Can our triggers help change our perspective of self?

In this fantastic repost by Kyla Rose Maher of Long Time Sun Yoga and Apparel, we are encouraged to look at those qualities we don’t necessarily appreciate in others and to see how they manifest in ourselves.

On a bad day, this powerful self-practice has the potential to trigger us. Even the best of us may find ourselves in a frenzy of self-doubt. We suddenly realize those things that trigger us may, in fact, be a quality we have.

On a good day, this practice can help us recognize our “worst” qualities are often, surprisingly, our best ones. This facilitates both self-compassion and a deeper compassion for others. 

By Kyla Rose Maher

Wait a second, am I arrogant?

During October, my boyfriend and I were visiting New York and we decided to go to a yoga class at a yoga studio we both enjoy. The studio promotes a full sensory experience, chanting, movement, blindfolds, a room bursting with a light installation enhanced with essential oils and elixir shots—pretty much all the weird stuff that I love. One of the things I appreciate about going to a random class outside of my home studio is discussing what happened in the wake of the class, what we liked, didn’t like, how it made us feel—comparable to a discussion one would have after seeing a movie.

So as we walk out of this yoga class, I ask my boyfriend, “What did you think?”

“Eh, that teacher was kind of arrogant.” He responded.

And I agreed. Although this teacher was incredible with his cues and the flow was beautifully put together, his arrogance was a tad distracting from everything else going on in the class. The lights, smells, sounds, music were enough—the slightly condescending personality pushed it over the top. Then, the self-centered part of my mind inevitably started to think about my own classes.

I wonder if people think I’m condescending and arrogant.

I do like to make sarcastic jokes and people have noted my confidence in the past. I also probably post too many selfies on Facebook. My mind started racing.

“Hey babe, do you think I’m arrogant?”

By this time, he was face-deep into his cellphone, hardly paying attention to me, trying to find directions back to where we were staying.

“I don’t know, maybe, sometimes,” he muttered without looking up. Clearly he didn’t hear the question right…

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