Day 1 of 30 (or maybe 60): The Perfect Day!

Four Days before my yoga journey began.  Stuffed full of food at Riverside before the A Perfect Circle Concert.

Day 1 of what you might ask?  Let’s start from the top.  I started a blog, then I abandoned it.  Mostly because I haven’t felt like I’ve had anything to write or had anything going on to write about.  In truth, everything has been going on. 

When I started blogging (or lack there of) I wasn’t really sure where it would take me.  I wanted it to be something other people would like to read.  I wanted it to inspire others, and I wanted it to inspire me.  When I turned 29, I wanted to embark on this life changing journey that would roll me into 30 with a bang, and well, it’s been a big bang and my birthday is still four months away. 

It wasn’t exactly what I asked for.  I was looking more for amazing and exciting adventures that would change my life forever.  Instead I lost a job I didn’t really want and was forced to look at where I was in my life, and why I was too afraid to change it.  At the time it seemed like the end of the world, and it kinda was.  A bad world. 

Now as I head into a new job, new writing (started writing a new book and I’m finishing the last one), I realized that I was still overwhelmed, I was still disconnected.  I needed something to change inside.

I’ve tried yoga videos here and there for a very long time, but I was never able to stick with it.  I would always get bored, not sure that I was doing the positions correctly, and be discouraged by the lack of Zen in my living room compared to yoga studios I’ve seen on TV and in magazines. 

I’m not sure how it came to me, probably another divine intervention coming into my brain saying, “Save Me!” but I decided I was going to take up yoga, real yoga.  I was going to go to a studio.  Furthermore, and again I’m not sure where the decision came from, I wanted to do Bikram Yoga, the hot stuff. 

Then I remember seeing some Facebook posts of a girl I went to high school with who did a 30 Day Yoga Challenge (going to yoga for 30 days straight) last year.  I remember being excited and coveting the experience myself.  Could I now do it too?  And upon further research found that a 60 Day Challenge is the actual king of Bikram Yoga Challenges.  Woah, 60 days straight, I don’t know about that one.  I’m not even sure I can commit to 30 days in a row, as due to work, I would occasionally have to make it to a 6 A.M. class. 

I enlisted anyone I could find to come to my first class with me, I didn’t want to do it alone.  And after a few fails, I sucked it up and realized I was just going to have to go by myself.  Then at the last minute, Maren said she would go with me!

I picked up Maren for our first class, Saturday August 13^th.  We were nervous, not sure what to expect, not sure if we could do it.  We arrived early for our 10 A. M. class and went into the room to get used to the heat.  It wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be.  After a while our yoga instructor Zeb came in, and we got started. 

First pose, Pranayama, or standing deep breath.  It’s pretty self explanatory.  Your standing, your breathing deeply, and moving your neck from back to front.  I’m already dizzy.  I haven’t even moved yet.  This is not good.  I feel the sweat start to drip down my legs.  Ok, the room is hot, I expected this.  As we move into Half Moon Pose, things start to feel tight.  I know I’m not flexible, but this is a little ridiculous.  I look in the mirror.  I look like a frumpy, out of shape, inflexible old lady, exactly what I’m trying to avoid.  I realize to myself that there is no way I can make this easier so I suck it up and trudge my way through the 26 poses while sweat is pouring (and I mean pouring like never before) down every part of me. 

It was hard, but not as hard as I thought it would be.  For most things in my life, I try to cut corners to make them easier on myself.  With yoga, you just can’t do that, so I gave up and it became easier, well, doable.  I’m wondering if that is how I was able to bounce back from getting fired a few months back.  I felt like crap, I got another job, then another one on top of it, but all I wanted to do was lay in bed forever and truly felt that is all I would have the strength and ability to ever do.  When I realized it was not an option (or at least not a good option) I sucked it up and went on, and things became doable. 

As we came to our last relaxation pose, I was laying on my mat smiling.  I knew I had found my place, I knew this was where I needed to be.  30 days seemed like a hefty commitment, especially since I had just been complaining that I was always committed to something and never had time to breathe.  But this was different, I was breathing.

After class, we changed out of our sopping clothes, wiped ourselves down, and went down the street to have brunch with AJ and Lianne at Pamela’s.  We sat outside and enjoyed the DELICIOUS food and awesome conversation.  Then we walked around the Strip District, checking out all of the vendors and specialty food shops.  It was a perfect Saturday and I don’t think I’ve ever said that before. 

Our fun was cut short as I had to leave to get ready for work at the restaurant.  And even through the rush and some grumpy customers, I felt calmer and happier.  I went to bed excited for my next class and definitely feeling like I was going for the 60 Day Challenge.  And then the soreness started to set in……