When life feels upside down…stand on your head

Like a great run, sometimes life seems effortless.  Each good thing that happens breathes energy into my body to make more good things happen.  Pieces fall into place and I make decisions with confidence.  The train arrives just as I get to the platform.  The sun is shining and if not, I remember my umbrella.

Other times, life can be clunky and challenging. These days usually start with someone beating me to the open parking spot and spilling coffee on myself.  It’s like the run that I just never settle into; the run that seems like it will never end.  Of course I get to the finish line eventually, but sometimes I have to plow through a little longer than I’d like.

Kind of like my race this weekend.  Without much explanation it just was not my day.  Although I felt I set realistic expectations for myself, I just couldn’t make it happen during the run.  I returned home disappointed, frustrated, sad and puzzled.  I still need to think through a bit more what I did before and during the race that may have helped or hindered my performance, though it seems lately I can’t find the answers for a lot of things.

Except how to do a headstand.  While I’m feeling a little lost about how to make my body work with my feet on the ground, I never really thought about how good it might feel to stand on my head instead.  I approached my first lesson with a nervous excitement; excited for the challenge and nervous I’d topple over like a lopsided Jenga tower.

But somehow I didn’t fall at all.  In fact, I floated up with ease, and with guidance from my wonderful yoga instructor and some support from a nearby wall, hung out with my feet in the air for quite a while.  It felt pretty great.

Some new perspective might be just what I need.  Who knew I’d find it standing on my head?!