It’s not always pretty…and yes, this is a real yoga pose – simhasana (lion pose)
Michelle Shaeffer wrote a great post about entrepreneurship the other day. She said:
Trust me when I say that, having seen behind the scenes of lots of businesses (from tiny home businesses to six and seven figure businesses) in the past 12 years, it’s almost never pretty.
It’s messy. It’s a fight. It’s hard work. Things sometimes fall apart and it takes trying over and over again to get it together. But entrepreneurs find a way to make it all work.
That’s part of the adventure.
Decide what you want to do and make it happen, even if it’s messy.
That.
Is.
So.
True.
When I look back on the last few years of being in business, I’d have to say that on the outside things have largely looked fairly OK, but on the inside? A fucking mess. Chaos everywhere, with me desperately trying to learn to do all the things I didn’t know how to do.
The only thing I DID (more or less) know how to do was the teaching yoga bit.
Finding students?
Had to learn.
Advertising?
Had to learn.
Hiring people?
Had to learn.
Client service when it’s not me showing up to teach?
Had to learn.
Managing multiple projects and deadlines when you REALLY care about all of them?
Had to learn.
Doing proper financials?
Had to learn. Still learning. Ugh.
Still learning everything, but my businesses fumbles forward anyway. I don’t like being incompetent at stuff, and for that reason have a history of not trying at all.
Slowly, I’m realising that if you haven’t failed recently, it’s because you haven’t tried hard enough.
If it doesn’t work, figure out what you did wrong, learn that lesson, and move on to the next thing.
Just like life.
Just like yoga.
Moving from Stability: Understanding the Pelvis in Posture (Online workshop)
Light Up Your Life
Two and a half years ago my yoga teacher, friend and inspiration left me! Sadly martyrish I know. Nade my heart chakra is pounding with joy and pride at your growth, girl. Now will you come home pleeeeeze, I me me me need you!!! XHX
Oh, Hazel! You will be horrified to know it’s been FOUR and a half years ago. I qualify for citizenship here now…and I will be coming home to visit next August. I will make sure we see each other.
This is such a lesson to apply to yoga in general! My YTT500 teacher often said “function over form”, especially when looking at yoga therapy or other modifications. I like the way you say it too – these words will definitely be crossing my lips next asana class!! Thanks hon!
I think that’s why I liked it so much – like your teacher, I follow (always) the motto ‘form follows function’.
Don’t make it pretty….
I wish I could be in that class when you say it!
You guys? I’m so glad you all shared that you have fear too. Makes me feel less alone. Because it can be exhausting, knowing the only way to be brave is…to be brave. Hiding under the duvet often seems so much more appealing…
Nadine, its like you’ve read my mind. This weekend I’ve been thinking about fear a lot. Specifically, fear in my climbing and how its holding me back.
The fear of falling is there, because, duh!, you sometimes fall. But if you are safe (of course!) you should be falling because it means you’re trying. But what if you are too scared to try? That’s even harder, because that sounds a lot like a fear of failure. That’s an even harder fear to overcome, but I’m working on it.
So this post was so well timed for me. Thank you! X
Loved, love this post Nadine. So needed to ‘hear’ this right now. Full of wisdom, you are x
nice quote from Michelle Shaeffer. I think I’m gonna use her quote too for my next blog. I am feeling down right now but then encouraged after reading this. Thanks for sharing.
“I don’t like being incompetent so I have a history of not trying”. Uh. Yup. That would be me. At least you have your passion for The Yoga. Running a business without that vision or strong belief in something would make it impossible. Still trying to find my ‘The Yoga’. x
anything meaningful and worthwhile usually requires lot of effort doesn’t it!
First time I learned lion pose was in my college yoga class. Everyone was giggling cause it felt so ridiculous to go ahhhhhhh and stick your tongue out and widen your eyes. I hear it’s a good way to release tension though.
It IS! If I make people do it, I always tell them everything will seem better after that much silliness. And it does…
Up side: Learning keeps you young. It’s practically a wrinkle-free cure. Except in your brain. It creates more wrinkles in your brain.
Also, there’s this workshop that I heard about that might be cool for some people to learn some stuff about business and such. Here is the Facebook event link: https://www.facebook.com/events/149675308490379/
Yep, I know that one. Learning new things that make you feel silly because you don’t have a natural flair for them. Ugh. But you’re doing awesomely anyway!