The Path of Yoga & Power of Positive Mindset

​Tribe of Bad A@@ery!

How are you today my friends? If you're anything like me, it's an hour by hour question some days. Shelter in place is a challenge none of us could have ever predicted, not what we wanted, yet in a lot of ways what we needed for a global reset.  We are being called to dig deeper, get creative with our lives, reexamine our priorities, choose only what is essential, make our health/well-being paramount while taking greater steps toward self-care. This can be a struggle when physical and social distance takes its toll. So what's a human to do???

For me recently, I had zero answers so I tuned into Hulu to turn off my brain's worry cycle! Upon a friend's recommendation, I started watching Alone Season 3; the History Channel’s new survival show. Though I love nature, I absolutely do not consider myself a 'live off the land survivalist' in any capacity.  So I was totally blown away by the bad a@@ contestants who were selected. These ten humans had to live off the land in the remote, unforgiving region of Patagonia in South America. Objective... to survive as long as they possibly could completely ALONE. Equipped with only one back pack, ten tools of their choice and recording technology to document their experiences, they were left to face the unknown and fend for themselves. The last person remaining won $500,000. 

This is a show not only of survival of the elements or desire to win prize money;  it is a testimony to the power and resiliency of the human spirit. Just because someone could hunt, get a covering over their heads, and stay alive did not guarantee their success. The softer skills were almost more powerful. The contestants who found awe in nature and their place in it, offered gratitude for what they did have, stayed calm, and kept a positive mindset, had a distinct advantage. What set those apart who could withstand the real struggles were those who knew they were there for a reason larger than themselves, built not a shelter but created a home, and kept their minds engaged in creativity & inspiration while honoring the plants and animals that nourished them. Simply put, they tapped into the power of their own minds and hearts to preserve the strength and courage to keep going. 

Sound like an important message for our world? The COVID-19 struggle is real. It feels like we are at times alone, struggling to survive.  AND yet there is still choice. We can choose to stay calm, positive, and grateful or we can believe we will never make it, that it's too hard, and that we can't do it. Like those powerful contestants on Alone, let us overcome fear and uncertainty & rise up with more courage than we knew we possessed.

Trust me, I struggle too with keeping the mind gremlins at bay. Yet I do know that the power of positivity, love, and gratitude resonates at a way higher frequency than fear, anger, and blame. That is the path of yoga... training the body's internal guidance system to keep us aligned with a matched frequency to our heart's desire! How cool is that?

I heard a story recently about a military officer who said there are two kinds of people: 1. People who do push ups and get tired. 2. People who do push ups and get stronger. Read that again. Note the subtle, yet profound difference in language and spirit. Both are doing the hard work of push ups, yet the result is radically different. Who do you want to be? I believe you, like me, want to be stronger of body, mind and heart. Let's choose that! I'll do my 'push ups', you do yours too and together we can withstand the struggle and come out the other side with a hard reset, recalibrated and ready to reengage the new normal of our world. 

Yours in health, happiness and community,
xo dana

“Some journeys, we must take alone. The caterpillar does not judge itself for craving the cocoon. Do not fear the isolated path. There, you will not be lonely. You will meet yourself.”
~ Vironika Tugaleva

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