“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better… it’s not.”
– Dr. Seuss (The Lorax)
Our world needs people to care right now. Whether it be injustice against certain races, environmental issues, political matters… we need open hearts to lead the way to making this place a better place to be. I can’t sit on the sidelines any longer and watch the suffering. I can’t sit and feel angered and then go back to my status quo of comfort. The time is now to get out there and start teaching yoga to the world one person at a time… one moment at a time… the moment is now!
I will never be ready… in my own mind. Perfection will not come without practice and will most likely never be some place I arrive at. Ultimately, and honestly, perfection is something I need to practice letting go of. This site is not about perfection, but progress. I am going to get in the game and start cultivating the craft of leading people into higher levels of love and consciousness. I know that this is a gift that the world needs and I know that I can give that gift and can no longer afford to be stingy with it. Clinging onto it in hopes of “perfecting it” before I allow others to benefit from it is selfish and prideful, which this world does not afford me the liberty of being.
It’s interesting because something struck me yesterday in a way that sometimes eludes me. Every so often, when I think about the administrative/business portion of Work4Progress, the business aspect of filing taxes, payroll, reporting, etc (Mind you I have a business degree), I become stagnant. There is a part of me that fears making this real and going all in. I get caught up in a world of worry and unknowing, so I pause and fail to move forward. I am blessed that I have a partner in life who reminds me of my mission when I freeze in fear and start sitting on the sidelines. There is a noticeable change in me when I am not “on purpose.” The light dims, the frustration grows, and I am less pleasurable and inspirational to be around. Because he knows me well and has heard me speak about my dreams with such passion, he is usually the first person to call me out.
I’ve also noticed a major change in the way I handle this “calling out.” My ego used to flair with defensiveness when a mirror was held up to me showing me where I was falling short and now, I am immensely grateful for it. It is another treasure for me to gather… another seed to grow. It is a benchmark on my healing path. It is a sign that I am loved in such a way that nurtures growth and prevents me from settling into the comfort of monotonous routine. If you have someone in your life that points out your “flaws” or asks you about sensitive topics, don’t be so quick to call them “toxic.” They may be your biggest blessing and the hugest ally you have on the road to becoming your highest self. Instead, try to cultivate gratitude and love within you for them. After all, they care enough to point it out to you.
I often tell my daughter that my frustration comes from a place of love. The frustration stems from my belief that she can rise higher than where she is currently, whether it be the carelessness of dropping ingredients for a recipe all over the cabinets and floor while cooking with me or the personality traits I spot in her that could potentially make her life harder in the long run. I am self-admittedly hard on her at times, though when I assess it and examine it, I know it’s because there is great love there, which also comes with a desire for her to be the best she is capable of being in order to bring the best of this world to her. There is theology that claims that we only can receive that which we have become, which I have seen operate in different areas of my life… so I long for her to move through the world in a way that is beneficial. I also know that some of the hardness I exude with her is also because she is my greatest trigger in life. She brings out every demon I have within me at times and forces me to meet them face to face, which rubs against the flesh at times.
For this, I am grateful. I am grateful that God has sent me someone who challenges me to maintain my peace, who asks me to see things differently, who has the capacity to bring immense love out of me, but also threatens to drive me to the edge of my sanity. I recognize that she is the largest flashlight that I have into the darker areas of my consciousness. She is an angel sent to lead the way back “home” to freedom and peace when I tune in. She is the greatest catalyst for my personal growth. She is a gift when I choose to see her with clear vision and a curse when I am in a state of having been emotionally triggered by her. It’s interesting how the same person or situation can serve as both in life. Its how we choose to see it and the fact is only we have the power to choose how we want to see facets of our lives.
“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom”
– Viktor Frankl
We have all of the power, yet we often give it away. We pretend that we do not have the ability to create the life we want for ourselves. We dim the truth that we were made in God’s image. We act as though we are the victim of life when we are the creator of it. We play the excuses… “I don’t have the time. I don’t have the resources. I don’t have the ability. I don’t have the knowledge.” We believe them over believing that we are limitless, expansive, evolving masterpieces of this universe. We pretend that we don’t have the know-how or the ability to create massive impact in this world. It’s as though we are deeply afraid of facing the unlimited choices we truly have been given, making our future ultimately limitless.
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us.”
– Marianne Williamson
My work in this world is to nurture my own power, to remember my own limitlessness, so that I may stay in the space where I am able to help others cultivate it for themselves. It is no easy task, but one I know I am capable of. I just have to continue to choose it. I just have to stoke the flames of purpose and surround myself with others who can do so when I lose sight of the fire and start allowing it to dim. We all need a team of people around us who care enough to throw some proverbial wood on our fire when they see our flames getting low. We also need to care deeply enough about ourselves to keep sight of our own flames and fan them as well. Then, and only then, when we have figured out how to do this for ourselves can we spread those flames to others. It is then that we have the power to light the flame within others and teach them to fan them.
My job is to start fires… fires in souls… large bonfires that spread into forest fires… reaching one soul at a time until this world is set ablaze. To do that, I start with myself. I start by caring a whole awful lot about myself and my mission… I fan the flames of my own heart and allow fire to catch within my soul with the goal of lighting others to shine as brightly as myself. Jesus’ famous words, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” imply that there is first love of self… that the flame is lit within you first. What lights you up? What makes your face glow? Where have you experienced unadulterated joy in your own life? Who do you find yourself most joyful around? Can you allow yourself to hang onto that feeling? Can you love yourself enough to bring more of that into your life? Can you love yourself enough to actively seek out those situations for yourself? Can you respect yourself enough to allow your talent to be used so that it may blossom? Can you take those things you are naturally good at and focus on doing more of that? Can you share more of what you love in this world? Can you be vulnerable enough to embrace your passion and let your love show?
Start working magic in your own life. Start saying yes to the above questions… because, “unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it’s not.”
If you feel inspired by my work and feel I may be a good match for you, I’d love to get to know you and potentially work with you one on one so that together we can light the spark and grow the flames of your heart. Please review my services page or contact me directly using the contact form in the main menu of this site.