Diving in to the 21.5.800 Challenge

June 8, 2010 – 6:04 am

I love a good challenge. In fact, I sometimes even co-design them. And I rarely back away from a good one. Rarely.

And yesterday, I almost did.

Last week, my family had the snot kicked out of it with some fabulous news delivered in a crap wrap. Much more on this later. (Dramatics aside, we are fine, together and with the exception of an unrelated sprained ankle, all healthy).

I’d been hearing about Bindu Wiles’ (fabulous Brooklyn-based Buddhist Writing Coach) ”21.5.800” community project: yoga and writing. While these are two of my favourite things, I am master of neither. (Ooooh…I LOVE the smell of possibility in the morning!)

The challenge: for 21 days, do 5 days of yoga a week and 800 words of writing per day.

Problem was, given that I’d allowed myself to be bullied into a corner by the crap-tastic news last week, I didn’t jump in to the challenge. I demurred. I abstained. I sat on the fence.

Then I did the math and it went something like this:

Resonant (read: exciting) challenge + awe-inspiring group of participants (Julie, Danielle, Dian, Hiro, Lianne, Jen, Marianne, Tia, Kelly , Andrew , Roseanne, Emma , and 230 OTHER coaches, writers, yoginis that I have yet to read/fall in love with) – being in a snot-kicked out of me kind of space = precisely what I need

So, I have jumped off the fence and am splashing around in the cool early June water. Refreshing and bracing.

Today is day 1. For the next 21 days, I’ll write 800 words a day…whatever I am moved to write (blog posts, strat/comm plan, workshops, journal and anything else that is begging to be expressed) and practice yoga 5 times a week. It will nourish me, heal me and should I find myself in the Dastardly Dip, I’ll know what to do.

I’m number 181 in the growing list of participants. Will you be next? What might it give you? Bindu’s made it easy for you to start wherever you are.

Go check out Bindu’s challenge…and please thank her for me.

Comments

i’m really excited about this challenge! i look forward to hearing about your process. good luck, tanya!
roseanne recently posted..take the yoga & writing challenge: 21.5.800

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Tanya Reply:
June 8th, 2010 at 11:12 am

Thanks Roseanne! Am excited to see the spirit of community alive and so very well already! Glad we’re in it together.
XO

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Comment by roseanne — June 8, 2010 @ 10:27 am

I’m there with you! What a wonderful “permission slip” to explore what just might happen when creativity is eased out with some yogic breathing!!
J. Fuchs-Musgrave recently posted..Response cached until Wed 9 @ 12:18 GMT (Refreshes in 20.57 Hours)

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Tanya Reply:
June 8th, 2010 at 11:15 am

Woo-hoo! Glad you’re in too. Funny enough, I am currently exploring the idea of “permission slips” in some writing and how vital they seem to be for our propulsion. It’s about “what would you do if you had full permission to do it.” Thank you for naming it and am looking forward to reading about your experience.

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Comment by J. Fuchs-Musgrave — June 8, 2010 @ 10:45 am

Yay Tanya! You make my heart giggle We’re in this together! I started yesterday and am counting my time on the massage table ad = to shravasana. Setting up the call deets for our coffee with coaches chat now, yay! @TiaSparkles