I’m back on the 60-day Bikram yoga challenge. This is my second year doing it. Last year I was reluctant to give it a go. I had a number of self limiting beliefs about whether or not I could physically do it. Successfully completing it last year, made it a no-brainer for me this year.
Spending 90 minutes each day for 60 days translates to a total of 90 hours. There are 168 hours in a week. By the time I’m done, I’ll have spent a little over half a week this year on yoga.
I know that may seem like a luxury to a lot of folks out there. They might be thinking: “Why not repurpose some of that time working, relaxing, socializing, or sleeping? And what about travel?”
I actually clear my schedule for the first couple months of the year. Given the weather is pretty bad in the northern hemisphere, I prefer to avoid travel, and the baggage that comes with it.
Of course, there are a handful of days where I have to do a double or wake up at 5 am to squeeze it in. Those are the days I find that I have more energy and clarity on what needs to get done.
But the real reason I do it is because it keeps me healthy and sane at the start of the year.
The start of the year is filled with stress.
We anticipate how the year is going to unfold, and what we want to accomplish.
All that anticipation leads to anxiety because we’re constantly fighting those self limiting beliefs. As someone who has struggled with deep bouts of anxiety, I will do keep doing anything that helps alleviate my anxiety.
There are also a lot of decisions and to-do’s that need to get done.
I find that hitting the mat, gives that voice in my head a timeout. It’s hard to obsess over decisions in a 100+ degree room with 50%+ humidity! It forces me to clear my mind, and it means I don’t make decisions hastily.
I’ve also noticed that little things don’t get to me as much. I’m less annoyed and kinder to myself and to people around me.
I love how it changes my daily routine for the better. The daily practice helps me sleep like a baby for 8 hours, stay hydrated, eat well, and forces me to rethink how I spend my time each day.
But doesn’t making it a challenge add a level of stress and bring up limiting beliefs?
Yes and no.
I’ve grown to believe that there is good stress and there is bad stress.
Good stress is about testing your limits periodically while cultivating a level of self-awareness to know when to give in or take a break. It takes practice and discipline. I’ll admit to having learned the difference the hard way.
But what about daily demands and the needs of others?
My eighty-year-old grandma lives with me, I lead a startup, and I do my best to carve out time to meet with others who want my help.
There will always be people who count on you to do things. It will be challenging to say yes to everyone that comes your way. I’ve had to learn to say no to some, prioritize the needs of others periodically, and train myself to know when something is and isn’t urgent.
But again I’ve found that it’s hard to be caring and compassionate towards others if I haven’t started with myself first. I’ll grow resentful, and I’m more likely to blow up at people because I’m facing burnout.
I’ve also heard people who were ridiculed by their friends, family or coworkers for putting themselves first or thinking they were vain for wanting to look and feel better.
Yes, it’s hard to deal with ridicule the moment it happens. But sitting in an emergency room puts the ridicule in perspective and makes it seem well, ridiculous.
Health is non-negotiable.
I’ve had a few bad incidents in my life that have taught me the importance of prioritizing my physical and mental health above everything else.
I thought I was young and invincible. Bouncing back easily from sleepless nights. I compromised on healthy eating. Put in long countless hours all in the name of accomplishing my dreams or in service to others. It also taught me how fragile confidence is in the face of anxiety. Going from a moment of invincibility to another where those self limiting beliefs rear their ugly head again.
Hence, those bad habits worked for me in the short term. But, in the long term, I accrued a debt. I eventually learned it needed to be paid off if I was going to accomplish what I wanted each year.
So the real goal of my yoga challenge is to challenge how I invest the time to take care of myself. That investment translates into dealing with those self limiting beliefs and advancing myself in spite of them.
Now I want to know, how do you plan to make time for yourself first this year? Looking forward to learning from you in the comments below! Have you had to challenge yourself to care about yourself?
