Time

mobile yoga workout Apr 12, 2010

"Time is a created thing. To say  'I don't have time, ' is like saying, "I don't want to.'"

~Lao-Tzu

How often do we talk about not having enough time?  While I have recently been inspired by the quote above, it was a quote I read years ago by Hugh Prather in his book "Notes to Myself" that really got me thinking about the meaning of "finding" time.

Hugh wrote "If the desire to write is not accompanied by actual writing then the desire is not to write."  I read this quote at a time when I was struggling to find the time to get back to figure skating.  The quote  resonated with me and after reading it several times I began to substitute the word "skating"" for "writing."  One month after reading that quote I had taken and passed a high level figure skating test that I had "desired" to take for many years but up until reading that quote made little effort to turn that desire into action.

Substitute any word into Hugh's quote.  Let's try the word "exercise."  If the desire to exercise is not accompanied by actually exercising,  then the desire is not to exercise.  However, with the US facing the  fact that 60% of the population is overweight or obese, this is the time for millions of people to transition from desire to action when it comes to exercising.

Educators learn early in their training that for students to internalize instruction it needs to be meaningful and significant.  Fun also doesn't hurt.  Using a similar approach when choosing how to exercise can help those who need a little push.

Spending time outdoors feels good.  Moving our body through a full range of motion, feels good.  Taking repeated deep breaths, feels good.

There is something about how skating and practicing yoga makes me feel about myself and the world around me that increases my desire to create time to experience one or both activities on a daily basis. Since adding yoga to my skating life I have become a happier and physically healthier person not to mention a better skater.  The aim of the Mobile Yoga Workout is to share my skating and yoga experiences and hopefully motivate more people to turn their desire of health and happiness into action.

If time is indeed a created thing then how often we create time to do the things we love to do shapes how we feel about ourselves and the quality of our life.  Create time now to be healthy and happy.  It is totally worth it."