Ground rules

I didn't realize until today how hard it was going to be to blog everyday, so bare with me as I try to play catch up.
I started thinking today why 200 days? The first answer that popped into my head was the 365 days was too overwhelming and scary for me. 200 days seemed managable. But I also didnt realize until today that my 200 hour yoga teacher training and 200 days both shared the same number. Haha...no I'm not a natural blonde. So maybe subconsiscislly that was why I picked 200 days. Who knows, maybe I'll decide to extend it.
Yoga teaches us to live in the moment, focusing on the present and not the future or past. So it seemed to me that 200 days of yoga seemed not like living in the present...I struggle with that.
I made myself feel better by saying if I missed a day, that its not the end of the world and to just keep going and not give up. I know that May, and June will be challenging for me since I will be traveling a total of 3 1/2 weeks for 2 months, but I dont care. I can bring a video with me when I travel, or just do some sun salutations and poses on my own. I know I can do this.
Ground rules to me are simple practicing yoga everyday. I teach yoga 2-3 times a week and while I really dont think they should count, I am really practicing yoga and I know on those three days it would be really hard to make it to a another teacher's class. Taking class, doing a video, doing my own practice, doing yoga on my wii fit should all count in all fairness.

Ahh...the journey begins...

The idea for this came from a fellow yogi of mine, Vern. His growth with yoga inspired me immensely. In June of 2010 I started my 200 hour yoga teacher training at a local studio in Jacksonville, Florida. I tell people that it was one of the hardest things I've ever done, and I've done alot of hard things (more on that later). Physically it was demanding of course, with long days of practicing yoga, teaching yoga, and little sleep. But I grew as a person in so many ways. I developed the confidence to apply for grad school after my dad told me I would never get in. I developed the confidence to get my group exercise teacher and personal training certifications after my personal trainer told she didn't think I would pass the test. I was able to have the strength to leave my an emotionally abusive boyfriend, which I was struggling with for months before I started the yoga training. All those "no"s in the back of my head, became "I can do this" and "yes". And the "yes " attitude created some major positive shifts in my life. I got accepted to grad school (more on this later), got my group exercise teacher and personal training certifications. And have personal trained clients, and taught group exercise classes.
So why is a yoga teacher pursuing 200 days of yoga?
Since January, I have been teaching yoga and group exercise classes alot, and my yoga practice was no longer. I had every excuse in the book, I'm tired, I don't want to be sore tomorrow, I don't have time...blah...blah...the list goes on. And while some of these "excuses" might have been true, they were just excuses. So I decided to drop the excuses and pursue this path of growth. We shall see how it goes!