Dear Homegrown Yogis,
This coming year, I am excited to be part of the 2020 Leadership Robins Region Class – a leadership program run annually by the Robins Regional Chamber. As part of the application process, I was asked what professional accomplishment I am most proud of. My answer – opening Homegrown Yoga and then starting its teacher training program. Yet as I’ve reflected on this question more, I realize that is not it at all. So if you are a part of the Chamber, please accept this as my new answer =)
For me, starting things is easy because the start is rewarding. I feel motivated by the freshness and promise of new endeavours. People ask about things at the start – they want to be part of what’s new. At the beginning, there is no monotony to the daily routine of things. That’s why opening Homegrown Yoga and starting its teacher training program were really the easy parts of my professional journey these past few years.
Instead what I am most proud of is the fact that after 4 years of owning Homegrown Yoga, I’m not just excited about my work but I’m more excited now than I have ever been. I am proud of that because unlike starting things, sticking with them and digging deeper into them requires a sense of dedicated effort, self-motivation and resiliency that I didn’t think I had in me. For a long time I thought that once I found the job, hobby, person or place that I loved, the hard part was over. So when those things stopped being fun or rewarding, I would give it up thinking this must not be meant for me. The practice of yoga and owning Homegrown has shown me that if I want to stay in love with things, I need to keep showing up for them and putting in the work. I need to bring excitement and love to things – not expect them to just show up for me.
I write this because this month we are running a special 40 Days of Unlimited Yoga for $100. We chose 40 days because many people believe that 40 days is how long it takes to form a new habit. From what I’ve learned, though, that magic number doesn’t mean it will be effortless. It doesn’t mean you will practice for 40 days and then be itching to get on your mat every day after that. You’ll likely hit a day in your practice when it simply won’t feel rewarding and fun anymore. I know because I’ve been there – in my yoga practice, my teaching, my business and my life. And yet, I’ve also been there to know that’s when the good stuff starts – when your dedicated effort and self-motivation and resiliency are tested and when you can truly make yourself proud.
With love,
Rachel