I consider myself lucky to be able to train with Baron Baptiste as often as I do. One of my favorite things are the aphorisms he often shares with his trainees – I call them BBs.
Be a warrior, not a worrier.
Yeah. Easier said than done, right?
Worry has been a part of my life for a long time. When I do not stay present to what I want from my life, worry becomes my default system. I don’t just worry – I manage to build scenarios in my mind of all of the things that could happen, all of the things that could go wrong. It’s like a make-believe Armageddon between my ears. When I give in to worry, I meet fear and when I meet fear, I find myself in a place of inaction and stagnation.
Worry keeps me stuck. Fear holds me back. Worry keeps things status quo and mediocre. And I have no desire to be mediocre.
As a goal setting coach and yoga trainer, I coach my students to set big, hairy, audacious goals. I coach them to set goals that will result in a 50% failure rate to make sure their goals are big enough. Yet FAIL can still feel like a four letter word to me.
The truth is, it is ok to feel fear and worry as long as you recognize them. Fear is a liar. It is insidious and sneaky. It has a back-up operating system named doubt that sneaks in even when fear is banished. Fear and doubt shut change out.
So what can you do? Be a warrior, not a worrier. Do not dwell on fear and doubt. Develop a strong asana practice, and a stronger meditation practice. Stop dwelling on what might go wrong, and go after your dreams. If you want change in your life, you have to be the change. Stop worrying and go fight for the life you want. You are a warrior.
