When I took my first yoga teacher training, my instructor at the very end of months of intense learning said, 'and never forget to keep it simple, stupid (acronym K.I.S.S). I always come back to this concept when I'm teaching, reminding myself that yoga is best in its simplest form - no bells or whistles necessary. And I'm beginning to think the same rings true for life as well.
As I reflect back on the last year what felt so good to me was how simplified my life felt. No bells or whistles, no running to and fro, no days filled to the brim with a long list of to dos. And as I move forward in this post quarantine world, I've been thinking a lot about how to hold onto that simplicity.
A recent poll said only 9% of people want to go back to how things were before the pandemic. So the question is, how are we going to move forward differently?
One thing I've been doing is waking up each day and asking myself, what is the most important thing I need to do today'? And what is not so important today? Things come in sharp focus for me when I ask myself those questions and the answers often surprise me. I end up stripping back the unnecessary, focus on the important and do a lot less running around with my head chopped off all day.
Greg McKeown, the author of Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less goes further to ask, "What is essential to you that you're under investing in and what is non essential that you're over investing in?
As a result of exploring these questions as well, I'm shifting my priorities and suddenly finding time for things I've been wanting to do for years (play tennis again) and saying no to things I no longer want to do (say yes to others when it's a resounding no to me).
McKeown believes this practice of discernment and eliminating everything that isn't essential is the key to living a life of meaning, simplicity and ease.
Amy Owen
Yoga Instructor + Birth Coach
