Amber Mattingly

The 2nd Agreement is Don’t Take Anything Personally.

Life is hard. Just living on this earth day after day can snuff out the flame we had in our eyes when we were younger. Right now, I am surrounded by people devastated by loss from Hurricane Harvey. Displaced from their home or camping in front of their partially livable house, every day presents a new challenge. I briefly knew a woman with the most tremendous gift of song who unexpectedly passed away a few weeks ago. I know friends and family members facing the prospect of divorce. I just found out today that my God Mother was given 30 days to live. Her situation strikes a harsh note with me because life has been so unkind to this gentle and loving woman. Life presents unbelievable challenges and many times we don’t feel equipped to scale the next mountain.

I don’t know what is going on in someone’s life when they interact with me. I don’t know what is behind their lack of eye contact, their avoidance, or their tone of hostility. I am notorious for thinking it is all about me when most likely their behavior has nothing to do with me. More importantly, when I take things personally I am making myself the lead character in another person’s story. When I reread that last sentence, I realize how absurd that really is when most likely I am not even in the supporting cast of their story😊.

In thinking about not taking things personally, I realize that offering a sacred space for people to explore their deepest emotions is critical for not just surviving but thriving in this life. My yoga mat has always offered me a sacred space, my place of refuge. Between the four corners of my mat, I am free to explore the emotion behind the pain in my hips or the tension in my neck. For example, when I am scared about something, I now know that I store that fear in my hips. I have been known to cry in class OR to feel such incredible joy that my smile is felt in every cell of my being. I am so very grateful to now be learning how to offer that space to others. I am not sure where else you could go and find complete freedom to be who you are today. No one is looking because each of us are on our mats to deal with something going on in our own life. No one is judging because we understand you are here to get what you need and as a teacher, I just want to guide you to your own personal edge. You take the lead so that you can walk off your mat stronger and better equipped to handle whatever question life presents to you today.

You are STRONGER than you think you are.

I hope to see you on your mat this week. You know I’ll be there…….