Perfect Timing

Back in the early 1990s, I was at a place in my life where I had some blank pages. I had resigned from being the head gymnastics coach at the club I was managing and gave myself a year to say yes to anything that came across my path (within reason of course). One of those opportunities was working at a popular pub in Melbourne, called The Geebung Polo Club. I had been recruited, somewhat by chance, by the manager to work in their bistro, preparing and serving food. And for a while, along with teaching aerobics classes, as I became more skilled in the kitchen even contemplated changing course altogether and becoming a chef. Yet my main motivation at the time was to save as much money as possible to enable me to launch into some worldwide travel so the culinary academy got placed on the back burner (no pun intended!).

After traveling for 12 consecutive months, I landed back in the States needing to refill my coffers as quickly as I could so that I could get back to backpacking. I worked five jobs simultaneously (yep...I was a lot younger then) one of which was as a physical and hand therapy aide. I had graduated with my bachelors in Physical Education and was a perfect fit for this private practice. I loved it, and after six months I had saved enough money to head back on the road but before I did I got raving letters of recommendation with the intention of applying to a physical (physio down under) therapist school upon my return. 

I applied and had great expectations of getting accepted...except I didn't. I was disappointed and confused, wondering how someone with glowing reviews, graduating with a physical education degree with distinction and having real-life work experience in the exact field I wished to pursue could possibly get turned down. But I did and after many days/weeks of shaking my bewildered head, decided to change course. It was during that time that I went to graduate school and deepen my own field of study through exercise and sports science. And so I did.

Looking back now, I feel as though the timing for my PT ambitions simply wasn't meant to be. Perhaps the intervention of not getting into PT school came through the force of divine timing. Had I become a PT, I most likely would have stayed within the paradigm of that profession and, in hindsight, I realized that a deeper part of me wanted to connect to and teach a deepening of consciousness. As I sit typing, I realize that my path would've looked quite different to what has now manifested in my own business where I have complete freedom to express, share, learn, and expand what's sitting in my heart. 

My thought of the week related to perfect timing is also expressed through the eight-limbed path in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, in particular, the final Niyama known as Ishvara Pranidhana, surrendering to a higher source, God/Goddess, Universal light or whatever moniker you wish to give that "beyond us" realm. Basically, we can practice austerities and set intentions that will lead us to become the best version of ourselves, yet in the end, we need to let go of all of it, surrendering to any expectation of what the outcome needs to look like. We might have an image of what that is, but it actually might look quite different to anything we could ever have imagined.

Do your practices and let go of wanting a particular result. It doesn't mean giving up or not setting goals or having dreams, but instead, do all of that and stay open to what manifests.

I had my eyes on the target of becoming a physical therapist and when that didn't happen, I created my own suffering. Of course, in reflection, I'm quite pleased with how things have turned out as I have a career that I love and feel deeply passionate about. I hope that I have gathered some wisdom along the way to remain open to the divine timing of my own life and to allow what is waiting in the wings to appear when it's good and ready.

Breathe in, let go and trust that you will be exactly where you are meant to be.