To be clear, I don’t mean your personality.

I mean “PERSONALITIES”.

You know the type – the person at the office who constantly rubs you the wrong way with how they handle everything. The person who can’t help but behave unprofessionally and lets their PERSONALITY become everyone else’s problem.

I have the fortune of working with such a person.

To be clear – I really do mean, fortune. Because I feel like it has taught me so much, and specifically, I have learned so much about myself in the process. Not only am I constantly challenged to behave professionally on my own, even though I constantly want to snap and give this individual my top-notch fierce BROOKLYN attitude, but I am also challenged to see beyond the facade that comes through and see what the real issues are. The fixable ones. The ones I can possibly help with.

I’ve also, coincidentally, learned that I am extremely patient. That I am able to put my instincts and reflex thoughts aside, and speak from the heart. I’ve learned about my  impeccable ability to ease conflict and to comfort people who display anger, but are really seeking understanding.

Of course, none of this excuses anyone’s actions. It doesn’t mean it’s okay for anyone to take their personality out on anyone else. But it does speak volumes about how much we can control in our own lives – even when it’s someone else’s problems shining through. We get to choose whether we HEAR what someone says, or whether we LISTEN. We can choose to internalize what they say or to have it bounce off of us. We can be the person in our lives where the negativity comes to die.

Is there someone in your life that’s challenging you?

Yes, to be clear… “af” stands for “AS FUCK”

You’re welcome for my starting this post with a curse word. I’m all about keeping it classy.

Very rarely in my life have I had the pleasure of being TIRED and HAPPY.. like at the same time. I’ve spent many years living in an “exhausted” state where I literally felt like I was dragging myself to do each thing that was on my seemingly never-ending to do list. I’ve also spent time having a lot of fun, adventuring the world, going out, dancing, and etc and felt truly HAPPY.

But this week something clicked for me. I am both TIRED and absolutely ecstatic and happy. like so happy. Happy AF to be clear.

I realized that for the first time in a long time I’m genuinely engaged in all the moments of my day. I’m not moving through the motions and just showing up for work and doing my job and then going home and parking in front of the TV or doing some workout. Instead, I’m mindfully approaching each part of my day. I’ve been noticing and acknowledging the impact that my work is having on other people’s lives. It’s not so much about the “doing” anymore, it’s about the “being”. I’ve embraced all the things I do and all the things I accomplish as being blessings in my life. I GET to wake up and go to work each day. I GET to teach yoga classes after work. I GET to talk to dozens of clients from all walks of life and help them solve their problems.

I’ve been waking up earlier and working later. Partially out of necessity, but also out of willpower – I GET to do more for more people and change more lives! By the time I go home each day, the only thing left for me to do is collapse, but instead I find myself thinking of my clients and thinking about all the ways to make the next day as fruitful as possible – the juices seem to never stop flowing in my head.

I’ve studied personal development rather excessively for the better part of the last 3.5 years… but I never felt it in my body until this week.

There’s energy in living and breathing and helping others every single day.

There’s energy in being tired.