My motto for 2014 is “Create Courageously”. After 3 years of training, learning, and planning, it feels AMAZING to finally be creating and putting things out into the world. I have so much to share with you!
But not every creation lives up to my expectations.
A month ago, a friend and I filmed 4 hours worth of video for an upcoming project (it’s a surprise!), and I hate the results.
The sound isn’t right, the lighting is off, and the overall result does not give the professional, polished look I was going for.
I spent the last three weeks depressed by what seemed like a complete waste of time and effort. I almost hit delete on the entire 4 hours of footage.
But then I remembered my motto: create courageously.
That’s “courageously” not “perfectly”.
Perfection told me to throw in the towel, admit defeat, and not bother trying again. Courage told me to share it with you anyway.
Creating is a process and this is the beginning of my video-creating journey, no matter how far along I wish I already was.
Sure, the result doesn’t look like a professional video filmed in a studio – but it’s not! I made it myself at home.
I stumbled over words and laughed out loud when I lost my balance and almost fell – oh well!
I cut off the top of my head and captured too much background noise – I’ll do better next time!
For better or worse, this is my creation. I made it for you with love in the hope that it helps you connect in love with your partner.
Isn’t that what relationships are about after all? Showing up as our true selves – imperfect and flawed – and opening to love anyway?
I sure hope so.
p.s. Shiva is the man and Shakti is the woman. 🙂
Your turn:
Have you openly failed before? How did you react? How were you received?
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Frankly, I’ve never even thought about it in such terms as “openly failing” before, and I love the concept.
Thanks! It’s new to me too. I think before I’ve felt “failing” as shame or disappointment and let it hang over my head and effect my confidence. I like this new tactic of calling projects that don’t meet my expectations failures because it a) allows me to step back and re-assess my expectations, b) asks me to look for what I learned and ways to improve, and c) makes the project complete so I can close the energy loop on it.
How was studying with Elise Browning Miller and Judith Hanson Lasater? They are on my wish-list! I completely agree that we’re a blending of all of our teachers. Donna Farhi has had a huge impact on my teaching.
I have openly failed. Though my temptation has been to hide I have more often than not “owned it.” I have found others to be most compassionate when I don’t struggle or make excuses. When I soften I find more ease.
So true! I was thinking about your graciousness as I wrote this. I love that you show up as you are in yoga class and teach from your heart.
Yup – I have a great and rather humorous one. One year I was convinced a friend of mine wanted to hook up with me and I was totally digging this guy. I spoke with his best friend and he said you will have to be the one to make the first move. So after we had all hung out one night and everyone was going home I decided that I needed to turn around and confront my friend. SO I gave myself a little pep talk and walked up the stairs in his apartment building and as he opened the door I put both hands on either side of the doorway and flat out asked him “so do you want to hook up with me or not?” DEER. IN. HEADLIGHTS. The poor guy was stuttering and saying that he thought we were just good friends and on and on. He also put in there “that was pretty ballsy”. So I failed publicly. I called his friend who felt terrible. Later on I found out he had been secretly dating someone. Although embarrassing, there was something liberating as well. I still laugh thinking about it to this day – it only takes a couple seconds of courage to do something really big and I figure if I fail at least I tried. I just don’t think I’d be doing that anytime EVER again:)
Haha! Well done! That takes guts. I’m glad for your current beau it didn’t work out 🙂