celebrate

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The time is always NOW

“The is never a time in the future in which we will work out our salvation. The challenge is in the moment, the time is always now.” -James Baldwin DWCHS ’42

April 3 – This was our closing meditation in yoga this morning. We are reinforcing that we are control of our actions and how we focus our energy. I am never quite certain from where the quote or intention will come and yet every week as if by magic it happens. I am so blessed to be part of a group of young people that are using yoga and meditation to redirect their futures.

I have found this quote particularly helpful in warding off feelings of failure and doubt. I am always in the moment of creating my salvation. I am always in the opportunity of generating positive change and growth. It seems as though stress, deadlines, expectations, and frustrations have been consuming my thoughts. I am doing my best to remember that I can breathe and make better choices. I can enlist help when needed. I can believe in the power of now to release me from the mistakes I made before or the perception of myself that is not serving me well. I know that each breath I inhale, I can reflect all the things I am able to do in this moment to feel and be better. With every exhale I breathe out gratitude for the opportunity to be this amazing person with choices and love. This is what I encourage in my students. Go inside and bring in the celebration of self. Breathe out the appreciation and be thankful for the ability to be celebratory. It guarantees motivation and positive energy.

Each moment I take my salvation, my future into my own hands, I am empowering the inner warrior to love, celebrate, and give thanks. In this moment now I am beyond happy that I am bringing yoga into my life with a more focused and dedicated approach. I am grateful that I have students with which I can share my journey and together we learn and grow. Healing is a process. I am coming back stronger and more aware and I am thankful.

 

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A Bully is a Bully

It has been a tough week, hell a tough year at my job. Recently my coworkers and I have been subjected to some pointless at work drama. In a pub, at a celebration of people, a party for people who are leaving to go to other jobs (they were laid off), one of my co-workers become loud, agressive and hostile. I was NOT there so this is third party reflection. However, it is truly sad as to why this became drama that extended to almost twice as many people who were actually there at the pub.

My co-worker began to interrupt to attempt at being festive to launch his usual campaign and floggings about our contributions to global warming and the destruction of the universe. He was not drunk. He then became semi abusive in his quest to turn everyone within earshot to be Vegan. This guy does this a lot. We usually shrug it off, but a lot of people have had it with him. Finally, one of the guys that is ‘friends’ with him let him know that people take offense to his approach. Whereas he might be correct and have scientific evidence to back his claims he has undoubtedly become a “Vegan Bully”. When I heard this term, I said that’s exactly what he is!

Vegan Bully. He engages in hostile, aggressive and damning rhetoric to “encourage” his audience to become vegan. Unfortunately he has turned off so many people from trying to cut back from processed foods and meats. I have said he actually makes you want to eat meat and burn down the rainforest.  Maybe only a slight exaggeration. slight.

The point of all of this is – a bully is a bully. Even if you are trying to bring people to a better way of life, your tactics matter. Our Vegan Bully (VB) tried to compare himself to an abolishionist. Really, on the 50 year anniversary of the freedom rides and so many events in the Civil Rights Movement – he wants to use that as his defense to being a jackass. Yuck.

I say, Celebrate your life. Find Balance. Make achievable goals towards a better you and a better world and come from a place of love.

No Bullies allowed.