Limitations

Eugene Delacroix, Liberty Leading the People (1830)

We each of us create our own limitations in life. Limitations are usually established from fear and can prevent us from moving forward on our life journey. The fear to step outside of the box or beyond what we consider normal, the fear to try something new or to be different can be overwhelming. Fear is a very real thought process of our daily life. It is so much easier to stick to what we know, to choose the path that we usually take – the comfortable, safe route.

The notion of breaking free from limitations was raised at one of my yoga classes with reference to finding the courage to try a new pose. I stopped, took a few breaths and focussed on the pose. I realised that what the teacher was saying was true. Once I tried the posture, it became obvious that it really was not as difficult as I thought. With a little more practice and determination I would only improve and eventually I would be able to maintain the pose with confidence. I have already seen this come to fruition with my practice in many other poses.

But then it dawned on me that this thought process could easily be applied to every aspect of life. To keep going forward, we need to embrace change, open our eyes to new opportunities and learn from others. There is no reason to limit ourselves, only to believe.