Photo credit: Robin Malmanger
Last night I showed up for a yoga class. Some buddies of mine talked an instructor into a semi-private class and last night was the first one. I have done some yoga in the past, and sometimes enjoyed it and sometimes not enjoyed it. I enjoyed it last night.
My expectations were low for myself and that likely helped. I know I don’t stretch enough and my body is tight. We carry stress in strange places and I have my share of these, too. The class was light and fun with some work and laughter. It was time well-spent. A little work on important things and some laughter is always time well-spent.
After class, to make sure we weren’t going to get “too” healthy, my buddies and I went to the bar for some food and a couple of beers. Feeling good, we felt good. We laughed more and completed the circle, like any good yogis would.
Flexibility is an important feature in a healthy life. Some pliability in our bodies and minds helps us move better and think better. Thinking and moving better makes us feel better. And, this is good. Being tight and rigid, we have to fight ourselves to move and think well, and we risk pulling things.
Some effort to expand our range of movement, in mind and body, is self-fulfilling. And, there is no finish line. Life is just a long working document full of edits and sometimes complete re-writes. We learn and grow and try. We stretch for untouched places in search of expansion. The thoughtful effort expands us. Results are nice, but fickle. We make our money with the effort to try something new.
The result of this effort is deeper and wider and lasts longer than anything else. The effort to grow changes us in important ways. That’s a good reason to step into unknown spaces. And, may be the best reason to do anything.
Dave Markwell is a life-long Des Moines liver and lover. Former owner of Waterland CrossFit and the Waterland Arcade, Dave is now using his unique story-telling voice to help small businesses tell a better story, and his love for people to help folks live bigger and better lives.
For more info. check out his website: wordsbydave.net.
He can be contacted at: dave@wordsbydave.net.
