Living at One Hundred Percent

I dedicate this blog to my friends, colleagues, and yoga students from Longmont United Hospital.

________

It seemed like a typical Thursday evening. I drove to my weekly Restorative Yoga class during the evening rush hour. The traffic was slow as usual, but this time I wasn't nervous about being late. I knew the class was going to be ready for me no matter what time I arrived. I knew that the participants were going to be on their mats in restorative poses, allowing their bodies and minds to come to a calm and peaceful state of relaxation. I knew that my mat, along with yoga props, were going to be set up and ready for me in the usual spot in front of everyone. All I needed to do was to show up.

Nevertheless, this wasn't a regular day, and it wasn't going to be a usual class. It was the last time I was going to teach yoga before the hospital closed its fitness department. Members and employees had struggled with this idea since we found out about the decision two months before. Many hoped that this day would never come, some were going through their grieving process, and some were getting ready to face reality. Ready or not, the day had come, and as I made my way to the hospital, I felt sad and contemplated my responsibility to share the best of my teachings with everyone.

I had run through the program earlier that day. Still, during my drive, I tried to think of a way to make this last evening unique, meaningful, and memorable. I couldn't think of anything new, and I was concerned about the limitations I felt as a teacher. I thought, "As an experienced teacher, I should have plenty of ideas to implement, wisdom to share, methods to apply, and thoughts memorized for special moments like this one." I couldn't come up with anything different from what I presented and practiced with the group over the last five years.

When I arrived, I found the entire room the way I predicted. I felt an immediate wave of love and gratitude. At this point, I knew that I was ready to lead this last yoga practice to my satisfaction. I was in an environment that inspired me to do my best this time and every time. I realized that the group of people with whom I shared my evenings every week provided the confidence and inspiration for me to stand in front of them without hesitation. My passion for teaching yoga made me forget everything that happened before I arrived on the mat, and my commitment to excellence gave me the motivation I needed to perform at one hundred percent once again. I didn't need to change anything other than to tune into the empowering energy and lead the class through one more practice as their yoga teacher.

After the class, I shared my thoughts with the students and thanked them for performing at one hundred percent and motivating me to do the same. Each time we met, we did our best, and there was no need to redo anything, even if it was possible.

We can all apply the "hundred percent" concept to any aspect of our lives. It is not about doing everything correctly, but it is about giving all we have using the resources available, and focusing on progress, not perfection. What follows are my thoughts based on the "aha" moment I had on that memorable evening, and my personal, professional, and "real life" experience.

·      We have only one hundred percent to give. If we try to do more than that, eventually, we will feel burned out and depleted; if we consistently do less, we will feel disappointed with ourselves and dissatisfied with our lives.

·      Our hundred percent can vary from time-to-time and often from day-to-day. Our ability to fulfill our responsibilities and desires depends on the amount of physical, emotional, and mental energy we have. It is crucial to notice and honor these variabilities and work towards stable vitality levels.

·      We know that our hundred percent is essential for growth, goal-achieving, and reaching our full potential. We can increase our potential if we understand where we are at the moment, what's stopping us from moving forward, and what steps we need to take to expand our capacity.

·      Our environment, including the workplace, community, relationships, and recreation, has an enormous impact on how we perform in our lives. This circumstance is one of the biggest motivators or suppressors for us to do our best and to flourish in our personal and professional lives.

·      Developing a self-care routine is essential for us to do our best in all areas of our lives. We need to feel well physically and emotionally to fulfill our responsibilities in the demanding world in which we live. Self-care is our privilege and our obligation.

·      Having a positive attitude makes it easier to step into our "hundred percent" performance. When we think we can, the chances are that we can. Being positive generates the energy we need when we feel challenged and less than "one hundred percent." It helps us accept where we are at the moment, knowing that the challenge is also an opportunity for us to learn and grow.

·      Being in the moment means performing at our best. When we immerse ourselves in what we do, where we are, what we feel, and what we experience, we are at our one hundred percent point, which means being fully committed to the things in our lives that are important to us.

·      Once we commit, we establish our hundred percent, and anything below this level doesn't feel right. As Clayton M. Christensen, a professor at Harvard Business School, states: "It is easier to hold your principles 100 percent of the time than it is to hold it 98 percent of the time."  

·      Living our hundred percent is rewarding, motivating, exciting, and very satisfying. When we are happy with the way we perform, our physiological, mental, emotional, and spiritual systems generate enough energy for us to maintain this state with ease and grace.

Traditionally, the new year is a time to reflect on the past and set our goals for the future. I want to inspire you to take a look at your life and figure out what your hundred percent is, and what you can do to expand it in the future. Perhaps you set your intentions around your self-care routine, letting go of toxic emotions that are holding you back, practicing gratitude, or looking for support that you need to be at your best.

Wherever we are in our lives, it is up to us to figure out what to do so that we can explore that one hundred percent. And when we arrive at that particular moment, as I did at my last yoga class at Longmont United Hospital, we will be fully prepared. It will feel natural and effortless, like giving your one hundred percent; nothing more, nothing less.

2 Likes