Don't Be Afraid to Fall

“Don’t be afraid to fall,” our teacher Todd recently said in our Form and Flow class, as I stood balanced precariously with my left foot’s weight fully on my right knee, half lotus style, my prayer hands together at my heart… and then he invited us to take it a step further if we wanted, by placing our hands on the floor and doing an arm balance, letting our feet come slowly off the ground.

WAIT, WHAT? I don’t even know what I just described. I’m not sure what it’s called. I’d never tried it before and somehow… I DID IT. For like 4 seconds, 4 delicious seconds of elation, I somehow balanced on my hands in this contortion. And somehow I wasn’t afraid to go for it and try something I’d never even heard of. Of course in truth, I was completely afraid of that delicate balance. I was scared of losing my balance and sending my face into the mat. But I decided to go for it anyways.

Because we don’t know what we’re capable of experiencing and accomplishing if we’re always afraid of the fall.

So it’s not easy. But I’m always trying to let go of the fear, in yoga, yes, BUT MOSTLY, in LIFE. I’m always trying to let go of the anxiety that comes with everyday living in this crazy world.

I try to do the scary things and know that I may fall. And I try to remember that if I do fall, it will be okay, because I’ll get back up again, dust myself off and try again. And that I'll be better and stronger because of the times I fell before.

The falling is scary, but it also can be wonderful because it’s where we find our strength and courage and it’s those times when we fall down, that we learn to get back up and we know we’ll be okay, better than okay, after it’s all said and done.

“I get knocked down. But I get up again. You’re never gonna keep me down.” – The immortal lyrics of Chumbawamba, in their one-hit wonder, Tubthumper. (Also: “I drink a whiskey drink, I drink a vodka drink, I drink a lager drink, I drink a cider drink, I sing the songs that remind me of the good times, I sing the songs that remind me of the better times.” – so wise.)

So we may fall. And we may get hurt! But that’s when we learn and we grow and we become stronger.

And maybe we’ll also look back and remember those 4 seconds of elation we had, when we weren’t afraid to fall, before we crashed and burned, and know we want to feel that again, even if we’re risking a face plant in the process.

Namaste.

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