By Milda Urban, Summersalt Yoga founder
Friends, can you believe that’ Christmas is only in a few days? Oh what a joy! And the New Year is almost here too and I am thinking – what can I do that it’s even better than this one? The (or an) answer has come to me on the yoga mat (I am not making this up for the purpose of this post, I swear!)
One of the things that people call the joy stealers of life is obviously comparison to the life’s and achievements of the others. But it has dawned on me that the other thief of joy is getting ahead of yourself.
I have been experiencing this my whole life, before I even start embarking on a new journey, before I make the first steps to get things moving, so often I am already way past the finish line.
– I am starting my studies. But… What if I am really bad at, later have nothing to show for it and end up at a mind numbing job? It’s only my first day though.
– I thinking of going on this incredible trip. But…What if it is actually a tourist trap and I loathe it and it all just ends up being an annoying couple of months. Mind, I am just browsing for plane tickets.
– I am starting a new business. But…What if people do not like or even do not find what I offer? What if they not only not like it, but absolutely hate it. I haven’t written the business plan yet.
Here I am, so many times in life worrying about imaginary future scenarios (that are negative, because, OBVIOUSLY, right?), not only being miles away from the end goal, but also without the tools or experience needed to succeed and be happy.
And here I might disappoint you a little. I have not found any magical ways to change this pattern. I only simply tell myself to stop, recognize what I’m doing, how ridiculous it is and then rewind the tape to the present moment. I will repeat – present moment. Not the one before, not the one ahead, but the one right here.
I hope and wish you can do the same in 2019!