Anne Frank died at the tender age of 16. The diary she kept, while hiding from the Nazis from the ages of 13-15, is full of wisdom and optimism. Decades later, her private thoughts are an inspiration to people of any age, race, color, or origin.
This particular quote carries such a powerful message. Some of us may be facing something that may seem impossible to overcome. Sooner or later, we all face challenges and set-backs.
Before you know it, we’ll be thinking about the holidays, and then our New Year’s resolutions. And, eventually – as most yoga studios do – we’ll be talking about 21-day challenges or 30-day special offers. The intention is to form a new habit, and some research suggests that it takes 21 days of practice to form a new habit (or break an old one).
But, before all of that, just today, just right now, we encourage you to find joy in the present moment. Take a moment to enjoy your breath, and give thanks for the fact that you’re still breathing. Start here. Choose to be happy. Even if it’s just a moment. This moment, you can choose to start your new journey of happiness by enjoying the way a smile creeps up the corners of your mouth, all the way past your cheeks, lighting up your eyes, and gently tickling your earlobes!
Eventually, we can practice stringing those moments together. And, just like the popcorn garland decorating your trees, those strings of happy moments will start to decorate our lives. You don’t need to obsess over the end goal. Be happy with the steps you’re taking along the way. Each kernel of corn holds a tasty surprise waiting to explode.
Start with your present moment. Take 21 breaths. Maybe you can string 21 minutes of happiness together today. Or, maybe you can reflect on 21 moments of happiness this week. In the spirit of Anne Frank’s example, maybe you have so much wisdom to share that you need to write down those moments and minutes of happiness to inspire yourself and those around you.
Eventually, with practice, those strings of happiness will become the habits of positive choices that will define our character. Begin with a breath, a smile, a present moment. Choose to fill your SOL with happiness. We wish you so many happy moments.
This is why we love yoga. We’d love to hear from you, and hear about your moments of happiness. Feel free to leave a comment here, or reach out to us at https://yogigotsol.com/about/contact/.