Day 60 of the Challenge (60/60), Class #60 ~ VICTORY!!

Well Peeps! I have come to the end of my journey… well the 60/60 journey that is. I feel like I just graduated college or something.  I took the 5pm tonight and Fannie was the awesome teacher that taught my #60 class!! Sam and Laura were also finishing up there 60th class tonight as well and Katie finished her class in Rhode Island where she is visiting family.

When I came into the studio there was definitely a feeling of happiness today. I just felt really alive and accomplished knowing that tonight would be my 60th class in 60 days! I was a little concerned that I would be stiff and achy like I have been the past few weeks in class. I made sure to pump up my electrolytes with Emergen-C before class and then I took a coconut water in with me. I basically had a FREAKING awesome class tonight and didn’t feel the soreness at all…CRAZY right? I did still have that weird right trap/shoulder pull thing I am dealing with, but I worked through it tonight. I had such a great class which was the icing on the cake for me since it was my finale to the Challenge.

At the end of class Fannie congratulated me and Sam and Laura for finishing the challenge and everyone clapped… I have to say that felt good… I think it is important to be in a room where people are clapping for you as much as possible – it just feels awesome… now I know why celebrities are so happy looking -well that and all the money they make I am sure. Sam and I exchanged congrats at the end of class and he mentioned he thought the challenge was harder for me since he has his wife doing yoga and his daughter teaching and no little kids at home. I thought that was sweet to mention that but SERIOUSLY…. anyone who does this challenge despite their outside circumstances is a ROCKSTAR in my book. Amy was next to me in class and it was nice to have her smiling at me in class. Michelle was in my rear view and she is always such a source of happy energy. Morgan definitely sent me her energy from across the room. Basically it was the most perfect class to have as my 60th class!

Other people  mentioned on FaceBook that they would miss my blogs about the challenge but I plan to keep on blogging. This blogging thing is very addictive. I am planning to do interviews and profiling of all different people who take Bikram. I thought it would be a great window for others to see.  So that will be to come. Now, I don’t plan on blogging every night but definitely I will post regularly as I find people to profile. Plus I still plan to share more nutrition and diet information on my blog and maybe other fun tidbits… we’ll see how it goes.

So to end this AMAZING Journey I am just going to list the things that I have learned or come to know is true:

1. COCONUT WATER or EMERGEN -C is a MUST… I wish I had figured that one out sooner

2.Don’t leave the room unless you REALLY need to Pee, Poo, Puke, Period, or Pass out (for real) – just remember the 5 Ps Peeps!

3.Forgive yourself – it’s easier and just plain better then beating the crap out of you for things that won’t matter in a week, month, or year from now

4.Anyone can do the 60 day challenge… it’s about committing and then figuring out how to make it happen. The commitment part is the hardest part – it parallels regular outside life as well

5.Make sure you can see yourself in the mirror – it makes for better concentration and posture correction – if you don’t see yourself, how can you fix yourself?

6.Remember how far you have come. Every time a newbie comes to class I am reminded of this and that is why newbies are so awesome to have in class!

7.Yoga people are by far the nicest and most peaceful, happy, sincere people I have met – I am blessed to have found a yoga home like Bikram Yoga of Richmond

8.The yoga gods definitely know what you need and when you need it…. it isn’t a coincidence when you get a certain teacher or when the room is hot or not so hot…

9.Just trying 100% no matter what… even if 100% for the day is laying on the ground… that is the best you can do and should be celebrated. The classes that I went down to ground on are days that I knew I gave 100% just to drag my tail to class and get through it best I could… I think I learned more about myself on those days then the rockstar, super bendy, awesome days I had… weird I know, but true.

10. Gratitude for a body… an amazing body that can handle 60 classes of yoga in 60 days and still be ready for more yoga

11.Patience -this is something that I am still working on but I have definitely gained so much more of with the 60/60… you can ask my hubby and kids… I definitely have more patience.

12.On the topic of family…. so Thankful for the support system of my hubby and kids and all my yoga friends and non-yoga friends cheering me on to get through this journey… not everyone understood why I wanted to do a 60/60 but they cheered me on anyways…that’s amazing!

13.You still have to watch what you eat. Just because you are doing yoga everyday does not mean you have a free pass to gorge yourself on too many sweets and unhealthy foods- although I had a good time doing it… you have to check yourself!

14.Breathe… breathe.. breathe – it works for basically everything I have figured out…the whole nose breathing thing has helped calm me in so many stressful situations.

15.Listen to your body – there were a couple days that I just said NO WAY no class today for me… so I  doubled up on days I knew I could get through two. I am glad I listened to my body.

16. Be present. I will end with this one because it is the one thing that I learned finally from this challenge… the present moment is the most precious gift. That’s how I got through the challenge… one class at a time.

On my way out of the studio Julie asked me what I thought after the challenge… I mentioned that it far more changed me internally than externally. That is the beauty of Bikram Yoga.. you go in for a workout or sweat out… and you come out with new insides to top it off! If you are thinking about doing a challenge…. just COMMIT! Trust me it is so worth the journey!

See you back in the HOT ROOM!

Namaste Peeps!