Project Reverb prompt: “What sort of work did you do in 2014? Was it new to you? Did you take on new responsibilities? Change jobs? Or take on a new task at home?”

This past year, my job at CSU shifted. I became the Communications Coordinator for the English Department. Some of what I do is the same as before, but I am also now in charge of a department blog and other various departmental communications, with two interns to help me. It’s been a nice change, a perfect blending of what I’m good at and what they need.

I also became a yoga instructor. Even though I’ve practiced for eight years now and been a teacher of other things for almost 15 years, teaching yoga was something altogether new. What makes it so fundamentally different is the way it embodies what I’m teaching. Sure I could teach just by leading with my words and walking around the room giving adjustments, but typically I’m practicing right along with my students, a living example of the poses. Considering the body issues I’ve been working with recently, this was a big challenge, a good opportunity, a chance to practice self-compassion.

Reverb14 prompt: “How can you stop being an a**hole, get out of your own way and make room for more of your magic to happen in 2015?”

I can stop pushing myself. It’s ironic to give that answer since in giving it, in this very moment I’m pushing myself. I’ve had a really rough week (my father-in-law almost died and my husband flew to Oregon to be with him and his mom, who after 21 years of marriage are my parents too), and with an unexpected shift to being responsible for everything at home and the stress of not knowing what was going to happen in a week when I already had way too much to do has worn me down. I’m so tired today and have been hungry for lunch for at least an hour, but I keep pushing myself to get just a few more things done. It’s a way of living that just isn’t sustainable and I need to stop before I crash — check myself before I wreck myself. It’s essential that I slow down to get more done, which is a complete paradigm shift from my current “go faster, do more, keep going” model.