"Way to give it 110%"
"Atta Girl"
"No Pain. No Gain"
"Go For It!
"Don't Give Up...Keep Going"
Sound familiar?
It does to me. It was a revolving door of dialogue that was spoken to me as I was growing up and well into my adult years and words that I no doubt, spewed out to the thousands of fitness classes I've taught over the years. As a young athlete, it was ingrained into my being that if you didn't give it all you had, you weren't a team player or were "soft". You had to push it to your limits every time. You know, "leave it out on the court, or in the gym, or on the balance beam".
But what about the yoga mat? Do I need to give it 100% every time I step onto my mat in order to be a good yogi?
This past week, I asked the students who attend my more challenging classes what it would be like to give it just 70%. What would it feel like to dial it back a bit?
When I was asked that question, my answer was "I don't know, as I always give it 110%..."
With the holiday season in full swing, what would it be like to practice yoga (or anything else) at a lower intensity? Would this be a supportive way of helping you to not overdo it? I suspect it would. And for those high-reaching achievers, how about throwing in some restorative yoga where you are fully supported and allowed to rest. Yes. I said it...rest.
So when our natural tendency is to shove it into high gear, take a moment and put it on a 70% cruise control. It might actually be more challenging than stepping on the gas.
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