Beloved Flexibility
If I had to describe the last couple years in one word, it would probably be “chaos.” Nothing has been static, except for my companions along the way (i.e., my God and my husband). We’ve lived in five different apartments in four different cities. We’ve made three big moves between two states. And we did it all to secure one great job at NASA. (My husband, you see, is a rocket scientist.)
Another word I could use to describe the last couple years would be “exhausting.” I’m the type of girl who likes consistency and being on a schedule. But with all the moving and the odd jobs I worked with my inability to go full time, a set schedule was pretty much impossible. And, well, it was exhausting.
[pullquote width=”300″ float=”left”]And as a writer, what am I, other than my words?[/pullquote]Thankfully, now that I have a full time job and we won’t be making any more big moves, I have a semblance of a schedule—though it’s still not as set as I’d like it to be. My commute, for example, is always up in the air. My morning commute is a beautiful 32 minutes, but my evening commute is anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours, depending on when I leave. That’s why, before my first day on the job, I decided I needed to do something after work to let traffic run its course.
That’s how I found Beloved.
Beloved Yoga, that is.
I’d always been interested in yoga, but, as we all know, it’s an expensive hobby—much more expensive than joining a Planet Fitness, that’s for sure. But the last four months of yoga have taught me a valuable lesson: I can be flexible.
I can be flexible! I didn’t know it before, but I know it now. Since I’ve started doing yoga consistently, I’ve done things with my body I never knew I could do. I’ve moved in ways I never thought I could. My arms and core have noticeably strengthened. My balance has improved.
[pullquote width=”300″ float=”right”]Because writing, like life, is never truly static, either. Documents are living and breathing, changing constantly.[/pullquote]Isn’t that what I’ve needed for the past couple of years—flexibility? Isn’t that what I’ve had, but never really noticed or embraced? Yoga teaches me to not just be flexible physically, but mentally as well. And if that isn’t one of the most important mindsets in my line of work, I don’t know what is!
The thing is, my work is inconsistent. Sometimes documents don’t become ready to edit until it’s nearly time for me to leave. Sometimes I’m scheduled to edit 250 pages in three days (which is hilariously impossible). Sometimes I miss my yoga class because I need to finish up some work, and I unexpectedly end up being at the office for twelve hours.
Because writing, like life, is never truly static, either. Documents are living and breathing, changing constantly. I, an editor, am an instrument of that change. I change words and structures that weren’t aware they needed to be fixed. I find errors that are the difference between winning and losing hundreds of millions of dollars worth of contracts—sometimes even billions. I change words. I make them better. Words on a processor are oh so flexible.
And as a writer, what am I, other than my words? My words, with edit permissions given only to myself and to God?
So here’s to 2017: a year of embracing chaos and flexibility personally, professionally, and physically. And allowing God to edit me as He sees fit along the way.
Because that’s the only way, I think, I’ll ever be able to find rest in the chaos.
- Going Home - July 1, 2020
- Sufficient to Sustain - December 4, 2019
- Flying Solo - June 5, 2019
Wow. Timely post for us, as we’ve decided we really need to get back to yoga practice. My husband and I found some of the same benefits you have found, and I love the others that you described in your post. We quit our club because all we were doing was yoga, but need to find a place asap.And yeah, flexibility, here I come.
Isn’t Gods (not so subtle) redirection awesome? We’re plugging (sometimes struggling) along trying to make the most out of life and he’s like- Natalie- hello- you need some yoga sistah. And that message from him comes in the form of trying to avoid an evening commute.
I just started using a Daily Greatness Training Journal and the 8 Daily Wellness Steps are: 1. Meditation (yoga fits in here) 2. Gratitude 3. Intention 4. Eat Clean 5. Intensity Training (exercise) 6. Water 7. Stretching 8. Evening Power Questions (reflection) and I’ve added Bible Study/Prayer/Grace & Such.
I loved reading this piece because it gave me a peek into your world, Natalie. Because i’ve lived over in your neck of the woods, I remember well the traffic. Ugh!! I think your solution is awesome!! I also love that your forever honey is a rocket scientist.