Goodbye and…Hello!

(Source: Lifehack.org)

Since November 2017, I’ve been teaching class for the patients at the holistic practice I’ve been going to for Lyme treatment since 2013. I relished being able to share yoga with others who were dealing with medical issues, as I was so excited to show them how yoga could benefit them…in so many ways!

I’ve been able to do just that over these past 17 months, and it has been amazing. But a few months ago, I realized that it was time for me to move on. A wise teacher of mine once told me that when something feels like a chore, or when it feels like it’s draining my cup instead of filling it…well, it may be time to move on.

Fast forward to this week. Monday evening was my last class, and it was HARD to say goodbye. Even though I know I am doing what is right for me, it’s still hard. These regular attendees have been such a huge part of my life for all this time, and I’ve definitely become attached. I care about them, and I can tell the sentiment is mutual.

One student in particular became a friend to me. She and I have a lot of the same views on things, and I know she and I will continue to grow our friendship. She gave me a gift after class, and I don’t know if she truly understands how much it meant to me.

I never told her, but I love rocks…holding a solid, cool rock in my hands has always settled me and calmed me down when I am anxious. So when I opened the gift bag and saw these gorgeous lava rocks inside…oh man! I was so totally moved!

After giving her a huge hug and getting in my car, I won’t lie…I was pretty weepy all the way home. Weepy because I was touched. Weepy because I was questioning whether I was making the right decision. I’m sure you all know what I mean, right?

Here’s the REALLY interesting thing, though. The next morning, I was checking my email, and I saw an email from a fellow yoga teacher about an opportunity to lead a corporate yoga class at a company that just happens to be RIGHT DOWN THE STREET from my house.

For those of you who have known me since I started teaching back in 2002, you may remember that I got my start teaching yoga in a corporate setting (it was at the company where I worked full-time). I taught corporate yoga at my workplaces until 2013, when the company I work for now had to change the way they offer fitness classes to employees. I always loved teaching corporate classes, because all the students are just like me…STRESSED, stressed…and more stressed! To see even just one or two students walk out of class looking relaxed or smiling let me know I was following my calling.

So, I decided to follow up on this opportunity my friend told me about. I wasn’t expecting much, but I decided it couldn’t hurt to at least check it out. I’m glad I did! I immediately heard back from the manager hiring for the position, and she and I had a great conversation. Long story short…I have my audition with her this coming week, and I am hoping this works out. It will give me a chance to get back to teaching yoga in the corporate setting again, and this company couldn’t be more convenient for me, with it being right down the street.

At my Friday morning therapy session (yes, I have a therapist…it’s the best decision I’ve made for myself in a long time, but I’ll save that story for another blog post), I mentioned all of this. My therapist pointed out that maybe all this was part of the master plan for me. Maybe my intuition was telling me I needed to say goodbye to one thing so I could say hello to something else. And maybe that something else is the thing that is the THING for me. You get me?

It definitely makes sense. All I am really trying to do is find my joy. All the time, I want to be doing the things that bring me joy. And when I look back at the past few months, I can see that I’ve been slowly but surely letting go of things that are not giving me 100% joy in favor of things that I think will.

It can be a little scary, but I am actually excited to see what will be coming my way. So…goodbye scaredy-cat Melanie and HELLO to a more confident and daring Melanie. Nice to meet me…finally!

Namaste,

Melanie