Persistence, Self-Awareness, & A High-Five

O snailClimb Mount FujiBut slowly, slowly!”― Kobayashi Issa 140 is the magic number. Keep reading and I'll explain why this has anything to do with persistence. Cliffhanger! (Don't you hate it when people do that?)Last month I sat down to write out my teaching hours. Every. Single. Hour. Ok, I'm lying. I didn't write down every hour but I did give credit to the ones with lines in the movie. What I mean is I went back ten years and put down my significant teaching milestones; the workshops, the training programs, the private yoga therapy sessions. I even included the time years ago when I taught a workshop and no one showed up. I showed up early, damn Daylight Savings Time.A funny thing happens when you're asked to reflect on the last decade: you realize you've done a shit ton of work. Sure, I may not have made millions or risen to the height of yoga fame (I'm looking at you Yoga Journal) but that's exactly my point: our hours of dedication and hard work often go unnoticed. We don't do them for fanfare or in anticipation of some huge reward, like Michael Fassbender giving you a call. We do the work simply because that's what we need to do. When we reach a goal there's often no red carpet event or fireworks display. To reach a goal takes years, decades even. As the saying goes there are no overnight successes, it's a long and at times unglamorous slog.(Dear Michael, I'm available to help whenever you're ready. By the way, loved you in Inglourious Basterds. Sincerely, Me.)

140

That's the number of Certified Yoga Therapists in Canada.On July 3rd I found out I became one of them. There wasn't anyone around to celebrate with though. For the record: high-fiving yourself looks ridiculous; cats are terrible at filling in.So yes, I can now add the letters C-IAYT after my name. I can also use this wonderful graphic in various creative ways...In celebration, I drank wine with a good friend as part of her Work-Life Recharge #53in17 Project.  The first video we filmed together is on how to start a meditation practice.   Spoiler: I wear a Jem t-shirt.You can watch the video here:

Meditate on This!

• Take-Home Message #1: Starting and maintaining a meditation practice is like achieving a long-term goal: you have to stick with it through the tough, uncomfortable times even when you don't want to. Starting a meditation practice is a lifestyle change that won't always be easy or perfect but I promise you it'll always be worth it.
• Take-Home Message #2: Don't try high-fiving yourself, especially with a glass of wine in one hand.
• Take-Home Message #3: Good things come to those who wait. Any day, Michael.

Here's to staying the course and to placing one foot in front of the other.

High Five! 

Kim