Don't Knock It Until You've Tried It! Overnight Fishing, Raw Beets and Yoga

Practice Replacing No with Yes and watch your world EXPAND!

When the idea and invitation to an overnight fishing trip surfaced last week, I must confess that I cringed.  I could feel my entire body tense.  As a self-proclaimed and openminded positive thinker, I love to observe myself falling into fear of the unknown.

I am not actually certain of the negative thoughts that must have swirled up in an instant causing me to stiffen and make faces.  The only thing I do know, is that my mind was playing tricks on me.  After all, I had never been on an overnight fishing trip, so I really didn't even have a point of reference to know that it would be a miserable experience.  Just as I was about slide down the slippery slope of negative thinking, I grasped a higher and better thought.  How can I knock what I have never tried?




I understand that the tension resulted simply because I was moving into the unknown.  As I mentioned last week, anytime, the mind or body are challenged with new opportunities, situations or experiences, it creates stress and tension.  This happens even around positive things.  Instead of thinking how horrible it would be to sleep on a boat deck with some people I barely knew, use a portable potty and be dirty for two days, I opened my mind and heart to the possibility of an amazing adventure.

It is true, moving into the unknown can be uncomfortable, simply because it is new.  I did sleep on the boat deck in the middle of the ocean and had the most amazing view of the sunset, a sky full of stars, planets and a near full moon.  The sunrise was center stage, the weather was amazing and I shared many bountiful belly laughs with the people I barely knew hours before.

If you want to expand your horizons, adventures and experiences, catch your yourself feeling uncomfortable and wanting to say No.  Then, practice saying Yes.  New experiences make you interesting, expand your consciousness and ability to connect with others.

I have seen the same thing recently with raw beets.  Food is one of the things that you make your mind up about based on a belief.  After discovering raw beets in Nicaragua earlier this year, I have been sharing them with anyone I can.  At the idea, they cringe.  After a small sample, they are intrigued and fascinated by these sweet, heart healthy treats.

The same is true of non-yoga practitioners.  I am always amazed by what people who have never tried it have to say about this ancient healing system.  Beliefs are just the lies that you keep you stuck in your limited existence.  Yoga is an amazing way to expand your life expectancy, range of motion and your consciousness.  Don't knock it until you try it.

Being Happy Healthy and Fit means bringing self awareness to your own limitation and then lifting them.  Simply replace your 'worst case scenario thoughts' with the 'best case scenario thoughts.'  Ask yourself, what is the best thing that could happen on an overnight fishing trip, trying raw beets or giving yoga a chance?   You might just discover new friends, new food and a new lease on life.