Love the Prep!
Today's intention: Enjoy the Preparations
Our Sunday schedule allows for a little bit of everything... early morning family time, the opportunity to teach a yoga class, solo time for me to go to the gym, and then in the afternoon when Tom goes to work, Sam and I spend the day and night together, preparing for the week that lies ahead.
I have always loved the idea of planning ahead, though admittedly I'm not as good at it as I thought I was. I came to this realization last year, when I was working at a restaurant, teaching yoga and being a Mom. My Mondays were chaotic back then. Tom left for work before the sun came up, so it was my responsibility to get Sam to school early so that I could teach class, then dash down to the restaurant for a lunch shift, and finally rush back to school to pick him up... all by 2pm!
I'd spend Sundays getting things ready for the manic Monday that awaited us. I had such a bad attitude on those Sundays. I was so grumpy and, in hindsight, resentful. However, I always got everything done so that when Monday actually rolled around, things flowed with ease. Sam and I never had a problem making it where we needed to be, and my mood was always pleasant on those dreaded Mondays. It dawned on me that I was projecting all of this anxiety, fear and stress on the events of the future, instead of being present to the tasks at hand and doing them with focus and love. It struck me as kind of funny that I had done such a great job of being organized, yet my outlook was so bleak!
My Mondays are less busy now that I'm not at the restaurant, but Sundays are still a day of preparation around here. When I remind myself, I can actually greatly enjoy the whole process. Cooking for the week, cleaning, organizing, spending quality time with Sam and letting him be involved.... its all becoming a nice little ritual. All it takes is a shift in my perspective.
Since we can always find a metaphor that links a life lesson to our physical yoga practice, this reminds me of how important it is to be present to the preparations required for poses. Instead of focusing our energy on an advanced pose, it is best to spend the time fully committed to the preparations required. Build foundation, find correct alignment, listen very closely inwardly, and the time spent is quite fruitful.
Our Sunday schedule allows for a little bit of everything... early morning family time, the opportunity to teach a yoga class, solo time for me to go to the gym, and then in the afternoon when Tom goes to work, Sam and I spend the day and night together, preparing for the week that lies ahead.
I have always loved the idea of planning ahead, though admittedly I'm not as good at it as I thought I was. I came to this realization last year, when I was working at a restaurant, teaching yoga and being a Mom. My Mondays were chaotic back then. Tom left for work before the sun came up, so it was my responsibility to get Sam to school early so that I could teach class, then dash down to the restaurant for a lunch shift, and finally rush back to school to pick him up... all by 2pm!
I'd spend Sundays getting things ready for the manic Monday that awaited us. I had such a bad attitude on those Sundays. I was so grumpy and, in hindsight, resentful. However, I always got everything done so that when Monday actually rolled around, things flowed with ease. Sam and I never had a problem making it where we needed to be, and my mood was always pleasant on those dreaded Mondays. It dawned on me that I was projecting all of this anxiety, fear and stress on the events of the future, instead of being present to the tasks at hand and doing them with focus and love. It struck me as kind of funny that I had done such a great job of being organized, yet my outlook was so bleak!
My Mondays are less busy now that I'm not at the restaurant, but Sundays are still a day of preparation around here. When I remind myself, I can actually greatly enjoy the whole process. Cooking for the week, cleaning, organizing, spending quality time with Sam and letting him be involved.... its all becoming a nice little ritual. All it takes is a shift in my perspective.
Since we can always find a metaphor that links a life lesson to our physical yoga practice, this reminds me of how important it is to be present to the preparations required for poses. Instead of focusing our energy on an advanced pose, it is best to spend the time fully committed to the preparations required. Build foundation, find correct alignment, listen very closely inwardly, and the time spent is quite fruitful.