Put on Your White Belt (Embrace Being a Beginner)
Take a breath, expand your belly. Breathe in vitality and clarity. Allow that inhale to extend your energy up and out like the branches of a tree. Allow your long exhale to spiral through you and into the center of the earth.
A participant on a teleclass I led today said, “I want to declare myself a beginner.” His words reminded us that there are domains in our lives where we are beginners. Perhaps it’s in being a parent of a teenager, or leading a team, or beginning a new exercise program, or assisting someone at the end of their life. Or maybe you are a beginner in noticing the quality of your breath.
We place a lot of pressure on ourselves to already know something, to be an expert, even when we are just beginning to learn it. This pressure produces constriction rather than expansion. Expansion serves us best in sparking the light of discovery and curiosity for optimal learning. So, put on your white belt; take a breath, allow your shoulders to relax, and declare yourself a beginner in that area that is new and perhaps uncomfortable in your life.
Notice: What is available to you when you declare yourself a beginner again?