Word of the Day: Tenacity

It takes tenacity to live in a city like New York, where you are constantly inundated with distractions that can throw you off center. Piercing sirens, steamy subways, disgruntled people, mindless behavior. When I get triggered by these aspects of city life, I tend to create unconscious tension in my body, my mind.

When it comes to yoga, the practice is designed to throw you off balance in order to help you find balance. It creates stress to test your tenacity. Paradoxically, we create tension to release tension. And the result is that we bring more conscious awareness into the process of dealing with challenging circumstances while remaining calm and focused.

For myself, I consistently feel more centered as a result of practice... more at ease with whatever circumstances arise. A dear friend talked to me yesterday about her first yoga class in NYC many years ago. Her most vivid memory was noticing the effect of practice during the final rest. She could hear the sounds of blowing horns and street traffic below, but for the first time, it didn't bother her. She was able to stay relaxed amidst the noise of city life. It was a profound impression that remains with her until today.

BONUS: Here's a link to a song that I recently recorded... it's a song that I love to play at the end of class while students rest. Enjoy!

I've made it my personal mission to bring yogahour to NYC. I began teaching public classes last week, and am appreciating the process to build momentum around teaching a new concept in this community. Nearly every student is adapting to an unfamiliar style of teaching. That brings us into the moment together. It takes time to get people on the bus often enough for the bus to gain momentum… and for students to develop a familiarity that feels like flow. 

When it comes to teaching, I find perspective through observing how well each student grasps the message and translates my instructions into observable action. I often repeat the same sequence and make slight improvements with each iteration. Once the sequence starts to flow with familiarity, it’s time for a shift. I use that momentum as leverage to start teaching a new sequence.

One thing that I love about yogahour is the promise of profit per participant. No matter where you hop on the bus, you benefit from practice. 

There's never been a better time to hop on the bus!

Several moons ago, I answered this question while filling out an online dating profile.  At the time, I thought to myself, “Who wants a relationship founded upon dedication?”  It just sounded boring.

While passion is an important catalyst, it is dedication which sustains relationship.  When it comes to developing a career around doing what you love, it takes tremendous discipline to execute a vision from inception. 

Success, according to many thought-leaders, is described as 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration.  Real dedication is anchored in a deeply-rooted passion, one that is worth fighting for.  And both passion and dedication are necessary ingredients for success.

Real dedication means there are no days off. It is the hard road where tenacity is forged. It is the fuel when passion fades. It is an unwavering determination to overcome all odds. And it is the essential ingredient to enduring success.

With dedication, everyday is an opportunity to take actionable steps towards realizing your goals. And by pacing yourself, you can sustain your passion for the long-haul. Whatever your ambition, the grit of dedication will likely get you further than the spark of passion.

People fall in love with passion. They feed their love with dedication.