Ah, Yoga

While on this away rotation, I've not done much to enjoy myself or the town I'm in, but I'm so forutnate to have gotten to stay with a lady who teaches a yoga class. It had been forever since my last session, but oh goodness...how quickly I realized I must get back into it for my sanity!

I never would have thought that I'd be a yogi. It seemed too, well, new-age granola and also intimidating. When I first started at my YMCA, I didn't figure that I'd last. I quickly discovered how great it was.

It doesn't matter what is going on in your head prior to the session-- a bad experience at work, school, horrible fight with somebody--whatever. I promise, if the class is of decent quality, by the end, you will have cleared your mind. The breathing. The stretching. The gentle pushing, pulling, and sometimes contorting. I'm not one to say that I'm in touch with my body, but in yoga, you can become one with your body and mind...I know... it sounds like some bad info-mercial, but it really made me think more about mind-body-(spirit) medicine and complementary and alternative treatments as well. Mostly about my own sanity though. I needed it during second year of med school...and I think I need it now! If you've not done it--try it--- I don't think that you'll regret it!

A Bit Lighter?

Well, I was looking at my recent blogs, and one might think that things have been pretty dark lately. They haven't been too bad, really. Tonight I was going to air some more of my frustrations, but I've decided instead to post a link to a video on YouTube which, although it makes me cry, it puts things into perspective. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. It has already put me in a better mood this evening.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCdZwitrNoY


Lesson Learned: Watch the video, you'll see.

What it's Worth: It's worth what nothing else is worth--and it's worth what matters.

Frustrated!

I've just come to understand something about myself. I guess I knew it before, but this evening, I just figured out how to put it into words.

One of the best ways to frustrate and disappoint me is to refuse to address an issue that I expect some discourse on.

I might say something, bring up a topic, or put it in an email, and if said listener or reader doesn't respond appropriately (or, with something that I deem appropriate) I quickly become frustrated, angry, disappointed, and possibly even paranoid.

So then, I sit and seethe, and play out the possibilities as to why said person may not have responded to me. All the while, they sit there probably pleasantly ignorant as to my internal turmoil that bubbles into a bad mood.

What can I even do about it though? It's not like I can FORCE somebody to share their thoughts (or non-thoughts) with me about whatever it is I'm wanting to discuss. Sometimes I'm sure it would be best for me just not to say anything at all. If there's no discussion, then there are no expectations of what the discussion will be or what goals it will achieve. Usually though, one would expect that when Person A says something like "I wonder about this" or "I thought ______ about that" or "I'm (sad, angry, frustrated, happy, disappointed, joyous, excited) about __________" That the natural human response would be to address the thought or the emotion.

Lesson Learned: Stop having expectations about how people might behave.

What It's Worth: Not being frustrated by unmet expectations.