Also not options:  mistakes, coincidences, and wrong decisions.  Any other belief is a dream in the existence of perfection or YOUR idea of perfection.   Here are the 3 reasons why I no longer believe in failure:

1. I am not in control
2. I've learned and grown so much during the difficult times
3. Listening to my ego gets me into trouble

I now see my perceived missteps as OPPORTUNITY.  I still grumble a little at first.  It is natural to perceive the "failure", that is, to see the negative in each situation.  The bigger the "mistake", the longer it may take to change your perception of what is happening.  But then I take a deep breath and ask, "what I am supposed to recognize or learn in this moment".

"Everything that arises in our lives is an opportunity to learn."

-Saki Santorelli, Stress Reduction Clinic, U Mass

Trial and error have prevailed over the last several months as I took on development of an online course.  First, I purchased an online course myself to learn all the steps in the process.  But like many new adventures, I didn't understand the details.  So I had to learn a whole new language in technology and marketing.  Two areas where physical therapists and yogis don't spend much time during their education!  And because my course includes lecture and yoga videos, I had to learn how to record with new software and good lighting and audio.  Then I had to learn the process of video editing.  Believe me, I almost gave up!  I had to walk away a few times and gather new energy to return to a task that was sometimes VERY frustrating.  It seemed that I would "waste" whole days in the process of trial and error.  But I persevered.

I persevered because I finally figured out how to present my Gift in a way that can reach more people.  My Gift is teaching, i.e. taking a complicated subject, breaking it down, and using language that makes sense.  This is a God Given Gift and when I opened to the possibility of sharing my expertise, I had to keep trying, even on the most frustrating days.  That's what I mean when I say, "I'm not in control".  When I tapped into this Divine force working within me, I had desire, motivation, determination and creativity.  With each "failure" I learned more about myself and what was possible.

So I've had to "get around" my ego in order to stay focused.  That first sense of frustration was my ego repeating what it hears on the street: "you can't do this" or "it's not perfect".  These thoughts are planted by a younger version of me, loved ones, or colleagues who didn't believe in this format for therapeutic yoga.  Or my ego could be boastful, "it will be so good you'll be famous!".  The ego doesn't live in reality but it does create a fantasy world.  Fantasizing with the ego was a distraction and it pulled my attention away from what was real.  If I tried to make a video "perfect" or thought about some glorified outcome, I got off track.  I had to pause (meditation helped) and keep my focus on bringing my Gift to light.

So now it is time to present the fruits of my labor: 

Yoga 4 a Better Back: Learning to Live More with Less Pain. 

If you are suffering with Back Pain and feel as though all of your previous attempts to "fix" it have been failures, you need a new approach.  You need to change your perception and see this struggle as an opportunity to learn.  My mission and the goal of this course is to: empower you to take control of your own health.  In it you will explore both the emotional and physical reasons for your pain.  Find out more about the online course here. You can also read my past blogs or try the sample class to see if I can guide you to see "success" instead of "failure".

Namaste,

Stephanie