the best version of you

gonna just jump right in today...
first off...
everything is about perception, isn't it?
funny things have gone on in my life the past week that would make me easily believe this.
so, the other day, i had a pretty hectic day at work,
and it happened to be after two days of complete insanity...
i had left my grocery shopping for that day, it seems,
for many reasons...
but mostly, because each time i thought about it,
i balked, basically...being just too tired or not wanting to wait for my satisfaction (cereal eating for dinner).
anyways, i drive into the parking lot, and am walking in, and there's this little old lady, pushing her buggy to her car...
normally, if i see anyone, unloading their buggy near me, i'll offer to take it...
and that day, i did as i usually do...i offered...
she was really cute, and very much appreciated it...i could see also that she was a bit shaky,
so, i helped her unload it as well...
she just looked at me, with a smile on her face, and looked at my name tag that i still had on from my day at work...most likely thinking i was an employee of the grocery store...which i could totally pass for, being i'm there every other day...
as i walked in the store, i couldn't help but smile, because of the smile that spread across her face when i helped her.
then i did the usual overloading of my basket, somehow managing to balance an exorbitant amount of food,
in one little carrier...
as i was walking to my car...i hear a girl saying 'oh, my god, help'...
i look up and see a girl, stopping a moving car...which i had truly no idea of what was happening...
i quickly made my way toward her, and asked her what was going on...
and she begins to tell me that there is no one in the car she is holding onto...
someone had forgotten to put their emergency brake on, and the car was rolling forward, about to hit the car in front of it.
so, i went over to her, and stood in front of the car, and held it, while the girl went inside to find the owner of the car...
so, there i am, leaning against this car...looking pretty funny...
as people are walking by...
then i began to feel stupid, like i needed to explain myself to someone. haha!
just as i was thinking this...some people parked nearby, and an older gentleman asked me what was going on.
i was in the midst of telling him,
as his wife, came over to him, and grabbed his arm and pulled him away,
as if i was a beggar asking him for money...
as they walked away, she turned away and began laughing and making strangely rude faces towards me.
i stood there, leaning against the car...thinking i wanted to run after them and tell them how unfriendly that was...
but just as i was thinking this...the owner of the car came out, and was completely embarrassed and apologetic about me having to hold her car...
truth of the matter is that it didn't take much strength at all...just leverage.
to her though, i could have passed for 'superwoman'...which, hey, who doesn't want to be that, right?! haha!
so, in the small trip to the store, so many thoughts and feelings were flying around...satisfaction, happiness, embarrassment, frustration, empathy, and friendliness.
the stress we put on ourselves about the perceptions of others and,
even worse...the perceptions we put on ourselves...
can make or break how you're feeling for the day...or more truthfully for your life.
many times in my life...i know, most definitely, i am my own worst critic.
if there were someone else, being as rude to me as i am to myself...we'd be have some serious issues!
from day to day, i fluctuate from feeling pretty great about me to berating myself for my lack of this or that.
i honestly, each day, when i get up, after reading my little meditation book,
whether on my way to work, to spin, to yoga...whatever the case may be...
i give myself a pep talk of who i will aspire to be that day...
or the attitude i will have, more like.
i always hope for good things...and if there are bad things...hope to handle them in a wise, kind, genuine, and strong manner.
i've shared this thought with others...but i'll say it again...
for the longest time, my mantra had been,
'be positive, be strong, be loving, and the rest will take care of itself'
and nope...i don't always succeed in that...
but, i promise you this...i try like hell to make it so.
why not, right?!
i was laughing at myself the other day...because i kept repeating the phrase 'be the best version of you, honey'...'just be the best version of you' (and yes...this happened to be in a really tough yoga class)
and the absolute truth is...
what else can we be?
imagine a world of 'best versions'...hmmmmmmmm
okay, that might sound crazy. haha!
but hey...who said dreaming wasn't allowed?
it gives a whole new meaning to that thought of taking a deep breath, before we react...
counting to ten...
and yes...being the best version of you.
rock that out, and see how you feel at the end of the day.
then get up the next day...and there you are...a new version of you!
it is said that each second, each minute, each hour that goes by...we are never the same...
always changing...
always becoming.
i leave you with this thought...
the other day in class...we were doing my most hated pose...frog pose...
it hurts and i'm never very low... and although i am not as open as the person next to me, it makes me groan like a baby...
anyways, the instructor was walking around, adjusting people's positions,
and when he came to me, he made me do something a little different,
and i said to him, ' i don't think i can do that, it just hurts me '....
and he said to me...' honey, why not grow today? '
and there i was...totally surprised by the fact that i could do it, i let go, and i did...and i was okay...
and i grew.
so, i say to you...
why not grow today?