"Education is not the filling of a
pail, but the lighting of a fire."
~ WB Yeats

Placing more weight on outside measures of success and outcomes versus focusing on inner measures for success and the process of learning dampens my inner drive to grow. If I get too wrapped up in an end result, I forget the joy I have access to through being in the moment.

The Yogic teachings tell us that our Soul has come into being out of desire. We witness this in babies; from the moment they are born they have a drive to explore the world. Children have a natural curiosity and an inherent drive to learn. We carry this into adulthood with a longing to live a fulfilling life, to be healthy and have the means to live purposely, to find pleasure and joy in life and for spiritual freedom.

Education happens in all sorts of settings, from the classroom to experience, and we all learn in our own time and unique way. It doesn't matter if we are in a formal learning experience or not, what matters is that we stay motivated to keep growing.

Join me this week in claiming our childlike sense of wonder, treasure the process vs. the outcome and seek learning something that excites us. May you have a great week.

~ Annie Jacob

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"Don't waste a good mistake...learn from it."
~ Robert Kiyosaki

Despite the story being different, I've often found myself needing to learn the same lesson over and over again. I've also found myself not taking a risk, avoiding making a decision or not trying something new as I'm afraid of making a mistake. Yet, experience has shown me that I learn the most by making them!

Fear of failure can be a huge obstacle in the learning and growing process; an inability to learn from mistakes can be even more troublesome. Our learning process is not perfect, and some of the best ways to learn are through messing up. Self-reflective practices help us evaluate if we are placing any self-imposed blocks on our growth, and those practices give us the courage to tackle a good mistake in order to extract the lesson. Through the evaluation process we can take the time to discern and own up to our part and apologize if necessary which helps us step out of the cycle of error.

This week, please join me in seizing mistakes as an opportunity to learn, to take time to reflect on our part in things and evaluate if we are holding ourselves back in anyway out of fear of failure. May you have a great week.

~ Annie Jacob

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“I am still learning.”
~ Michelangelo at age 87

The more I study Yoga, the more I realize I have to learn! I have so much to learn about the practices, the tools and techniques and about the history and science. I have so much more to learn about myself, humanity and the nature of the Universe. I create a huge roadblock for myself when I think otherwise!

I learn the most when I approach my practice and the teachings with a sense of curiosity and willingness to stay in a place of receptivity. As a teacher, I believe I have more to offer when I continually anchor myself in a beginner's mindset, establish myself on an even playing field with my students and continue my journey in learning and studying.

Whether we consider ourselves students of yoga or not or whether we are teachers or not we are all students of living. No one here has all the answers and no one has lived the life we've lived through our lens. We are all trying to figure things out and our lives are a rich field of opportunity to learn, grow and evolve!

This week, please join me in seeking opportunities to learn and offer ourselves the permission to not know everything so that we may be a fertile ground for new growth. May you have a great week.

~ Annie Jacob

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“Tell me and I forget.
Teach me and I remember.
Involve me and I learn.”

~ Benjamin Franklin

As a parent, I find that the number one way I influence my child is through modeling, though many times I find myself telling my daughter things and forgetting the value of involving, including or showing her. However; I have witnessed that when I exhibit healthy behaviors and practices I'd like her to incorporate in her life and create a culture in the home where "we are in this together", this speaks volumes more and has a much larger impact.

As adults, we are responsible for all our actions and they do have consequences, whether the effects are considered positive, negative or neutral.

Whether we are parents or not, currently parenting or not, we all have a great power to influence and positively effect those around us.

This week, please join me in striving to have mindfulness around what we are modeling and as best as we can create a culture in our home and communities where we move away from "telling" and more towards "including". May you have a great week.

~ Annie Jacob

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