Stay Focus on the "Pose" at Hand...

The Story

I took a Bikram Yoga class this past week to kick start my workout plan. I used to do it about a year or so ago and I remember being better at it (maybe I was in better shape then) but either way, this time around it was tough. I was struggling with the poses and had my moments where I just wanted to walk out (which isn't allowed) and I didn't want to sit down because the struggle occurred within the first 10 mins of the class and I felt like if I sat down I would have brought negative energy to the room which I definitely didn't want to do, and more-so I would've felt like a punk. So I remained standing and attempted the poses to the best of my ability with taking moments of "standing" rest breaks where I'm bent over hands on knees trying to gain composure... until the instructor told me it's better to stand straight up and not collapse.

What I know about Bikram is that if I focus on my breath, and the "pose at hand" only and NOTHING else, it's doable. I am able to maintain all the poses and go deeper into the stretches. I am able to push myself to the limit. It feels great, for that time being, to be able to be so in the moment and so focused on what I'm doing without being distracted, not even by that little voice in my head that seems to be related to the energizer bunny.

The Inspired Thought

This idea of being intently focus on the "pose" or I'll say task at hand got me thinking a lot about isolation and blocking out the world to get things done. I've taken my share of Breaks from the world so-to-speak, but normally when I do it's because I'm having some breakdown and need to re-group. I have a friend right now who has for the most part been in isolation so she can focus on her task at hand which is studying for the bar. She has sacrificed her social life for her greater goal. She knew that to get what she wants the amount of focus she needed to bring to the table so she let all of us (her friends) know what was going on and then she got down to business working on her task at hand.

I once heard the saying "it's a lonely road to the top"... Now I don't agree with this saying 100% I have a strong core group of friends and we always say we are getting there together but regardless I get what the saying is trying to get across. I realize the amount of focus you need to accomplish a weekly task is one thing, but when you are trying to accomplish a dream or pursue your passion, or make a worldly change the amount of focus you need to hold is immense. And sometimes you need to isolate yourself, go inward and block out the world to do that.

I believe that life in your 20's is full of all kinds of distractions; some physical, some mental, some tangible and some not. I also know living in a city like New York there is even another layer of distractions added to the list and then your have all the distractions that come along with pursuing a career in the arts. All that to say, there are a lot of "hurdles" that need to be leaped over durning my pursuit and when I'm not paying attention to the task at hand, and my mind is wandering about other things I forget to look where I'm going and Bam! run right into the hurdle. Now sometimes I can get up and brush off and keep it moving, and other times I get hurt and end up and "off the track."

When it Counts...

I shot my first commercial this past Friday. I didn't know what to expect. I was nervous and excited all in the same line. When I got to the set I learned that I was going to be improvising all my lines. And I was the only actor on set at this time, so all eyes on me. So basically I'm sitting on the desk of my sewing studio with about 8 production people dead straight in front of me and then commotion all around fixing props, lights, my hair and make up touches the whole nine and I know any second now we are going to be taping and I have no idea what I'm going to say.... So distractions were at an all time high, I was trying to see what was going on but deep down I knew that I didn't need to know what was going on around me, I needed to know what I what my job was. I had to take some breaths, block everyone and everything around me out. I found a focus spot to look at so I could ground myself and I became focused on the task at hand. I'd be lying if I said I was able to maintain that through out, I had my moments again where I let the voice in my head get some volume to itself and I'd start listening and start to get nervous and second guess myself, but then I'd see my focus spot and calm back down and keep it moving. Overall it was fun and I'm ready for my next one!

The Bigger Picture

I shared with my Dad, and a good friend last week that the more I throw myself into my career, and the more focused I become with it, the less I think about what's lacking in my life. There really isn't enough time to dwell on what I "think" I need or want... All my energies are going into something I believe in therefore I go full speed ahead. This brings me to another point... Believing in yourself and your talent will create a whole new amount of focus in your world of pursuit. Because when you really believe you can and will accomplish what you set out to do then you become fearless... or maybe you still have fear, but it's not a hurdle that takes you off the track, it's the one you continuously jump over.