A lesson in delayed gratification
I've never been a patient person.
When I get something in my head, I want to act on it NOW.
Sometimes this is a good thing, helping me to set things in motion that wouldn't happen otherwise.
And sometimes, it causes frustration and disappointment when I'm not able to move forward.
I recently had a lesson in delayed gratification and was reminded of the importance of working toward longer term goals that seem impossible when you're taking the first few steps. (Yes, even coaches struggle with this!)
Here's what happened:
I started practicing yoga in 2010. A few years later, I joined a yoga studio near my office in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and started a weekly class with a great teacher.
One evening, my teacher announced that he and his wife, a fellow yoga teacher, were leading a weeklong yoga retreat in Italy and invited the class to sign up.
At the time, I was in my early twenties, making little money, and the thought of being able to join this retreat was a far off dream.
A few years later, I moved to a different part of the US, and therefore, stopped practicing with my yoga teachers.
Fast forward another 4 years and the pandemic hit. My yoga teachers moved classes online, making it possible for me to practice with them once again.
3 years later, I'm now living in The Netherlands, and practicing with these teachers several times a week via their abundant online library of classes.
Recently, they announced an upcoming yoga retreat in Italy for 2023.
I knew I had to be there this time.
When the details came out, I signed up for the retreat.
It sold out in 48 hours, and I got the last spot.
It's been nearly a decade since I first heard about this opportunity and now it's coming full circle.
What's more, I now live in Europe, and can get to Sardinia, where the retreat is being held, via a short direct flight.
This makes it more attainable than it would have been for me to fly from the US - a little twist of fate.
So why am I sharing this personal story with you?
For me, it represents the power of holding out hope and of continuing to show up (on our yoga mat or elsewhere in our life), even when there's no clear path to the thing we'd love to do or love to have or love to become.
I believe that things will happen for us when we're ready to receive them, and I was NOT ready 8 years ago.
Yet, through a series of twists and turns, and staying committed to a practice that brings many benefits to my life, I find myself in a moment where that long-forgotten dream became reality.
So I ask you, what are the things in your life that you'd love to do or experience, but seem way out of your reach?
What is the smallest step you can take today to keep moving yourself in that direction?
If you're skeptical, remember this quote from a Chinese proverb: "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."
I hope you keep taking those steps, and stay open to what can happen for you if you do.
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