Are You Appreciating Each Moment?

When I was a young girl, I always wanted to be a princess or a ballerina. I wanted a name like Crystal, which sounded magical and powerful. I would twirl around in circles, very fast, trying to make myself grow up a little bit quicker. I wanted to be older, powerful and much more magical.

I have always done things quickly. I move from one thing to the next and don’t settle until I find exactly what I am looking for. I laugh loudly. I talk a lot. I still spin in circles, trying to make myself more powerful and magical everyday. But lately, I have been trying to slow things down. Not in fear of getting a little bit older, but in order to enjoy each and every moment around me.

When I was in college, I could have graduated a year early if I pushed myself, and I could’ve graduated a semester early with no effort at all. But my parents told me to stay in school, to “enjoy” college life. I was a huge nerd and due to a long string of circumstances, didn’t have too many friends at the time. There wasn’t anything I wanted to enjoy. I just wanted to get out of school and begin “real life.” By asking me to stay, they were asking me to enjoy life and slow down enough to see that each moment, even in school, is real life.

My last semester of school was good. I met a few more friends, got back in touch with old ones and generally had a good time. Then I graduated and got into a position teaching at a school. It was an okay job at first, and then it turned into a terrible, horrible, no good job at all. I had lost my ability to write, to love, to laugh & to run in circles. All I wanted was to get out. I felt so dizzy and lost. I waited my entire life to begin “real life” and didn’t like what I found at all. I needed a change, but I didn’t have any idea what I wanted.

The only thing I wanted to do was a yoga teacher training. I figured I would do my training, along with my master’s degree and then go out and get a “real job”. All the while, the universe, God & everyone who believed in me, knew there were bigger plans lying ahead. I was destined to be where I am now: teaching yoga IS my real job.

Now that I have finally found my niche, I want to slow down and enjoy each and every moment. I feel like all my life I was spinning as fast as I could to get to this moment. This moment, where I can sit with a starry eyed gaze, dizzy from love & laughter – in complete joy.

I have noticed lately, that my classes have begun to change with my new attitude on life. I take deeper breaths. I pause after each sentence while cueing alignment and I only speak about the spirit when I am moved to do so. 

A friend of mine yesterday suggested a wonderful tool. The tool of “period.” After each sentence, whether aloud, or internally – say period. Come into Warrior 1. Period. Relax your shoulders. Period. Soften your gaze. Period. It forces you to really think about the weight of your words and their meaning.

I started doing this yesterday with my everyday sentences as well. I love you. Period.

It’s easy to live our lives with words that continue into run-on sentences. It’s easy to live life with abundant energy. And although it is more difficult to slow down when all I want to do is run, it is entirely necessary. Sometimes, we need to slow down and observe, listen and love. We need to watch our words, listen to our thoughts & our bodies, feed ourselves well with food & love and most importantly, we need to appreciate each moment.

While I was an elementary school teacher, I appreciated the horrible, terrible, no-good job. I was able to truly evaluate what made me happy. By sitting with the moments that I had and appreciating them – I was able to work through a lot of truths. I saw who I didn’t want to be, and in doing so, found who I wanted to become.

Appreciate each moment, even if that moment isn’t joy. Love. Laugh. Smile. SLOW DOWN. Live happy & free.

Get out there – do yoga & make life sparkle,

Namaste,

Jenny