At the beginning of this year I assisted at my lovely friend, Nadine Fawell‘s Two Words Project workshop. Personally I think I got more out of it than she got assisted. Basically the Two Words Project is about setting an intention (rather than resolutions, which tends not to work out very well for most people) for your year. It can be any two words that you feel sums up what changes you would like to see in your life, or things you would like to maintain.

Given the extremist I am, I remember I came up with two words that were on the opposite end of the spectrum. *Sigh* Well that’s not gonna work very well, is it? Then someone in the room mentioned the word ‘balance’. Balance. That is exactly the word I needed.

And hence, the Two Word Project became the One Word Project for me.

Working on just one word is difficult enough, so never mind two!

And how is it going so far?

I started the year off jumping into teaching yoga head first with big ideas and great expectations, which some did not pan out the way I had wished. Remembering what my word was for the year, I reminded myself to find balance and that good things are built on strong foundation, rather than hitching up a tent in a matter of minutes. In all my life, when I want something, I want it all and I want it now, so I went through a rough patch where I found myself disappointed with everything, but ultimately and mostly with myself.

Since then I feel I’ve made great progress in terms of not being too hard on myself and learning to do things one step at a time, and sometimes it meant baby steps too. And surprise surprise, it worked out really well! Things are coming together nicely in just a matter of months.

Approaching the middle of the 2012, I am now finding myself in another situation where I’m struggling to find balance. As work gets busier and so is my personal life as I slowly build relationships with new people in a new city, sometimes it is hard to find balance between the two. I find myself having to constantly remind myself not to work too hard, then ending up not being able to work at all. Or spending too much time on making new friends and building new relationships and not enough time on myself or neglecting work.

My conclusion thus far? Balance – it’s fucking difficult!

Just like all the balancing postures in yoga which I hate doing. Arm balances, forearm balances, headstands, handstands…

BUT if I do all the preparation required, it makes things easier. If I build up my core strength (which I am doing and it’s making a world of difference!), suddenly it’s not so difficult to find balance in Bakasana. If I learn to have some patience and compassion for myself, and not be so quick to judge myself, it makes it easier to try again when you fall out of a headstand. If I learn to take baby steps instead of giant leaps, handstand doesn’t seem that unachievable anymore.

For the rest of the year, my One Word Project remains Balance, and I’m adding in the following reminders/mantras/affirmations:

• It’s okay to fail/fall
• Be patient
• Have compassion not only on others but most importantly, on myself
• Baby steps
• Just take a deep breath in!

How about you? How’s your year going? Don’t have an intention for the year but think you might benefit from having one? There’s also a Two Words Project page on Facebook for some motivation and check out what other’s Two Words are! Oh and tell me if you have two words or one word or an intention for 2012!

Happy July!

XO