“Soften up” I was instructed (repeatedly) yesterday as I was guided through one on one yoga coaching. 

My immediate internal reaction was resistance.  I could feel it not only in my solar plexus (my energetic garbage can) but I could feel the lump in my throat that would travel to my eyes in resisting, thinking teary words “but I can’t. Not yet”. “Soft” I’m thinking, “you mean like weak?”   Ya, I can’t do that. 

Yet I did, go soft. Vulnerable.  Vulnerable to myself and my recent pent up emotions of hardness and how that felt in my body -not good.  

Last night in emptying an 7 foot bookshelf to move back to its place of a year ago, a spot where it was really better off in the first place, I looked at each book as it was piled onto the floor.  Wow, how many unread books do you have in YOUR home library???  

My daughter in a loving manner asked me just earlier that day what am I reading lately.  Clearly she recognized a mindset that had settled in over the last several months. My toughness and hardness that has settled in me clearly is more visible than just in my bodies “garbage can” or the rigidness in my balancing poses. 

In emptying this book shelf, one jumped out at me; “Positive Thinking For A Time Like This” by the wonderful Norman Vincent Peale. Yep, this is what I need as I smile to myself with a complete knowing that most often what we need is so very close to us. 

As I open to the very first page he discusses all words familiar to me; faith, optimism, tough, resilient, flexible. 

My journey to soft continues……..