Hey Yogis…
Let’s talk about love. Let’s talk about respect. But really, let’s talk about time.
I’ll get right to it… very simply put, my entire love interest with my now husband began 17 years ago… I was just finishing up college, had dated lots of great guys (and some not so great ones), but there was always one thing missing in the good ones…
Punctuality.
And then there was Matthew, who was always on time. Every time. And if he was running late, he would pick up the phone and call me.
This, simply put, did it for me. It showed me that he cared. It showed me that he valued our dates. It showed me that despite being a wandering hippy 30 year old, he still had enough of his crap together to keep his promises.
And really it was as basic as that. He was nice. He was loving. He was creative. And.. he was ON TIME!
So why am I sharing this with you all? Maybe you can guess. But here it goes.
As we start heading into our traditionally busier fall and winter months, it will become increasingly important that we make it to yoga class on time.
This means you are on your mat, ready to practice exactly at the start of class.
I contemplated and struggled with writing this for a while, because for those of you who regularly find you are running a few minutes behind… I don’t want you to feel bad. We’ve all been there! Life is super full and we are absolutely doing our best to keep up.
But here’s the very interesting thing about punctuality. This really hit home for me these days, so I wanted to share it with you all.
When you are on time for your yoga class,
- It shows the other students respect and allows the start of class to be fluid and meditative
- It allows the mat spacing in the room to occur before postures begin
- It allows you time to mellow out for a second before starting class
- It helps the teacher to start and end class on time
- It creates a cohesive group energy
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY…
- Being on time helps affirm your own self worth and value.
How so? Well… think about it this way.
If you see yourself as a super busy, hot mess, type of person… making the choice to be 5 minutes late everywhere, reaffirms your own belief that you are not enough…. That your time is running out…. That you just can’t get your life together.
In other words, it perpetuates the cycle that you just can’t keep up with your own life. And I’ll tell you from personal experience, this creates so much more ongoing anxiety and stress. And yes, I do believe being perpetually late is a choice however subconscious as it may be.
So if you happen to be that person who is often running behind… Really don’t worry about it. Moving forward… just do a bit better.
And don’t do it for me. Don’t do it for the other yogis in the room. Don’t do it for the teachers. Just do it for yourself. Because I promise, if you begin this small change in your life, your entire yoga experience will feel more satisfying. And you will positively reaffirm how amazing you know you are.
Being a hot mess is cool… it’s real… trust me… I know it. I’m right there with you.
But perhaps we can pledge to just be better in this one small way, and see what comes of it.
Who knows!? You may even find your soulmate. 💜
Much love y’all!
Adi
Happen to be late anyhow? Whoops!
Here’s some Yogi Etiquette Tips for Ya:
- Wait to enter the room between poses
- Scope out a good spot before you enter
- Come in quietly
- If Hot 26 Class… just set your stuff down and begin breathing. After breathing, go ahead and roll out your mat to set up.
- Avoid setting up directly in front of someone’s view.
- Especially those classes without desk help, call ahead so we don’t lock you out. (Practice at a different studio? Ask what that owner prefers for yoga etiquette in these instances. Communication always helps.)
