Climb climb climb

I read a beautiful article today in which Baron Baptiste describes yoga on and off the mat as ascending a peak with multiple pitches. What a perfect visual.

Successful climbers don't just wake up and start walking up a hill, they plan and prepare.

(1) Pick your peak: What is your goal? What are you trying to achieve?

(2) Plan: There's balance in there. Too much planning and you can get caught up in details and stuck on this idea of perfection ... not enough and you go in blind. Allow yourself time to figure out what it is you want, what you're aiming for, what you're willing to do and, importantly, what you are willing to give up to achieve your goals. And then relax, be prepared to be flexible and open-minded both on the journey and to the outcome.

(3) Check your gear: know yourself. Know what makes you tick, what makes you vulnerable, what your strengths are. On the mat it is always crucial to know where you may be strong, where flexible, where weak and where inflexible, only when you know that can you safely approach each posture without risk of injury. Off the mat this is equally critical - knowing your limits so that you can skirt them, press them, challenge them without throwing yourself so far over them that you feel defeated and broken.

(4) Train: Everything is a practice, keep at it, keep trying and learn from each push

And as Baptiste says: Precision is different to Perfectionism.

When you work with precision on the mat, you will feel empowered to make positive changes in your life too. "With a mindful, conscious practice, you can connect with your personal power, your ability to change your life."
Perfectionism is rife with self-criticism and judgement. Begin to cast judgement on your pose, your practice, or yourself as 'right' or 'wrong', and the ledge you're on can expand into a never ending plateau of self-doubt.

(5) Find a guide: It's an innately human floor to be too afraid / proud / shy to ask for help. Whatever your reason - get over yourself - we all need help, we all need a guide. Whether it's a teacher(s) you love for your yoga practice or someone you can bounce ideas off and confide in, make sure you have someone to support you and nurture you. Pick your guide carefully, they must have your best interests at heart and you must trust them completely, the type of person who knows that they will grow just in the process of assisting you in being your absolute best and most successful.

(6) Start climbing: We often spend so long planning, preparing, fretting and wondering about the what ifs that we forget to get going. You're not going to get anywhere if you don't start somewhere.

(7) Keep checking in: Every step of the way. You are not static. With each challenge, each posture, each goal you start to strengthen and open certain areas of yourself physically, mentally and emotionally. As certain areas grow you begin to expose new areas, which, it goes without saying, will start weaker. Be gentle with the new space. Check back with yourself - what now makes me tick, what now makes me vulnerable, what now are my strengths. Constant self-observation and self-reflection keeps us strong, motivated, honest and empowered.

(8) Trust your foundation: What is it that holds you up. Learn to trust the people, community, practices that hold you steady so that you can reach up for the next uncertain footing.

(9) Forget the peak and enjoy the scenery: Don't forget to breathe and look around you. The goal is great, the peak is the triumph, but it's a long journey and you can approach it 2 ways. You can miserably push yourself ever forward, head down, eyes on the prize. Or, you can choose to enjoy every step, every slip-up, every moment of success and failure, learning and growing always.

Don't aim to make it in one text-book journey to your goal - aim to make it a fun, full, heart-filled experience.