If you’ve ever been in a hot yoga class you know there’s a lot going on- heat and humidity, sweating bodies, focus, determination, balance. And hey, people toot in yoga, it happens. All that stretching and pretzel like flow. It’s not called “wind removing posture” for nothing. Most of the time, people don’t even pay attention. However, all the lovely zen philosophy goes out the window when you’re the one doin’ the tootin’.
A small class of 6, so there was no hiding who was the culprit. To make matters worse, it was loud and long, not one of those quiet little puffs of air; quite frankly, it was impressive. But I was mortified, laying in a puddle of sweat, stinking up my side of the room. Suddenly my inner 12 year old boy came out of nowhere and I completely lost it. Focus was gone and I couldn’t help but laugh. But then, everyone else started laughing too, including my teacher. They weren’t laughing at me, they were laughing with me. Because again, if you could’ve heard it, you would’ve been impressed too. I don’t remember what my teacher said- something very zen, along the lines of “it’s ok, better out than in.” None of that mattered because in that moment I realized…
I’ve always been known as a happy go lucky person, with a sprinkle of goofball. But when I’m in focus mode, I can be a bit too rigid about how I want things done. There’s not a lot of gray area in the life task department. Here’s what was going on in my life at the time of the gas bomb.
I was finishing up my last semester at Sacramento State, getting ready to move to San Diego for my internship at Naval Medical Center. I had spent the last few years studying hard, and I managed to scrape out a 3.9 GPA. I was carving a path into a happy and healthy lifestyle. Or so I thought.
Have you ever gotten so wrapped up in your own life that you forgot other people exist? Here I was, working hard, trying to be a straight A student, exercising regularly, eating super healthy, and ignoring the basics of being a tolerable human. I expected to do things my way and my way only. Not only would I not veer from my course, I wouldn’t even consider any advice, or suggestions about trying something different. There’s nothing wrong with being hyper-focused on reaching your goals. It has its merits, but when your happiness and relationships start to suffer, it’s time to get over yourself. You run the risk of missing out on many things in life, as well as pissing off your friends and loved ones.
I had fallen prey to one thing I swore I’d never become. I became obsessed with how it all looked from the outside. That, my dahling, is no way to live. My experiences have taught me that, if you’re not careful, something is going to happen, making you realize you’re becoming irrational and difficult. And so enters the fart. There’s nothing like ripping a big one in a crowd of people (big or small) to put life into perspective. As it turns out, my little (big) fart was really a blessing in disguise, albeit a stinky one, but one that made me stand up and take note.
Before you go and broadcast your bodily functions in a way that sets you straight, take a few of these tips into consideration. They can be helpful when you find yourself in the throws of an intense life circumstance:
Sure, there are serious topics in life that must be addressed. Medical ailments, challenges in your relationships, loss of your job, paying your bills. These are all things that need your total attention. Just don’t let these circumstances change you into a bitter and petulant tyrant.
The goal in this life is to live it as happy and realistic as you can. So take good care of yourself, and for God’s sake, don’t hold it in!