"I'm Not Flexible Enough For Yoga"

You know that friend (or maybe it was even you at one point) you know, the one who you invited to join you for a yoga class and the first words out of their mouth were, "I'm not flexible enough for yoga" or "I'm just not bendy enough"?
Well, guess what?  That was me and I felt that exact same way.  I wasn’t a dancer or gymnast or even someone who could remotely touch their toes.  I wasn’t that person who could bend like Gumby and make amazing shapes on their mat.  I started this practice because I hurt my back probably from over doing it with running, boot camp and boxing.  I was told that yoga was supposed to be good not only for recovery and stability, but for my mind as well.  Since I couldn’t go full on with what wasn’t working anymore, I decided to give it a shot.
Here is how my first Baptiste yoga practice went:

• I was sure to set up far away and in the back of the class.
• I was wildly self-conscious because I had absolutely no clue what I was doing.
• I certainly fell over 2x (possibly more than that)
• I was in my head the entire time.
• I kept thinking about how I was sweating from places I didn’t even know could sweat!
• And certainly walked out confused about what just happened and wondering where names like crow, pigeon, tree pose and eagle came from.

BUT it also went this way:

• I met the most wonderful community and one friend who I am still close with and we even went to a Baptiste yoga teacher training together!
• I found myself smiling through the confusion of the entire class.
• I took deep breaths - like I was actually breathing for the first time in a long time.
• I layed in savasana feeling so proud for doing something way out of my comfort zone and enjoying it.

For my first few classes I was convinced- ABSOLUTELY convinced that everyone was looking at me wondering what this not-so-bendy person was doing taking up space in the room.  But I then came to realize that NO ONE CARED!  It really didn’t matter!  We were all in the same boat...pushing ourselves, meeting ourselves where we were at in the moment, breathing together and trying not to lose our shit on the mat or in daily life.

Baron Baptiste stated it perfectly, you had to “show up and suck until you can show up and shine”.  
So what if you can’t touch your toes.  So what if you think you’re not flexible.  
Just show up.  Suck, shine, smile, breathe, whatever.  We are all in this together one yoga pose at a time.  And hey, who knows,  maybe your hands wind up reaching just a little closer to your toes in the process!
XOXO, Courtney
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Baptiste Level One Training 2019