The Cool Factor

Kula Yoga’s Collin Poole sounds off about celebrating our accomplishments, both on and off the mat:
Inevitably when you practice arm balances there will be a moment when you say to yourself, “Holy crap that was cool!”  Arm balances definitely look amazing, but there is a lot that goes into making these postures look effortless.  Strength, stability, control, concentration, flexibility, and mental fortitude are just the tip of the iceberg.  That being said, when we finally accomplish our pose, it can be exhilarating.
I believe that we should celebrate that feeling.  So often we are told to stay calm, in the moment, and centered.  But what would happen if we jumped for joy at every tiny success in our postures?  What if we gave our neighbour a high five when they accomplished something too?  Wouldn’t we be more excited about those difficult poses?  It would encourage us to keep going.  It would remind us that a challenge can provide us with great feelings of joy, even in the midst of the difficulty.
Maybe this can bleed into our daily lives too.  What if we celebrated cleaning the house, closing a deal, eating well, or getting all our work done before the weekend?  Even better, what if we celebrated the successes of our co-workers, neighbours, and friends?  We might feel empowered to meet the next challenge with more energy.
Yep, that’s the real power of arm balancing.  We learn to step into our coolness.  We learn that we can find joy in challenge. So let yourself look and feel cool.  Give a high five to someone.  Give yourself permission to be happy with what you’ve accomplished.  We can say to ourselves, I just stood on my elbows, imagine what else I can do! 
Ready to try? Join us for Collin’s workshop, Balance Within, and learn how to demystify arm balancing on Sunday October 19,  1-3 p.m. at Kula Yoga. For more information about Collin and the workshop, or to book your spot online, visit: https://kulayoga.com.au/workshops. All levels welcome.