As I stared at the blinking cursor, I felt like I was crossing a desert with mirages of topic ideas appearing on the horizon, only to disappear as I started to walk towards them on my keyboard.
It was time to set up camp and rest.
I had been on a trek these first few months of the year.
I’d summited the heights of producing and running a 5-week transformative Great Yoga Wall course.
I’d plunged into the lake of starting a membership for those who took the course to continue their studies.
I’d whitewater rafted along the bumpy rapids of filming another multi-week course.
I’d rock-climbed the face of launching and teaching a 3-day live Great Yoga Wall intensive.
I’d “traveled” further in the first 10 weeks of this year than the first 8 months of last year. No wonder my creativity tank was as dry as the Sahara.
That is, until I started to rest and catch up with myself.
I’m not sharing my adventures to brag at all. Many people are facing much tougher journeys.
I know you’re in the middle of your own expeditions too, whether you’re exploring the rough terrain of things like raising kids, taking care of aging parents, dealing with relationship challenges, tackling health concerns, managing multiple projects at work, taming wild employees, dealing with inequities, figuring out what to put in your belly for dinner, or even finding time and space for your next yoga practice.
Here's what I know to be true:
Any quest you undertake will go more smoothly with mindfulness, rest, and a backpack full of yoga wisdom to help you survive the journey.
Sometimes life moves faster than at other times.
For me one of the keys is to determine how I can move *happily* with the current (rather than trying to swim against it), and grab a tree branch or climb up onto a rock to take a break when I can. The yogic practice of Ishvara Pranidhana (Surrender to the Divine) teaches you how to let go of all the things you think should be happening, you should be doing, or someone else should be doing, and to trust the flow of the river. The practice of Tapas (Perseverance) gives you the strength to navigate those waters so you can get to those resting spots.
We all get out of balance sometimes.
The yogic practice of Svadhyaya (Self Study) helps you learn your own individual signs of being out of balance, whether that means you get writer’s block, you become a cranky pants, or you keep needing that extra dose of chocolate to make it through your day (raising my own hand here). Once you recognize and see the signs, you can then adjust.
Practice fuels your adventures and helps you recalibrate in the moment.
Whether you practice yoga postures, some other form of movement, breathwork, or meditation, these practices give you the daily or even moment-to-moment resets that you need to keep going. The important thing is to modify your practice so that it supports you and doesn’t become just one more thing to do.
Not only is it ok, Rest is essential.
You’ll perform better when you do, and get diminishing returns when you don’t. Even if you can’t get extra sleep, you can find moments of rest here and there like in your posture practice, during your shower, with your morning cup of coffee or tea, when you get to school pick up a few minutes early, on a bench outside at lunch, or simply by lingering in and enjoying the exhalation for a few breaths.
You are not your accomplishments.
According to the ancient texts, Avidya (Spiritual Ignorance) happens when you mistake your accomplishments and possessions for who you are, and when you identify your worth with them. They are impermanent things you have, not who you are. This awareness and the yogic practice of Aparigraha (Self-Reliance or Non-Jealousy) helps you stop trying to keep up with everyone else, and know that you have enough and you are enough. In a few moments of remembering this concept and connecting to your true self, you can relieve some of the pressure of performance, productivity, and perfectionism.
This too shall pass.
Sometimes the most important perspective to take is understanding the impermanence of everything on your journey—each mountain, river, lake, rock, work project, family argument, meal, life milestone, etc. Doing so can help you find gratitude and intuit the next best step on your path. That creativity desert I experienced while I was staring at my computer screen was just the next part of my trek. It was a sign to recalibrate and to rest. When I did, everything began to flow once again.
You’ll still have boulders to scramble or even push uphill sometimes. At other times, the rapids might still carry you away. You might even find yourself feeling lost in your own desert of sorts.
When you travel through life with these techniques in your bag, you’ll feel better, find more confidence, and act more and more effectively regardless of how wild your trek gets.
Tell me, what’s your biggest challenge when it comes to traversing life’s wild adventures? Let me know in the comments.
This information is for educational and informational purposes only and solely as a self-help tool for your own use. I am not providing medical, psychological, or nutrition therapy advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your own medical practitioner. Always seek the advice of your own medical practitioner and/or mental health provider about your specific health situation.