"In order to come into alignment … you have to dig deeper than any self-defeating thoughts, and thoughts that are anti you, you must be willing to make changes to grow.” ― Victoria L. White
Driving (even though not great for the recovering hips) is when I do most of my best thinking. Often times, I will call friends or coworkers with my next best and greatest idea or thought. I have one friend who will just laugh when I call her and say, “I have an idea!” So, beware that yesterday I completed my first 193 miles of a 1236-mile journey throughout Northern California in the next 7 days. My travels are for business, but I always try to mix in pleasure whether it is a yoga studio in Santa Cruz or dinner with an old friend or an early morning walk on the beach! This week is my week to do it all.
But as I was driving yesterday, I also had some unexpected sadness. Where the heck did it come from? I have nothing but excitement about my recovery. “Yes” I still have a few little niggles of worry, but really where did this come from? Everyone who knows me knows I’m a worry wart. I know I am too, so I just push it out of my mind for a minute and refocus on my driving. And then I begin thinking again. Am I sitting correctly as I’m driving? Is all my driving this upcoming week going to wreak havoc on my hips? How can I make sure that I’m maintaining proper alignment as I’m sitting? And then it hits me, “Am I aligned?”
I’m not thinking “aligned” in the sense that my pelvis and spine are in a neutral position. My question really is, “Am I aligned with recovery?” In my career, I serve others and try to do it most times with compassion and patience. Sometimes, that yoga breathing really comes in handy when I’m dealing with a demanding situation. What happens though is that I sometimes lose myself in the hand holding that I do in my job. I appreciate the honor of walking shoulder to shoulder with people that have their own challenging journeys. I like them to know that their struggles are real and that I’ll put my hand out to pull them up through a struggle or get behind them and push them up that mountain. But like I said, sometimes, I lose myself.
So, the answer to my question is a big fat “no”. I am not aligned. I am tired, I am cranky and I’m a tad uncomfortable. I realize that this is one of those times where I am going to have to fight to keep my chin up and a smile on my face. I will re-align myself with an attitude of hopefulness. That I do know.
How do I do that? I take care of myself. I rest, I fuel myself with healthy foods and I take advantage of some “me” time even though I’m stuck in hotels for most of the next week. I also focus on the fact that if I'm not in alignment, I will stress my outlook just as I would stress my joints and muscles. I will celebrate the fact that I will enjoy the most glorious sunrise on Tuesday morning by walking on the beach with no hip pain. I will celebrate that I can lug my suitcases across Northern California by myself. I will celebrate the fact that I have breath today. I will celebrate all of the perspectives of others and their struggles. The greatest celebration is that I continue to have hope for myself and for you! Align yourself with a perspective of strength, confidence and continued hope even if you have to fight for it. Get those gloves on. Become aligned with what your mind and body needs at this moment.
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