One of Favorite Healing Stories.

Let me tell you a story.

I was in the yoga room teaching two Saturdays ago. The class just hit the finish line of what I call "the challenge." It's the hardest part of the class where I invite you to push your limits, dig deep and ask yourself to go somewhere you haven't gone yet. I jump in with you, and the big ask I offer you is can you stay a little bit longer in the fire? Can you go a little bit faster until you lose your breath? Will you ultimately push past the places you have always gone?

In order to stretch your capacities as a human, I believe it's a must to do this regularly. The feeling of losing your breath both shakes you up and wakes you up, if you are open to waking up. For the class, I'm sure their hearts were still pounding inside their chest for most of them. I then asked them to do what I always do at that time. I asked them to be still, sit in mediation and feel their bodies. I asked them not to escape, not to change the feeling, but rather to get extremely present and to simply experience it as it is. After a few minutes of that, I guided them into a passive yin pose where they could continue this self listening practice. That's when I started playing a song that was sent to me by Dad a few days earlier.  

I was watching my students listen to both their bodies and the song, as I was listening to the same words and biting my lip to hold back my tears. 

The words go like this…

"That's the story of my life.

Right there in black and white.

And if it looks like we were scared to death, like a couple of kids just trying to save each other,

You should've seen it in color

A picture's worth a thousand words

but you can't see what those shades of gray keep covered

You should've seen it in color."

The song is country and sung by Jamey Johnson, not my usual genre. I asked the class after it was over, "Did you like that country song?" So many of them shouted "YES!" I told them I loved it too. I also told them that country isn’t my natural go to.  I played it because it was sent to me by my father and the gift and the song both moved me. I let them know that I haven't always had the easiest relationship with my father. In fact, it may be one of the most challenging relationships of my life. In my 30's we even spent years never speaking to each other.   

I don't know what my dad did in those years when we weren't speaking, but he must of done something. Because when we started talking again, we both were different. I know for me, I worked endlessly on bettering myself. I practiced forgiveness, communication, and i decided I was not going to blame my Dad for my pain. I made the decision to work until I could take responsibility for the way my relationships have turned out. The common denominator in all my relationships wasn’t my Dad, it was me. My old story about my dad was that he wasn't emotionally there for me. I believed that for years.

Soon after we reconnected, I went through one of the hardest traumas of my life. No one was more emotionally available for me than my dad. No one. Not even close. And he still holds that award because he hasn’t stopped since then. My dad is the person I am the closest to right now. When I need a connection, I go to him, and he always sees me, and I see him.. and the connection is made. 

I told my class this story, and I could hear a few people crying.  

I reminded the class and myself of a few things that day. 

1. Something truly amazing happens when two people work on themselves and the relationship they have together.   

2. Relationships do get better when everyone in the relationship does the real, deep work with consistancy.

3.Healing will always happen when two people choose to listen to understand, and to be emotionally available for each other.

3. This is a healing story. I think we all need to hear some healing stories right now… and even more than that, we need to create our own.  

xo,

Diana 

If you haven’t heard already, I have changed careers!!! I have let go of my 21 year career as a full time yoga teacher and now I am a full time coach! I am a self esteem coach for women and I would LOVE to work with you. If you are looking to heal your relationship with yourself, and all of your relationships, I have a 3 month program for you. You will learn self esteem skills, your attachment style and how to heal these unconscious patterns, how to communicate with skill, how to have a hard conversation, how to manage your sprit and how to live a HIGH VOLTAGE LIFE! This is the BEST program I have ever been a part of. You can do this program from anywhere in the world because it’s all on Zoom. Check it out on my website under the tab Self Esteem and Life Coaching.

“I am incredibly grateful for Diana & her 1:1 coaching. I immediately felt comfortable with her & trusted her guiding the sessions each week. She is compassionate, vivacious & approachable. Her wisdom & the grace in which she presents it is unmatched. I'll always be grateful to have gone through the program & know the skills I developed during it will serve me the rest of my life. THANK YOU!” - Coaching Client Testimonial.