Embrace Your "What Ifs"

After eleven years of teaching yoga for studio owners, non-profits, and health clubs, I recently decided it was time to start Come On, Get Healthy!, a yoga and wellness coaching business of my own. Becoming a small business owner is a bold move, and has forced me into unfamiliar, and often uncomfortable, territory. It is the first time I have worked for variable income--I was always salaried in my previous career in marketing. Instead of selling other people's products, I now earn business based on my experience and talents. There is also risk involved, as I have invested money, and time away from my family, to make the business work. It's a leap of faith, with little indication as to whether my investments will pay off.

Although I am only three months into this new venture, the business is growing quickly, I have earned more than I invested, and I absolutely love what it has added to my life. Now that the business is working, and I am enjoying it immensely, I can't help but wonder:

What took me so long?
What was it, exactly, that held me back?

When I ask myself these questions, it doesn't take long to identify similar patterns of resistance that have shaped the course of my life, in both good and bad ways. It's clear to me now, though, that my greatest successes occur when I push past uncertainty and insecurity, to release my untapped strengths. Still, I wonder why it can be so difficult to let go of our attachments, when we know there is so much potential good on the other side.

Why do we resist change?

Status quo, even if it is not perfect, is much more more comfortable than exploring the unfamiliar. It is human nature to be attached to "the way we have always done it", even if we are not getting the results we want. We settle for good enough. We justify and minimize problem areas, because change is incredibly daunting, and we are afraid to fail. I get that, and realize that this is the reason that we often respond to opportunities for growth with "I could never":


I could never do a handstand...
I could never be a vegetarian...
I could never practice yoga at home...
I could never own a business...

These are just a few of the fears I have overcome through my yoga practice. I can't say it was easy, but I am grateful beyond words for the journey, and the benefits of conquering these doubts. Yoga helped me see past the illusory stories I told myself, and finally meet "I could never" with "what if":


"I could never master that yoga pose" became "What if I research technique, and practice that pose every day until it clicks?"


"I could never give up meat" became "What if I fast on fruits and vegetables for two weeks, and then decide if I want to change my diet for good?"


"I could never practice yoga at home" became "What if I turn on my favorite music, roll out my mat, and see what happens from there? Would I enjoy it?"


"I could never work for myself" became "What if I start small, work out of the house, and let the business grow organically?"

Instead of surrendering my power to fear and self-doubt, like I used to, yoga has taught me to practice self-awareness and curiosity. With new perspective and clarity about the barriers I create for myself, I now recognize that trying and failing is much more rewarding than never trying at all. And trying and succeeding is glorious.

It takes time, and practice, to see our resistance clearly. Some barriers can actually serve us in unexpectedly good ways, but more often than not, they inhibit our growth. Learn the difference, and confront your doubts with the knowledge that, as Marianne Williamson said, "Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate, it is that we are powerful beyond measure." Our lives blossom when we let go of self-doubt, and embrace the possibility that "I could".

Amber Barry is a certified yoga instructor, wellness coach, motivational speaker, public school advocate and founder of Come On, Get Healthy! She lives in Atlanta, GA, with her husband and three daughters, and shares her adventures in wellness on the Come On, Get Healthy! Facebook page (like us!).