If you've never taken a yoga class you're truly missing out. In addition to the deep stretching, breathing, and Savasana, are the lessons you depart with. These lessons are named the yamas. While each of the yamas are gems in their own right I think the yama that has provided me with the most conviction is ahimsa.

Ahimsa is the practice of "non-violence, which includes physical, mental, and emotional violence towards others and thy self". We create violence most often in our reactions to events and others through judgment and criticism.

I think its very easy for me to be critical of others and myself because I relentlessly pursue excellence. Once I've decided how I want something, anything outside the realm of the plan for my life can be frightening. However, it's important to note that only pursuing situations where you know exactly how things will work out, and critiquing those that don't, is debilitating.

Because while we might know what we want, we aren't always aware of what we need.So when life hands us anything shaded outside of the lines, we have to ask ourselves "What are we going to do?"

Many of us turn away or talk ourselves out good things because they aren't perfect things. Our modes of thinking can simultaneously shield us and sabotage us from the many gifts life attempts to entrust us with.

Preferences are completely fair and valid. We each have opinions, desires, and needs. However, it's critical to be able to decipher what exactly is a need and what is just a desire. When we turn away good people or opportunities because they aren't 100% the way we imagine what we want for ourselves, it's dangerous.

Desires are normal and human but not always sufficient indicators of what we should pursue.

And while the statement "perfection is the enemy of good" is rather trite, it's true. There's value in taking in and appreciating what life has awarded you rather than critiquing it for everything that it's not.