Yesterday I taught my first yoga class in over 3 years. In person, to actual humans, in a calm, comforting room in an actual yoga studio. Can you imagine? How 2019 of me!

It was everything you could imagine: terrifying, cathartic, calming, amazing.

Of course, most folks don’t need to become yoga instructors to engage with yoga or find a place on their mat. I’ve been doing yoga as a student for over 10 years now. It has, at various times, been a huge part of my life, but more recently I’ve let it slip. Which is fine: that’s how life goes, there’s a rhythm to everything. Luckily, however, about 3-4 months ago I decided to pick it back up and, while it’s been tough, it’s also been really rewarding. And I say “Luckily” because, well, it turns out that now I need that yoga. I need it bad.

We do things like eat well, do yoga, meditate, get sleep because they fill a meter. I’ll call it the “You Meter”. The You Meter is the reservoir of patience, calm and confidence that we need when things like the election happen. This period of time feels like the calm before the storm (to wear out a cliche). Now is the time to fill that meter, because I think we’re all going to need it soon. And the thing about the meter is that you can’t fill it when you need it. It isn’t like the gas tank in a car; it’s more like a house. When the wind and rain comes, you can’t build a house during the storm; you have to buckle down and hope that what you have can shield and support you. This includes building community, keeping on top of your personal fitness, avoiding drama, self-actualizing, etc., etc.

The exact structure of how that works for you isn’t nearly as important as that you listen to yourself and stick to things that make you fill your meter. Yoga isn’t for everyone and I get that, but there’s a list of activities that I would consider “nourishing”, including fitness, yoga, sports, meditation, eating well, sleeping, engaging in creative activities, building community, etc., etc. that broadly speaking fill the meter for most folks. I don’t necessarily include relaxation and entertainment in this list, although those can be fine too (TV, movies, video games). The idea is not to be judgy or picky about this, just to listen to yourself; your inner self knows what activities it needs, if you just listen.

So take a yoga class! Maybe even mine!