We set goals, we plan ahead to make sure we reach those goals and then something happens that forces us to slow down. A car accident, an injury, a major life or relationship change, or an ill family member. All of these are very serious things that deserve some undivided attention but also things that can derail your fitness journey, among other types of journeys. 

As I've said before, personal trainers are not immune to this derailment and while my only current fitness goal is do a cartwheel on my birthday for the rest of my life, I experience situations that keep me from moving forward in life on the regular. I was recently instructed by my doctor to do very limited exercise for the past two weeks due to some pesky migraine issues I have been suffering. At first I did the standard reaction of pitching a fit and complaining that my doctor didn't seem understand what yoga was and that telling people that exercise is the problem for health issues was completely ass backwards and the problem with our societal health issues. However... after the full two weeks I am of course able to reflect and more clearly see the big picture. 

While I am still having some of the same pains as before, I have had significantly less migraine issues. And while the two week break didn't solve the problem it did open my eyes to the ever so obvious realization that I am not in control. There is a bigger plan for me and my life and the path that I deem as the most beneficial and efficient may not be the path I am suppose to take. Maybe I am meant to learn something very valuable along my detour. Maybe I am suppose to trust that I have not left my original path for good or that maybe the new path will take me to something even greater than where I was headed. I know to some this might sound a little too woo woo, but the main take away from my experience of being forced to slow down is that I am not in control.  

AS a result, I have been looking at this concept of control and found that I actually try to control lots of things in my life. I have always heard the term "Control Freak" and it never resinated with me, thinking "I am such a free spirit that actually needs more control in life, not less". I was wrong. After looking at daily actions and seeing control pop up in situations like how I like the house to be cleaned, the pups to be taken care of, my opinions of how others in my life should be doing things, I began to see it everywhere.

Then, I heard my yoga teacher explain that the need for control is simply a lack of trust, and that flipped everything for me. I do not want to live my life with a lack of trust. I do not want to take on the stress of what others do or don't do and of how they do it. When I find myself in a moment of wanting to take control, I have begun taking a moment to see where my lack of trust is stemming from in the situation. Most times it is rather silly and I can start to move past the need. I am announcing to the world that I trust that everything will get done, I trust that what is in store for me, good or bad, is what I need at the moment, I trust that those around me will also find this trust in their path and that we can all rest happy together in the end.