing on the little things. It's the little wins each day that are keeping me grounded and helping me be the best person I can be for my family.
I know we're in this together so I'm going to start sharing the Little Things that are helping me each day. Yesterday's little win that lifted me into a lighter spirit was Megan Aaron's Fire class. Megan is one of my personal favorite yogi's and yoga mentor at Hollywood Market Yoga in Boise. Not only did Megan's 'Fire' sequence get me moving and centered with breath; it also reminded me that we're strong. We can do hard things. And we can do it with grace. We just need to keep breathing. The way we move through a challenge will look different for all of us (just like our yoga practice), but we are practicing together. We are putting our hearts and energy ALL IN together.
The Sanskrit term for yoga is literally union. The world I choose to see around me right now is banded together in union. And my yoga practice is the dance that reminds me I have a source of strength within me that is unified with something greater, beyond my mind and body. It's just a Little Thing I do, and yet it's really big.
*I hope you will give this fire practice a try as well. I promise you will feel stronger. Note there was a technical difficulty and the class cut off before the cool down and shavasana at the end. Give yourself the gift of 5-10 minutes of stillness at the end to soak in all the benefits of Megan's class.*