Yoga+

THE 30-day Challenge Experience

 Sharon Pe Yu

_______________________________________________________

Under more normal circumstances, accomplishing the 30-day challenge would have been less daunting. Unfortunately, the past month and a half has been anything but normal, which made the completion of the challenge difficult but extremely fulfilling nonetheless.

My husband was assigned to work abroad at the beginning of 2012, leaving me in Manila with two hyperactive and clingy kids aged four and one. We will be joining him in a few months, so our remaining weeks in the Philippines were supposed to be spent finishing up kindergarten, packing up and tying together the hundreds of loose ends that need to be taken care of when uprooting for good; not easy I guarantee you that!

With everything going on, I was definitely not prepared to spend 2-3 hours a day (including the commute) for a whole month dedicated to Yoga practice. But having been signed up against my will by my siblings (you know who you are!), I was facing extreme pressure not to be the only one in the family who would drop out. So I decided to do my best to complete it. Thankfully, I did, and gained all the positive benefits from it.

It took some creative time management to get it done, though. I had to schedule my practice around relocation needs, my son's school time and the highly unpredictable breastfeeding times of my daughter. This meant having to endure my least favorite classes on some days (but we're still friends, right, Ryan?) and waking up for the 6:30 AM class on others while the kids were still asleep.

At first, I felt guilty about spending too much "me" time on the mat and away from the kids. But surprisingly, allocating time to enhance my practice has actually helped me become a healthier, more patient momma. I feel stronger and more capable of handling the responsibilities of a temporary single parent. In fact, I am kind of getting used to not having my husband around. Haha, just kidding! I still love you...ahh...uhm...what's your name again?

The 30-day challenge also provided much more beyond physical, mental and emotional benefits. I appreciated how the teachers, staff and fellow yoginis supported each other with their words and acts of encouragement in the face of the task's difficult daily grind. Personally, I would like to thank you all for putting up with the everyday "classic lola" perfume I used of salonpas, white flower and China gel to ease my aching muscles. 

I feel fortunate to have been part of the group and will certainly miss this community when I relocate in a few weeks. On hindsight, the challenge may have only lasted one month, but the friendships formed shall surely last much longer. If only for that, the 30-day challenge was very much worth the time, effort and sacrifice.