Monday Motivation - do what you love, love what you do

By teaching and preparing classes, I train 30 almost hours a week, more or less. Mostly is Tai Chi (even if it looks easy it takes a lot of training and work on legs and arms), then there are Total Body and Kardio Kombat classes. In the meantime I also write classes, choose music and study. Many weekends I have to attend workshops and classes to improve my teaching skills. Is it worth it? Yes, but only if you love what you do. There are days when I lie on the floor and the only thing I want is to rest and not to move a single muscle for days. Then I realize that I can do it, I must do it, so I stand up and I keep working. Why? Mostly because I love what I do, but also because I know I want to do it. 

After each workout, I feel better, stronger, more accomplished. Plus when I practice Tai Chi is not only about the body, but also about an expansion of my mind potential. When I add something new to classes, I'm happy and customers are happy. Curiosity and research make my job better, for me and for the people I train with. My motivation is to improve every day, to do something different every day and to test myself every day. Mostly I push myself because I know where I want to go and how. I know that limits are only in my head and I do my best to overcome them. 

So it's ok to lie on the floor and rest, rest is yin, work is yang and we need them both. 

Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. 
- Steve Jobs -

Uno scatto di felicità

Quando siete felici fateci caso 

- Kurt Vonnegut - 

Sì perché la felicità non è una costante: ci sono momenti difficili, complicati e a volte estenuanti ed a questi guarda caso ci facciamo sempre caso. La felicità è più difficile da catturare e comprendere, un po' come quando si cerca lo scatto perfetto e spesso poi arriva all'improvviso, quando abbiamo smesso di cercare. Quei momenti felici possano essere una fotografia da portare con noi nei momenti bui, per ricordarci che la ruota gira e per ogni yin esiste uno yang.
Apprezzeremmo davvero i momenti felici se non vivessimo anche quelli negativi? Forse no. Forse siamo troppo abituati alla sofferenza, all'infelicità, alla lamentela per sopportare una vita felice. Eppure la verità è che a volte dipende solo da noi. Ci sono momenti nella vita davvero felici, ma ce ne sono anche tanti di potenzialmente neutri, il cui valore è determinato dal nostro atteggiamento rispetto agli eventi stessi.
Ad esempio, io ogni giovedì insegno Tai Chi al mattino, e ogni giovedì da un anno mi sveglio felice e passo sempre una giornata fantastica, questo perché un bel giorno, circa un anno fa ho partecipato alla mia vita e mi sono resa conto di quanto mi piacesse il giovedì. E' stato un cambiamento improvviso, un momento di mindfulness nel quale fatico ancora a credere. Prima di allora odiavo il giovedì mattina, mi alzavo nervosa e pensavo che fare movimento al mattino fosse stancante, parlare faticoso, vedere le persone, confrontarsi dover dimostrare qualcosa a tutti i costi. Notare che quelle persone mi piacevano tutte, sono sempre state degli esseri umani che io apprezzavo e stimavo, ma nonostante ciò mi era sempre apparso come il giorno più faticoso della settimana, il giorno da superare indenne dentro al sacro venerdì.
Poi un giovedì, finita la lezione mi sono voltata a guardare la palestra vuota e ho pensato "Come sono fortunata!" Sì, perché è davvero una fortuna poter fare il lavoro che ami, parlare con la gente, quella bella, muoversi in armonia con l'universo e persino parlare a voce alta anche se una cosa difficile. 
Da allora aspetto con ansia il giovedì mattina e da allora ogni giovedì la giornata è sempre bella, ricca e piacevole. Se non fosse troppo da dire, direi che l'universo è uno specchio e ci rimanda le immagini che noi per primi inviamo. Una follia? Forse, ma tanti scienziati, psicologici e biologici ci credono, e lo dicono ad alta voce. 
Come vorrei che nelle giornate tristi mi tornasse sempre in mente quel giovedì, a volte funziona ed altre no, ma se ce l'ho fatta una volta, so che potrà succedere di nuovo, forse per il martedì che mi sembra una giornata faticosa e stressante, o per lunedì che pare sempre eterno. 
Anche se ancora non sono una guru della positività, ho imparato a farci caso: quando sono felice, io ci sono. 

A job is pretty much like a love story - nothing lasts forever

Lately I have started to think about how many jobs I have changed, about those I've turned down and those few I would have loved to do but they didn't love me back.

Probably that's because a job is pretty much like a love story. 

There have been times when I really fell for a particular job, I courted it and I put myself out there in order to obtain it, but it didn't work. The disappointment was more or less the same I have experienced the many times I liked a man and he didn't know I even existed or he would tell me everything about his girlfriend. 

Think about interviews for instance: a ballet where interviewer and interviewed constantly exchange the predominant position to excel with perfect answer or the perfect question. I got so used to interviews that I find them hilarious now, I can easily predict the next question and anticipate the facial expression the interviewer will make about my school life etc... if only it was a television quiz!

Back to love and work. 

There are jobs about which you are not sure. Begin or not begin? Is it right for me? Am I going to be happy, satisfied and understood? 

Since no love story is perfect, you try it. You sign your contract and give it try. The first 60 days should be the best they say, but the embarrassment of not knowing where to put your hands, what to say and what to do, just reminds me of something...

Anyway, if you survive those amazing trial periods and nobody ships you back, then you're in. The real story begins and you start to see that it wasn't so perfect as it felt the first days, but if you really enjoy what you are doing is not impossible to wipe out the flaws. After all a relationship is never easy, sometimes you will have to fight and resist, even when the other is not at its best. 

Then, here it comes: the other job. Someone offers you a position, right in the middle of your other experience which is difficult, hard sometimes, heart wrecking maybe, but still, it has been there for you when you had to improve, achieve new certifications or ask for a new pc. 

Your curiosity may allow you to flirt a little, so you talk with their HR and see what this new job has to offer. Of course it sound better, richer and more attractive! 

So now what, my dear loyal worker? 

Most of us, well maybe just me, would make a long list with pros and cons of both choices and in the end will choose out of sympathy, guilt and affection. 

Finally, you'll have the break up. 

"It's not you, it's me"  "I am not right for this position! Don't you see?"

"I need more, you are not listening to my ideas!"

"We are just not made for each other, I need sometimes for myself, to think about my future."

"But you know what? I wish you to find the best candidate possible, I am sure that you'll have a great relationship together."

Then there are the disruptive people like me. Out of the box. With a lot of ideas, creativity and energy. To find the perfect mate becomes even harder when you are not suitable for ordinary; I am not being arrogant, just realistic. Because if can write about it, it's because I lived it all.

So, in the end I must say that I am still waiting for my soulmate, but I am happy that I have made a lot of friends in the meantime.