Isn't That Interesting?

 It has almost been a year since I completed my 200-hour yoga teacher training - how time flies!  I can remember starting the course and how grateful I was to have decided to go for it.  I had no idea where it would lead and at the same time knew that I was exactly where I needed to be.

During the training we would have some very interesting and thought-provoking discussions and often we would hear "isn't that interesting?" as a response to something that was shared or an inquiry that was made.  I remember the first time I heard that phrase I sat and waited for the rest of the thought to come.  I expected there to be more...an insight, response, opinion...something.  And over time I came to realize that none of those would come.  That "isn't that interesting" was the entire thought.  It didn't sit well with me at first.  I felt uncomfortable in the silence that would follow.  Still hoping and waiting for something more.

Over time I have noticed that I am now saying this same exact phrase, and most often when I am not on the yoga mat.  I tend to utter these words when faced with something unexpected or something that I am unsure of.  What I have come to love about this expression is the space it holds.  There may only be three words involved but by saying this and pausing, it seems to expand and become much larger.  It allows me to pause, reflect and then react, if that is what is called for.  Often, just by saying this, I find that I am able to look at the circumstances in a slower way and with curiosity instead of panic.  I am able to evaluate what is going on both internally and externally and then determine my next best steps.  It is quite powerful.

What I find the most incredible is how uncomfortable those three words made me when I first encountered them a year ago.  How the idea of pausing with something that I was unsure of was so hard to wrap my head around.  How I felt the need to always react immediately no matter what I was presented with.  I was in much more of a deflect mindset than a reflect mindset.  Reacting quickly allowed me to not pay too much attention to some of the things that came my way, and that served me well in some circumstances.  I am quite sure that there were moments where some extra time to consider my options might have been the better way to go, and this is where curiosity has been a gift.

Allowing myself to slow down in the name of curiosity is a superpower that I am working on daily.  Each time I hear myself say aloud "isn't that interesting?" I smile.  I smile because I love the fact that I am learning to be curious and am learning to notice what is happening around me before the moments have passed.

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