Make Frenemies
I want to INSPIRE people. To dream big. To love one another. To find happiness. To be creative. With artistry, loving-kindness, and peace, I want to inspire others the way I am inspired everyday. That is my mantra. I want to be BETTER. Each day I strive to be better than I was yesterday. I encourage others to be better than they were the day before. We should work each day to achieve better in an area of our lives. That is Brad’s mantra.
Together…inspire yourself to be better.
Being better requires self-growth. In my last blog post, I suggested doing some spring cleaning within yourself. But often things stand in your way. In Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) we learned those five enemies: Doubt, Yearning, Hostility, Agitation, and Laziness.
"It's very easy to be different, but very difficult to be better."
-Jonathan Ive
You doubt others and yourself.
A text to or from a friend went unanswered; they must not really care. A project at work seems impossible; your boss must want you to fail. A yoga pose is so intense you cannot hold it a breath longer; the teacher must want to see you suffer. Be less critical and more confident.
You are yearning for something.
It is a body you want. The car you wish you drove. The job you wish you could have right now. Be grateful for who, what and where you are, and work harder to reach your goals.
You hold hostility towards others and yourself.
You were hurt in a past relationship. Now, you believe everyone, everything, everywhere is out to hurt you the same way. Or you blame yourself for it. Break down walls and practice forgiveness.
You let agitation dampen your mood.
Someone cut you off in traffic and you are still annoyed by the time you get to work. You snap at your coworker who showed up late for a meeting. You get home and your spouse left dishes in the sink, so you throw your keys on the counter huffing and puffing. One minor irritation carries throughout your whole day. Remember to breathe.
You allow laziness to get in the way of accomplishments.
You planned to go to the gym, but the weather outside is so beautiful. You would rather stay home and enjoy a drink on the patio. Compromise every once in a while – take a walk around the neighborhood, then sip on that drink – beautiful weather taken advantage of in both cases. Feel good about doing something rather than nothing.
Instead…turn enemies into frenemies.
Take time to recognize what is standing in the way of your self-growth. Chances are it is one of those five things. Notice when they have become a part of your day or your life. With awareness, you can use them as a tool to move past them.
It starts with a mantra. Understand it. Believe it. Live by it. Maybe then you can take on those frenemies.
