Take a chance, already!

“Growth is painful. Change is painful. But nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don’t belong.” – Mandy Hale

“IN THE END… We only regret the chances we didn’t take, the relationships we were afraid to have, and the decisions we waited too long to make.” – Lewis Carroll

How many of you out there in Blogland take chances on a regular basis? I bet many of us would say yes, thinking of things like trying new restaurants, trying a new food, checking out a new TV show. But what about BIG chances? Things like moving to a new state (or a new country), getting back into the dating game after a long time away, accepting a new job, starting a whole new career? I’m going to guess that many of you would say you’re not quite THAT brave!

Truthfully, I have to admit that I usually fall in the camp of not taking chances. Not the big ones, anyway. I call it the “Why rock the boat?”, or the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality. Sound familiar? Am I the only one?

Bueller? Bueller? (OK, only you fans of 80s movies will understand that reference.)

Well, this past month, I really turned things around and have taken quite a few chances. Big ones! Here’s just a sampling:

• I mentioned in my last post about how I’d joined a wonderful group of ladies, where our purpose was to better ourselves. Through a variety of daily online challenges, I stepped outside of my comfort zone on several occasions, sharing things I would NEVER have thought I’d share with people I just met, many of whom I only knew virtually through this group. I can remember how queasy my stomach got a few times, thinking, “Should I share this? Are they going to think I’m a freak?!” But every time, I swallowed the fear and went for it, and I gotta tell ya…it felt so FREEING! Each and every time I shared something super personal, it was like a weight had lifted. AND, it connected me with women I didn’t know prior, and I feel like I’ve formed some new friendships, ones that will last the test of time. And these ladies trusted ME with their stuff, too…that is an amazing feeling, to know that someone is trusting me with their deepest emotions. It makes me feel like I’m holding on to something precious…and I am…trust is so, SO precious!
• I’ve probably mentioned before in posts how much I enjoy teaching yoga to those who are dealing with limitations, injuries and illness. After all, it’s helped me so much with each of these things, and I want to share what I know and help others. Too many times, when we’re experiencing one or more of these things and go to a group class, we feel very out of place because we need so much special attention. And if you’re like me, you end up just not going at all because you don’t want to be “that” person, the one who holds everything up and slows the class down because you need help. Well, my lovely friend, Michele, has been teaching a special class on Sundays for a while now. It’s called “Restorative Yoga for Healing and Wellbeing”, and it is specifically for those suffering from illness, injuries or limitations. After a lovely girls’ lunch with Michele, she asked if I’d be interested in taking it over, as she just has so much on her plate right now. I felt honored she would think of me, as that means she is entrusting me to take care of students who have now become a second family to her. I didn’t hesitate at all…I said yes right away. I surprised myself, to be honest. I’ve taught to special needs people before, but usually one-on-one, in a private session. But THIS…this will mean I have to cater to a whole variety of conditions all at once. Which means I’ll have to let go of my OCD-like need to make every class feel like it’s flowing with a kick-ass playlist. I envision myself running around throughout this class, making sure everyone has the props they need so they don’t hurt themselves. Sure, I can do all that and still maintain a relaxing and calm atmosphere…right? Right?(Bueller? Bueller?…)

There’s one other BIG one, but it’s not one I can share publicly just yet. I’ll cover that one in my next post. I promise.

I’ve mentioned in prior posts how chaotic things can get when change comes about. And let’s face it…most of the time, when you take a chance with something new, you’re going to experience change. It’s inevitable. When the time comes and you decide it’s time to take a chance, I think it’s important to do the things you need to do in order to stay grounded. If you don’t, then the chaos (or the “swirl”, as I sometimes refer to it) can overtake and overwhelm you. If you let that happen, you’re more likely to fail, or worse yet, you’re more likely to avoid taking chances in the future.

I know I usually only post one quote in each of my posts, but the two I’ve included up above just spoke so profoundly to me, I had to use both of them. They literally made me tear up when I heard them, as they were spoken at exactly the moment I needed to hear them. And hearing them let me know that these chances I’m taking are worth it. And they also reminded me that without taking these chances, I’ll continue to feel “stuck” and unable to grow.

Anywho, to deal more effectively with all this swirl that is here now, and the swirl that is yet to come, I’ll be focusing on yoga poses and techniques that stimulate the Root (Muladhara) Chakra. This is the chakra that, when balanced, helps us feel grounded, safe and connected to the earth. When it’s out of balance, fear takes over and wreaks havoc…we become suspicious of others, indecisive, overwhelmed, and overly dependent on others. And who wants THAT? Not me!

Some poses I’ll be including in my practice regularly while I am dealing with all the swirl are:

• Easy Seated Pose (Sukhasana)
• Warrior 1 (Virabhadrasana 1)
• Triangle (Trikonasana)
• Grounded Airplane (Virabhadrasana III variation)
• Balancing Half Moon (Ardha Chandrasana)
• Seated Tree (Janu Sirsasana)
• Supine Bound Angle (Supta Badha Konasana)
• Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani)

Also, I’ll be giving myself foot massages, as this can do wonders with helping a person feel grounded. Try it yourself…take your fingers between your toes to stretch them and feel your base. Your base is what helps you feel grounded.

And knowing myself the way I do, I need to be extremely faithful to my meditation practice during this time of swirl. I’ve been experiencing a relapse with my Lyme symptoms, and I know it’s because I haven’t been doing a good job with managing my stress and anxiety. My meditation practice has always helped me in these areas, so I need to make the time for it.

Maybe you’ve been afraid to take chances in your own life. Believe me, I totally get it. I’m the same way, but I finally got to the point where I was tired of feeling stuck and feeling regret at letting things pass me by. So I encourage you to try it for yourself. If you’re letting fear keep you from growing, from taking a chance that could prove to be something wonderful, then I challenge you to stop letting it hold you back. Take the chance. Will you fail? Maybe. But if you don’t even try, you’ll never know what could have been. And if you DO fail, there’s a lesson in it that will help you for the next time. So go ahead…take a chance, already!

Namaste,

Melanie