Livin' the dream

At the end of my yoga teacher training we did an exercise in class where we pretended like we were all getting together a year later for a reunion.
As I type this I realize our reunion would be about now …
We talked about what we did. The idea was if we said it as if it did actually happen it would make it more real. We were advised to write a letter to ourselves to read in a year, which I did.
I wrote to myself on May 9, 2014 with instructions on the envelope that I could open the letter today or later. I opened that letter today.
I addressed the letter to: Dear Ann–now a yoga teacher. Check! DONE
I stated intentions in class and in the letter (with some edits) to the following:

• I quit my job. DONE
  
• I taught my first yoga class at Mindful Yoga Studio in Tucson (my hometown) on Sunday, June 29, 2014 as a donation class. DONE
  
• I started subbing yoga classes at the gym. DONE (And extra DONE with taking over three classes a week for three months while the regular yoga teacher was on maternity leave.)
  
• I started teaching my own classes a few times a week. DONE (I’m teaching four regular yoga classes a week with lots of subbing. And two new regular classes starting next month. I am also teaching five regular cycling classes.)
  
• I work the front desk at a yoga studio once a week to learn the business (and make a little money). Will be DONE starting June or July. I’ve already been hired (date to start to be determined) at a yoga studio once a week working the front desk along with two regular yoga classes.
  
• I teach numerous 1:1s (private sessions). Working on this.
  
• I started working with an organization (name withheld) on a yoga program for their clients. We moved and I wasn’t able to start the program I wanted. But I’m looking into where my Karma Yoga will take me here in Portland. 
  
• I taught a weekend yoga workshop in Albany, Mo. (Curt’s hometown) to a community who has very little access to yoga. Hasn’t happened yet. But I would love to do this sometime. 
  
• Really got to focus more energy, time and commitment to GFG! DONE
  
• We got a dog. We’re talking about getting a dog now that we have moved and my schedule is fairly flexible. I am just not sure I am ready for the commitment to walking a dog regularly just quite yet. 
  
  

When I wrote the post about my BIG decision to quit my corporate job in September I mentioned that part of my “fantasy” was to quit my job, which is on the top of the list with a nice big DONE.
I also wrote: Wow, a year later and my life has changed so much.
That made me chuckle. Because now looking back at a year ago when my fellow yoga teachers in training and I had our “reunion” we were almost finished with our teacher training and had learned so much in the 10 months.
And I look at my life now and yes, wow, a year later and my life has changed so much.
My letter to myself said … I truly plan to take my teacher training on to a new step in my life. I think we can all agree that that definitely happened and continues.
I miss my friends in the Bay Area terribly. But it was a good decision for Curt and me to move to Portland for a variety of reasons.
We both quit our jobs at the end of last year. We moved to Portland at the beginning of this year–now about four months in. We are both working to reinvent ourselves. Me with my teaching. Curt with taking classes at Portland Code School where he is learning a new skill. We have basically started over. And so far we are both happy with the direction things are going.
I really do enjoy teaching both indoor cycling and yoga classes. I love being near dear Oregon friends. I like meeting new people and making new friends and colleagues.
The stress in my life is minimal right now and that feels so good.
Life’s too short to not be happy. We all deserve to be happy.
As I was putting the finishing touches on this post I decided to write myself another letter today and open it in a year and see how much has changed.