I recently read the book The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. In it, he talks a lot about The Resistance within us all to really do our ART. We want to write a novel, but we never find the time. We want to improve our health, get in shape, but we don't exercise or eat right. We want to read more books, but we watch more TV instead. We make excuses, we look for deterrents, we get side-tracked from our goals. We want to quit our jobs, but we feel like we can't. We start to listen to the naysayers that tell us that we can't do it. We all have this internal voice that fights us every step of the way. The closer you get to actually doing what you want to do, the harder the Resistance fights. The Resistance is logical and rational too. What are you crazy? you think you can run a marathon and you have cancer? Very logical indeed. You think that you can work 50 hours a week and write a novel? Very rational.
In order to open this studio, I fought The Resistance every step of the way. The voice in my head (and a few voices outside my head) told me I was crazy, didn't know what I was doing, wasn't good enough, not smart enough, too introverted, and all around unworthy of being a studio owner. I looked for excuses as to why I shouldn't do it. It's a bad economy. No one wants to do yoga anymore, they go to gyms. There is too much competition. There are too many risks. Every day there was a set-back. I had to be somewhat irrational, illogical. Proceed even when I saw stop signs. I had to step outside my comfort zone. After seven weeks of being open, I still fight The Resistance everyday. It never stops. I worry, I get anxious, I get disappointed when I have an empty class. Everyday I second-guess myself. But I believe in this studio and what it will bring to people's lives. I am the most happy I have been in my life.
My husband told me the other day that my studio probably brings out this Resistance in a lot of people. There are people every week that come in and say that they have always wanted to do yoga, but there wasn't anything close by. Now there is. The Resistance has to work even harder to get you not to come in.
I will continue everyday to fight my Resistance. Fight yours too. I promise you, it's worth it.