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Monday Musings


Last night I was reading an excerpt from my copy Yoga and Body Image: 25 Personal Stories about Beauty, Bravery, & Loving Your Body and I came upon the following quote: 

"You teach best what you most need to learn."

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Wow...

This resonated with me so much - and not just in the aspect as a yoga teacher - but as a dietitian, and really any other interpersonal experience I've had.  For example, when I'm counseling a client, I often validate their experiences because 1) I've been there before, or 2) The message is something I should be hearing loud and clear.





I mean if you think about it, anytime you're passionate about a topic, the message you are spreading to others is going to resonate back with you in some way, shape or form.  I'm not sure if my clients believe me or not, but when we do 1-on-1 counseling, or when I lead Body Image group, I inform them I get JUST. AS. MUCH positivity or energy in return..  Their openness, honesty, and vulnerability I see on a day to day basis is just outstanding, and it pushes me to do better.   Whether it's me helping a client plan their eating patterns on the weekend (because their kids force them to have a busy schedule), or they're navigating how to take time for themselves and self-care....believe me, I get it.


I am also amazed how much I continue to grow as a professional, even when I'm considered the "nutrition expert" or "yogi", depending on the setting.  I think back to my yoga training specifically, (and now I see the evidence) when I'm excited or pumped up by a particular asana sequence or overall theme, everyone in that room can feel it too (and they'll most likely get more out of the class).  What's also great is that no matter what I'm teaching - heck, I could have planned the theme weeks or months ago - that day something new always clicks.  Maybe I've been tense and need a few heart openers, or a specific song reminds me of something personal...if you think about it, it's pretty spectacular how life works out that way.

And Similar to my nutrition/body image groups - I'm always learning something new about myself, my values, or even my biases I didn't know were present. I am a huge proponent of self-exploration and setting personal goals, so as I'm encouraging my clients to dig deeper, you betcha I'm right along side them doing the same (or at least similar) inner work.

 

The second quote (above) also resonates with me - because while I've always known I wanted to work in the eating disorder field, I never realized how many doors this would open for me.  Just by teenage-me dreaming of helping a specific population "when I grew up," I now know how passionate I am about so many different things:  health at every size, body image, weight-inclusive care, trauma-informed yoga, blogging, etc.  My clients have also helped me find my own new-found creativity with knitting, art-journaling, poetry, pour art, and so much more. 

So yes, I DO believe that doing what you love gives you back 10-fold, or fills up your own cup (and then some)...because I am living proof of it. :)



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