Why we all need to be a little selfish to give our best.

Take what you need to give your best self to others.

The lesson of our yoga class today was about selfishness. Being selfish may seem like a negative quality but the reality is that we all need to be a little selfish. 

We learned about what we needed to do for ourselves as we were confronted with challenges in our environment. In our case, the environment was created by our teacher who took everyone to their personal edge through a series of difficult poses and transitions. The theory being that we react to challenges in life the same way we react to challenges on the mat.

It was an incredibly tough class especially for perfectionists because no one was in peak form by the end. We all had to let go of our ideals and settle for the best that our bodies could give us in that moment.  As we struggled to grip the mat and use every last bit of strength from our aching muscles, the need for compassion became very clear. Compassion for others and compassion for ourselves. No one can be perfect at everything or perfect all the time.  

Your life reflects your practice

Understanding how you respond to a challenges provides an opportunity to observe your body language and hear your self talk, assess your level of resilience and unlock self imposed limitations. It can also open doors to new opportunities and experiences in love and love.

We all face challenges in life which is why it is so important to figure out what you need to do to maintain your health. Making time for yourself and understanding that it’s okay to be selfish about “taking what you need” is important.  In taking what you need, you are being compassionate to yourself and giving your best self to others.

We have had a wonderful experience practicing Power Yoga this month and would like to end with a few more of our favorite thoughts.

Four lessons learned while practicing yoga

1/ Develop a practice of setting intentions. 

Be mindful about what you want to experience, how you want to feel and what you want to achieve in everything that you do.

2/ Intention – Attention – Commitment.  

Once you set your intention, pay attention to your actions, behaviors and thoughts so that you reinforce your commitment to your intention.

3/ Connect with your breath.

When something feels hard or difficult, connect with your breath and just breath through it.

4/ Cultivate joy in the uncomfortable.

Practicing yoga, Pilates or any sport that takes you to the edge of your comfort zone is good way to develop your resilience on the mat and in life.