Celebrating Differing Opinions

I LOVE yoga. I get up every morning, eager to pull out my mat, feel my feet sink into the foam, and find the flow in my incredible body. It brings me peace, calm, and serenity, no matter what I am dealing with or feeling. It’s truly my safe space.

My son? He is not a big fan of Yoga, he tried it with me for a week but did not get back to it. He finds it slow, and I am pretty sure he winced the last time he tried Shavasana.

This used to drive me up the wall - how could a practice I love and hold so dear to my heart, be something he cannot practice? How could he not crave to be in this peaceful place? He finds his peace in the GYM lifting weights and running miles.

It reminded me to take a step back, in both my relationship with my son, and in my role as a coach. Every person is different in the way they operate, what they find important, and what brings them joy. It is not my job, nor should it be, to tell people what should and shouldn’t bring them joy. That’s not what coaching is about!! It’s not about advising, it's about making observations and gaining permission before sharing those observations with your clients, and enabling them to get over their self-limiting belief systems and look at the same situation from a different perspective!

My son has the love I have for yoga, and for the gym. It brings him joy, and he looks forward to gaining peace in the gym at the end of each day. I have a client who finds relaxation in horseback riding and loves the smell of hay. Horses terrify me! But different flavors for different people.

As a mother, a coach, and a human, I am constantly reminding myself that our differences are what make us beautiful - how boring the world would be if we were all the same.

What’s something that brings you joy that someone close to you dislikes?

Let me know in the comments, and let’s celebrate our differing opinions!