At the beginning of most yoga classes the instructor will ask the class to make an intention for that days practice. Recently, I have found myself making the statement –“ I will not judge myself”. For 60-90 minutes I focus on myself and my own abilities. I try to center my mind on the present moment and the feelings or thoughts that are occurring during that moment. Sometimes they are happy, sometimes sad, sometimes I am only aware of a specific body part. Whatever these thoughts or feelings may be, I remind myself, “Do Not Judge”.
The challenge is taking this intention out the door when I leave. Today as I got into my car, thoughts about the choices I have made recently began swirling though my mind. Last year, while preparing for half-ironman triathlon, I would train 10 hours a week or more. Each weekend, I found myself going faster and farther than I ever had before in my life. This year I am putting my focus towards yoga, this new website, and getting my voice out there. I started to second-guess my decision, if I was training more this summer I could have had a faster swim, bike, run this year. Was I going to loose all the fitness I gained last year? The brain went crazy!
Living in the present moment and not judging is no easy task. I have to keep reminding myself, I have made a choice and it is the right choice for now. I can always shift gears if I want to but I am good with the choice I made. I have learned in the yoga studio, I should not judge myself. Not against other people, and more importantly not against a former version of myself.
We can all look back at our choices in retrospect and think about what we might have done differently. We wonder, would a different choice have been better, have made me happier? We can get lost in the circle of being preoccupied with choices that we didn’t make and being judgmental of the ones we did make. Instead of the relentless questioning, why not simply focus on the present moment. And with a focus on the present moment, be non-judgmental of the choice you make right now. All choices that you have made up until this moment are now in the past, they are done. The only choice that ever matters is the one you make right now, in the present. Enjoy that choice and when it doesn’t feel right anymore, change it. In this way, you leave no room for judgment.
But like I said before, living a non-judgmental life is sometimes easier said than done. At those times, I just remind myself that I am here with the people I love, living the life I am supposed to be living. Some days it feels easier than others. Some days I just want to run (away that is). But no matter what, I know that I get to go back to that yoga class and set a new intention to carry out the door and back into the real world.
[…] Take that Intention Out the Door! […]