Yoga Story

When I was at university, I checked out the array of activities that I could participate in like ballroom dancing, squash, yoga and fencing.

I never did the fencing, but while at university I took ballroom dancing lessons.  I have since hung up my dancing shoes, but I do enjoy watching “Dancing with the Stars.”

Years after I left university, I kept up my Hart House membership and I took squash lessons.  Squash is fun and I played squash a couple of times.  

I recently read a terrific article by Kendra Wright called “4 Things I Learned by Stepping Out of My Comfort Zone 850 Times in a Row.”  This is an inspirational article.  Ms. Wright did something cool by doing 850 things that made her step out of her comfort zone.  At the end of Ms. Wright’s article, check out the list that she compiled of 100 things that you could do to step out of your comfort zone. 

After looking over the list, I immediately thought to myself that I need to do something that I had put off doing for decades, and that was to take a yoga class!

I went online to look at where I could take such a class.  I wanted to take a class right away, somewhere close to home and not too expensive.  I decided to take a Yin Yang yoga class at the Roots Yoga Studio.

Taking a yoga class was stepping out of my comfort zone primarily because I thought to myself that I didn’t want to look like a complete “doofus” in class!  

This morning I arrived to class before the door to the studio was even open.  A fellow student was already waiting.  We struck up a conversation.  I was happy to share that it was my first time doing yoga.  My new acquaintance is an experienced student of yoga.  It was nice to talk to this person who helped calm my nerves.  As luck would have it, I found out that we both have an interest in technology.  It goes to show you that you can network anywhere, even at a yoga class!   

I met the yoga studio receptionist and the instructor both of whom were great!   The instructor was very encouraging.  At the end of the yoga lesson, the instructor suggested that I might consider taking Hatha yoga or Restorative yoga.  He even teaches a course called “Yoga for Guys”!

The yoga class was a great experience.  I learned that I had muscles that I didn’t know I had!  Some of the poses I knew that I couldn’t do and so I didn’t do them.  I didn’t feel like a doofus at all.  Everyone was focused on the instructor and followed his lead.  

 

Lessons learned from my yoga class:

1.        You can network anywhere even at a yoga class.

2.        Give yourself a gift and do something that takes you out of your comfort zone.  You feel a glow of positivity about yourself for having undergone the experience.    

 

3.        You have an interesting experience to tell your friends.  And maybe your friends might be inspired to follow your lead and do what you did!  

I am a job seeker. 

We tend to think about things that we have no control over.  When we step out of our comfort zones, we are being proactive and creating a feeling of positivity for ourselves.  

Have you stepped out of your comfort zone lately?

Also Published on LinkedIn on:  July 22, 2017

Image Credit:  Pixabay