Focus Now

I encourage you to list 3 things in your life that you would like to implement or improve during 2020.  If you give these some thought and focus now, you will increase the potential to influence your life (and who is better to do this?) in the direction of your choice, instead of leaving it up to fate.

As a practical step, write these 3 things down on a small index card and place one on the bathroom mirror, another on the fridge door, another one on the sun visor in your car, and keep one in your wallet.  Everyday read these 3 things out loud 3 times.  If someone is nearby and you don’t want them to overhear, just keep in quiet.  

You will have heard the saying, “take it easy”.  I have learned it is better to stop rushing through life, slow down and take it easier, but remember you still have to take it.  That is make an effort.  50% of success in life is showing up with the right attitude.  The other 50% is making the effort.  Attitude and effort make an awesome winning combination.

Many years ago, we had a Japanese yoga student friend with us.  On New Year Eve, we wrote down our 3 things on a piece of paper and once the sun went down, made a small campfire in the backyard.  We stood around the fire in a circle and each took a turn reading our list and then tossing it into the fire, the idea was to release the wishes out into the world.  Our Japanese friend asked if this was an Australian custom and we said “Oh yes, most Australians are doing this with us right now”.  It was not true, but it was funny.

If you are a yoga teacher, you need to be reliable; people need to know you are dependable, i.e. to show up and be their teacher – even when you don’t feel like it.  Feelings are highly overrated in regard to success in life.  Many times, you are not going to feel like doing what is required, but as a responsible person, you do it because you know it is necessary in the long run.  Every time you make an effort it is like working a dormant muscle, i.e. you strengthen it.

By Master Teacher James Bryan