Purpose

Saturday morning I went for a walk/jog with a friend and afterwards told myself I was on my way to Whole Foods to grab breakfast/lunch and then home for some well-deserved rest and binge watching.

I was wrong.

Somewhere between the track and the store, I found myself wondering if today would be a good day to visit my friend Brian Tucker’s noon class at Hot House Yoga. I remember telling him I would drop in on a class one day but like some other things in my life, I just “hadn’t gotten around to it yet.” Not because Brian didn’t seem like a quality teacher or I didn’t want to get back into yoga again but because I was making excuses not to push myself.

And if there is one thing 75hard has taught me is to push myself. As ridiculous as it might seem, I spent the next 30 minutes or so at the store and driving to his class, trying to convince myself there would be a better time.

I think anyone reading this already knows: there is no such thing as a “better time.” All we ever really have is now.

And I couldn’t put up much of a fight. I was already in the proper clothing.  I had my yoga mat in the trunk of my car from when my co-workers and I decided to follow a beginners yoga YouTube video on a lunch break a couple weeks back.

Here is what followed:

A big, beautiful hug and welcoming smile from Brian who was genuinely surprised to see me.

Watching my friend who shared dreams of teaching yoga just a few years back gently command a room with skill and intention.

After experiencing a half-hour of heated movement, my body told me to take a break. I walked out and then back in but found the nausea was too overwhelming for the moment so I was back out again.

I am glad I listened to my body as I sat quietly outside of class, waiting for the session to finish so I could go back in and collect my mat.

I had time to let the right thoughts settle and to sit comfortably with the knowledge that I tried. I didn’t talk myself out of a challenge and I had the blessing to experience something much greater:

A friend walking in his purpose.