Day 1

I hated yoga. So much of it was shoulder stands and downward dog-based poses, it was enough to give me a head rush. I never thought that I would go to a yoga class, and feel anything but a great dislike for it.

After many conversations with my friends, "the Robs", the Bikram seed was planted. "There's no downward dog in Bikram," said Rob #1. "You will be transformed," said Rob #2. At first, all I heard was blah blah blah. After a while, I felt the need to try something different and step outside of the box. What could be more different for Shell than to try a yoga class in a heated room? Hmmm...

I went to my first class last Sunday, and something miraculous happened. I felt myself, not just doing most of the postures (and some pretty well), but I felt like I had awakened somehow. It wasn't important for me to be excellent. And time was not a factor. Time did not exist in that 90 minute window. It was a physical activity where I didn't count the minutes to the end of class. I lost all sense of everyone else, and was able to really focus on myself; my breathing, how I got into and out of the postures. I was sweating out of every cell in my body, but I was so proud to see what I was capable of. I wanted to push myself even further. I loved the feeling I got once I left; euphoria, sore, inner calm. I wanted more of that to carry out into the world.

So it begins...the 10-day challenge. I got it in my head to do 10 straight days because I figured the benefits would be endless. I could really see how far I could take my body within 10 days. And I may not want to stop there.

So today, I went to class with my friend Giselle, who was doing Bikram to try something new. Our mats next to each other, we set out for 90-minutes of stretching in the humid room. I knew she was nervous, but I also knew she would do just fine.

We had been twisting and contorting for a while, and I glanced at her in the mirror. She was definitely giving her all, and doing well. I was really impressed, wondering if she was holding out on me. Had she done this before? I really wondered, she did so incredibly well. We finished the class, and walked out of the studio. I'm not sure if she liked it, but she got through it just fine.

As for me? Well, it was a good start for this 10-day journey that I'm embarking on. What am I getting myself into?  

We'll find out soon. I've gotta get some sleep. Stay tuned for Day 2!!!