I was thinking about yoga and all the wonderful things it has given me. Things like a strong body, piece of mind, and clarity about how I see the world. It dawned on me that we do things because we enjoy them and we benefit from the way it makes us feel. I thought about things I like to eat or activities I like to do in my spare time. All these things give me some joy or happiness.
My thoughts shifted to teaching and I thought about my career and all the things I’ve learned and the experiences that have molded who I am today. I’ve always come from a place where I wanted to inspire others and motivate people on the benefits of moving their body. I like to think that I’m centered and nothing throws me off. Boy was I wrong!
Recently, I was teaching a cycling workshop about how to fit someone for their bike. I went through my regular routine of where to start and the 3-points that were important to remember. A couple of instructors in the back of the room continued to talk during my workshop and I had this irritating feeling they weren’t paying attention to what I was saying. I usually don’t give it any energy, but for some reason I wanted them to show me some respect by listening attentively. I finished my presentation and asked them to find a partner and practice what I had taught. All the other participants did as I asked, but the couple in the back continued to talk and did not participate. I helped a few other groups and made my way to the back of the room. I asked them how there “bike fit” was going. They both answered, “Great!” I asked one of them to fit me to see if she was paying attention. She proceeded to walk me through the bike fit while missing one of the important steps. I asked her about it and her answer was, “I’ve been teaching for 10 years, so I just eye how the person looks when they pedal!” Imagine my surprise when she said this?! I felt like it was a slap in the face and she really didn’t care that I had spent 20 minutes explaining the important points of bike fit. I wanted to give her a lecture about how disrespectful she was and how I expected more from a seasoned instructor. I wondered how on earth could she expect her students to give her any respect when she showed me so little?
I finished the workshop with many people saying how much they enjoyed it and how they got some new ideas about teaching cycling. I smiled and thanked them, but I couldn’t get over the idea about that one student. I made my way to the airport after my workshop and got a beer. As I was sipping my Stella, I pondered why was I so irritated and bothered? Was I really a bad teacher and why did I care so much that she didn’t do what I asked?
The next morning I woke up with a wonderful thought. I remembered why I teach and what motivates me to get up every morning. I remembered that I teach because I love what I do. I asked myself, “Shouldn’t that be enough?” I had an expectation that she should have given me the respect I felt I deserved and did what I had asked. But, wait, that’s not why I teach. I don’t teach to hear people say how wonderful I am or to hear people clap for me at the end of class. I teach because it’s what I enjoy to do. Put aside everything else and that’s it. Plain and simple! I have found after teaching many years that people come to my classes for a ton of different reasons and who am I to tell them that they are wrong? Interestingly, many people come to my classes expecting to get something out of it. Personally, I’ve taken classes or done things with the idea of “What am I going to get out of this?” Little did I know that it’s not in what we get, but it’s what we GIVE. When we give our attention, our respect, our love, we receive something in return. Maybe it’s more knowledge or a feeling about something. But, more importantly, it’s the idea that when we give, we are giving back to ourselves. It comes from a place of being complete as a person, not as a loss of who you are.
As 2011 begins and you look at what you’re going to accomplish in your career, personal life, and finances, pause for a moment and think about giving rather than receiving. For many of us this is very hard to do. We want to acquire things but forget to ask ourselves how we can give.
If you’re thinking about your job and you find that you’re not happy, ask yourself if you’re giving 100% of who you are. If you aren’t happy what you’re doing, change jobs and find something where you can GIVE everything you have!
If you’re thinking about wanting to spend more time with friends or find the love of your life, ask yourself if you’re giving time or energy towards those things. Now, many of you will say, well, Buddy, I don’t have time or no one will love me. But, now is the time to GIVE yourself permission to spend time with your friends who are important to you! When it comes to love, GIVE yourself permission to be loved and know that you are a loving person and there is no one like you! We put too many restraints and excuses on ourself when it comes to love. This year why not try and think differently?
If you’re thinking about increasing your income, ask yourself if you’re giving yourself the power to make more money. So many of us have been under the idea that we can only earn a certain amount. When we allow ourselves an avenue to increase our income, we open ourselves to the universe’s ability to support us and what we need. Money is all around us, but it’s when we GIVE ourselves permission to think big, it changes our energy and the universe responds by giving us what we need.
Finally, GIVING encompasses many things to different people. Remember, it comes from a place where we are GIVING and we enrich our lives. So, the next time you find yourself uninterested or bored with something, ask yourself if you are giving your undivided attention or TAKING away from an experience that could change your life. What you GIVE comes back to you!
My wish for you this year is to achieve all that you desire, that you are healthy, and that you give and receive love in all aspects of your life!
See you soon!
Buddy
