How Yoga Can Heal Your Business Woes

As I move into down-ward facing dog (as in my hands and feet are both on the ground and I look like a big triangle) I think to myself, great I nailed the pose!

Then MaryDale comes by and puts a towel under my feet, pulls my hips back and pushes on the small of my back to lengthen my spine.

Then she says, “Beautiful Melanie!”

Shoot, I really thought I had it right.

Yoga is a never ending journey of little tweaks that challenge my belief about what’s possible. As much as I try to focus on being present in the room
I just can’t get it out of my head how much yoga has influenced my business for the better.

I got into yoga 20 years ago when my doctor prescribed it for my overly-stressed out, “Type-A” work ethic. Today I practice yoga because it keeps me grounded and sane. It has become one of my most powerful business mentors.

I’m sure you can imagine the benefits of yoga on your body, mind and spirit – stretching, sweating, holding impossible poses to build up your muscles. But your business —  really?

Yes. And here’s why.  We can learn how to shift our stressed out, limited thinking and shift into a more supportive, effective way of evolving ourselves in business.

Let’s start with the yoga practice of Being Willing to Be Uncomfortable.

Most of the yoga poses that we are guided into challenge me way beyond what I believe I can accomplish. Who would have thought I could balance on one foot while holding the other leg in the air behind me for three minutes without falling over? I often feel angry, frustrated and like giving up as my limbs shake uncontrollably. Then I remind myself, “I can do this.”

Now being uncomfortable by myself would probably lead me to give up  quickly. This is why I invest in yoga classes. First, I want to know how to do it right so I don’t develop bad habits. Secondly, I want to have a space where I am seen – so I won’t give up too early. Being willing to be uncomfortable is a lot easier when you have a mentor or guide to help you through it.

If you were to adopt this same mentality in your approach to business you might find that when you feel uncomfortable, angry or ready to give up is the moment to take a deep breath and keep going. It’s in THAT moment of perseverance that you build up your confidence and achieve what you never imagined possible.

Also, having a mentor to help you see where you are off track is invaluable. Often we think we are doing it right…when really we are just playing out a habit that generates dismal results. One little tweak could mean a huge difference towards the desired result. A mentor who can see how to tweak your approach is priceless, isn’t it.

What I love most about yoga is how I am able to see where my own thinking is what makes me the most uncomfortable of all. If I simply relax into the pose I can experience deep bliss. If I compare myself to everyone else in the class who seems to get it right, my brain goes off into “I’m never going to get this right” and I suffer.

Sound familiar?

Over the new few posts, I’ll cover many of the yogi-practices that have transformed my way of being, which ultimately helped me create life and business success on MY terms.

I’d love to hear if today’s post on being willing to be uncomfortable provided a-ha for you! Just post in the comments below.