Top Tip Thursday - A Tip For Mindfully Measuring Your Progress.
Good Afternoon Everyone!
As I said yesterday, there were a number of features from my Instagram that I wanted to expand - so here’s the next I’d like to introduce to you all - Top Tip Thursday.
So this is how this feature will run…
I will Simply post a Top Tip each Thursday of the Week - these tips will either be from myself or various people that I meet throughout my daily life and travels, that I feel will have something of huge value to offer you.The tip will be offered initially as a quick-fire sentence, and then those that wish to read the more extended version can continue to read on a little further…So without any further hesitation, here is the first official Top Tip Thursday’s Tip:
#1: Be Mindful of Measuring your progress based on your ideals, or where it is you want to be. Also measure your Progress based on where you first started your journey.
I know, I know…to some this may seem like a very obvious or trivial Top Tip. However, despite the principle being pretty simple to grasp, its application is infinitely harder. It is very easy for us to compare ourselves or our goals to our own personal ideals, or worse to compare ourselves with someone else or measure our own successes against theirs. Let me let you in on another golden nugget of information…The Goalposts ALWAYS move. Just when you think you’ve finally achieved what it is you set out to achieve, suddenly it could become apparent to you that there could be more, and the initial satisfaction you feel is short live. Let me use a some extreme examples so that we’re on the same page:
You dream of the day you make first 6 figure salary… “but what about 7 figures - would be great to say i’m a millionaire right..?”
or
You finally got that handstand hold / new personal best you’ve been working so hard for… “Well, what about one arm handstand / what about achieving ‘X’ next?”
or the classic phrase..
“I’ll be happy when this…or that…or that…”
Of course, these exact examples may not seem relevant to you, but i’m guessing that you have your own relevant examples of this. Look…i’m not saying that we all sit in this category of constantly striving for more, but due to the modern world we live in, where it seems that so many people are living their ‘dream’ lives, it’s becoming harder and harder for the ‘average’ person to feel truly content with what we have. Here in also lies the dilemma of the modern Yogi or Yogini / person - Trying to find this balance in life where we are striving to be our best selves, striving to follow our purpose or our dreams, but without allowing ourselves to become overly disheartened or disillusioned along the way. In the 8 limbs of yoga, this same struggle for balance is mirrored in the practice of the Yamas (moral / ethical / societal guidelines) and the Niyamas (observances) - the First and Second limbs of Pantanjalis 8 Limbs of Yoga. Trying to walk along the knife edge and finding the right balance of - Ahimsa (Non Harm / Kindness and Compassion to yourself and all beings), Satya (Truthfulness to yourself and others) Asteya (Non-Stealing of that which does not belong to us), Bramacharya (Preservation of the life-force energy), Aparigraha (Non-Grasping / Non Attachment), Saucha (Purity of thought, word, deed), Santosha (Contentment), Tapas (Discipline / Passion), Svadhyaya (Self Study) and finally Ishvara Pranidanah (surrender to the infinite / divine / all that is / the universe). Rather than taking these in their literal translations - I like to think about them as follows…
The Yamas - Living a life of Kindness, Consciousness and compassion. A life where you’re honest with yourself and others. A life where you’re respectful to, acceptant of, and generous to others. A life where you truly nourish yourself and your loved ones, but where you have created healthy boundaries for good reason. A life where you pursue a purpose that resonates most strongly with YOUR heart and soul, something that truly fulfills you, but without getting caught up in the ‘stuff’ that could come with the venture.
The Niyamas - Clearing the Blockages that hold us back from understanding our true selves, that stop us connecting whole heartedly with both the world around us and the beings in it. Being grateful for all that we have, and acceptant that we may never have the things we wish for. Being disciplined in pursuing your passion / purpose - truly striving for what you believe wholeheartedly in. Study so that you can come to truly understand your authentic self, and in doing so grow and deepen the connection you have to those around you. Practice the acceptance of the fact that some things are beyond our influence and control - and always will be.
So how to bring this back full circle….
In a sentence…
“Having the strength and discipline to achieve and change the things that we know we can, the grace to accept the things that we cannot, and the intelligence to know the difference between the two.”
and when it comes time to measuring your success, remember:
Measure from how far you’ve come - not how far is left to go.
That’s it for this week,
Catch you next time - Much love, DCM.