Accountability.

            About two weeks ago I had an encounter with someone who seemed to hold a lot of hate towards me.  And upon this encounter, this individual said some things to me that I initially thought were very offensive.  But as he kept talking I began to realize how much he blamed me for his own doing, his own anger at how his life was.  And right then and there I realized that it wasn’t so much about me, but about himself.  And at that moment I felt sad for him.  I felt sorry for this person and I chose to walk away from this encounter without giving in to what would have been the inevitable. 

And during these past two weeks, I’ve been reflecting on this encounter.  I’ve been thinking about my own feelings towards things or others.  I’ve been looking within myself to see if I blame anyone for my own challenges today.  Often times, when I’m teaching a yoga class I remind everyone to take ownership of their practice.  I tell them, that it’s up to them to show up.  I remind them that there is no magic pill.  That they’re going to have to earn it.  That it’s their responsibility.  And I believe this to be true in anything we do in our lives.

One of the things I’ve been reflecting on has been about my childhood.  And I’ve been thinking about whether or not I’ve held any resentment towards my mother.  You see, my brother and I migrated into the U.S. with our mother at a very young age.  And when we arrived here we worked in the fields picking oranges, grapes, onions and beans.  We use to get up around three thirty every morning and head out into fields to work eight to ten hours a day.  What I’ve realized is that there have been times when I’ve questioned my mother’s actions.  Like having us work at such a young age and missing out on our childhood.  But in retrospect I’ve realize that we had no choice.  My mother was determined to provide us with a better life then what we had and she wanted us to have more opportunity.  She never abandoned us and she always made us laugh when we were tired or angry.  She taught us a lot about life when we were working.  She taught us to always be kind, to always give a helping hand when others needed it.  She always said that we should always share.  That not everyone was as fortunate and that many people were missing love in their lives.  She taught us to work hard and she taught us to challenge ourselves.  She always said not to allow our sacrifice to be meaningless.  

If you’re still reading this you may be thinking “What the hell does this have to do with yoga and what’s the point?”  My point is this: today, if you’re struggling with obesity you must choose to do something about it and take action.  It’s important that you don’t blame anyone or circumstance.  If you’re battling a disease, fight and keep fighting!  Do whatever it takes and don’t give up!  If you’re angry at someone it’s probably affecting your life.  Don’t wait for them to recognize it or to change it.  Get rid of the anger and create the changes you need for yourself!  Look, you can continue to go through life angry and constantly complaining about your situation whatever it may be.  Or you can take responsibility and do something about it.  You can move on.

  How does this relate to yoga?  It takes commitment on your part to show up to class.  It takes effort on your part to work through class.  You have to be willing to sacrifice time out of your life and you have to decide why you’re doing it.  Why it’s important?  It’s not just about stretching or relaxing.  It is about your health, your mindset, and it’s about your spirit.  It’s about being accountable and not giving into resentment, anger, or blaming others.  It’s about you and when we practice yoga we are reminded that all we can control is ourselves and our own lives.  It’s about you deciding what’s right for you and you being responsible for your own happiness.  Don’t blame others for your current circumstance, take ownership of it and move forward.  Life requires action and strong will.  Find it, create your own happiness and don’t allow anything or anyone to hold you back! 

To your health & success,

        Marco Gamez