If It Feels Uncomfortable, You’re Probably (on the path to) Doing it Right (AKA: The day I face-planted my way back into presence.)
It had been a couple of weeks since I’d made it to my favorite class at Soul of Yoga in Encinitas. But last Saturday, I rolled out my mat, feeling a little nervous, a little unsure, and not totally convinced I was ready for whatever was coming.
As our amazing instructor guided us through some familiar warm-up poses, I started to relax. yep...I got this
.…And then we got to Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana (Revolved Half Moon Pose).
And suddenly, I did not got this.
I wobbled. I cursed under my breath. I flailed and suddenly fell out of the pose, narrowly avoiding a whole domino effect with my fellow yogis.
After I picked myself up, I tried again...And for the life of me, I could not find the pose.
But somewhere in the wobble, I remembered what yoga (and leadership) has taught me again and again:
🌟 Maybe the point is not the destination (or the pose) itself, but to stay present when it gets hard
🌟 Your breath is always your friend
🌟 Sometimes those big flops lead to unexpected things (in this case, I made a new friend who introduced herself after class)
Leadership is rarely graceful in real time. It asks you to adapt. To push your edge. To show up even when you feel shaky. And when you fall over? (Because you will fall over...)The work is to keep showing up, with presence, not perfection.
That’s the real point of leadership .And yes, while I’ve clearly mastered Easy Pose (see photographic proof; thankfully, there's no footage of last week's more "dynamic" performance), the REAL work is in the more wobbly ones....so back to my mat I go.
In my work I help leaders navigate uncertainty with clarity, courage, and presence.
If your team is growing, shifting, or wobbling, I’d love to help.
What's your latest "wobble" moment??
