I joined a yoga class yesterday morning. It was my first in probably a year, and I knew it would be tough for me. But it was Qatar National Sports Day, and the class was at the beach. I had to give it a try.
And it was tough. Fun, rewarding, but challenging.
Beyond the many physical benefits, however, I had an aha moment.
Toward the end, we were doing the last stretching poses, some of which were particularly challenging for me. My back and my hamstrings are not so flexible. So, I was doing my best to push through the discomfort and pain, yet my movements were quite limited.
Then the teacher came close and looked at me. She put a hand on my back and started pushing gently but firmly. Surprisingly, my back bent more, and my leg muscles stretched more without significantly increasing pain. It was not much, but it was enough to make me realise that my body could do more than what I thought were my insurmountable limits.
As soon as I reach a place of discomfort or pain, my instinct tells my muscles to contract and stop even if there's the potential for more if I just push through that discomfort.
I wonder how often I do the same with my thinking. How frequently do I stop stretching my imagination because my survival instinct stops me at the first signal of discomfort? And how important is it to have someone who can gently but firmly push you a little, to go past your discomfort and realise that you can do more?