The Forced Relaxation Excercise
So this morning I went to a seminar about reducing stress in
the workplace, which, if I am being really honest, I only attended for the free
light breakfast. Oh, and by "light", they meant "lite", because “breakfast” was a
“create your own yogurt parfait” bar. I can’t tell you how disappointed I was
when I walked in and didn't see an omelet bar with a whole bucket of crispy
bacon waiting for me.
So there I sat listening to various ways of reducing stress
in the workplace, when, out of nowhere, the speaker said, “OK everyone get on
the floor. We are going to do a visualization relaxation exercise.” And
instantly, I felt a surge of anxiety shot through me.
So there I was in “child’s pose” wishing that I had worn my
leotard, which I usually wear under my clothes just in case something like this
happens, trying to figure out why I was feeling so anxious doing random Yoga poses in
my “business attire” on a conference room floor.
But as I sat there in the dimly lit room, a couple of thoughts floated through my mind.
Anxiety Cause #1- I always assume someone is going to walk
in, turn on the lights, and an be like, “ Um, look at these idiots in their dress clothes
doing “downward dog. They look so silly.”
It would be different if we were all close friends getting
together to work out, but we are total strangers, we haven’t even been
introduce yet, and here we are performing this very intimate action of lying on
the floor together.
Anxiety Cause #2 -Could it be that I have had too much fruit in my yogurt parfait and I may or may not have been feeling just a touch gassy? It's hard to say, but what I will say is: Yoga + Gassy Stomach = Terrible Consequences.
Anxiety Cause #3 - Here is what my anxiety boils down to. How dare someone force me to relax! It’s as if this instructor was saying “You
cannot be trusted to relax on your own, so you will relax now, and you will
like it. Stop crying and RELAX!”
'Scuse me? You Relax! I will relax when I am good and ready.
In the meantime, I will be soothing my anxiety by meeting chicks at the yogurt parfait bar.
Comments
Second of all....Do they expect you to drop into downward dog every time you feel stressed at work? I would love to see you wearing some break away pants with your leotard underneath and during a stressful interaction with someone the pants fly off and down you drop into your yoga pose......(actually I wouldn't really want to see that, but it would be funny to hear about)
Third of all...Terrible Consequences!!!
Fourth of all...I feel a similar anxiety when the speaker at church asks the congregation to close their eyes. 'Scuse me! YOU feel the Spirit...I will feel it when I am good and ready!" I am always paranoid that that everyone else will have their eyes open and they will be watching me. Mike likes it cause he can catch a quick nap during church.
Fifth of all...I love your blog.