I Believe I Can Fly

Unlike the other nine million people who have viewed this video, this isn't one of my favorite songs. But I post it here to mark this day because I keep hearing these words on repeat in my head:

If I can see it, then I can do it

You see, an integral part of my regular yoga practice is padmasana, or lotus pose. Except that only one side of my body -- my left -- seems to want to be in (half) lotus. The other side -- my right -- does not. It's an ongoing source of frustration for me, but I realized recently that I need to change my thinking and my language around it. If I keep saying I can't do it, I'll probably never be able to do it. If I remove that expectation, maybe, just maybe, I will be able to do it.

And I think I will. Before too long. Because last week I had a dream that I was able to easily get into the pose -- my right femur externally rotated beautifully just as my teacher told me it needs to in order to get into the pose -- and there I sat. I woke up feeling hopeful that even dreaming about doing it means that things have begun to shift for me:

If I just believe it, there's nothing to it

I'm not sure it'll be quite that easy, but I am sure it'll be easier than if I keep believing I can't  do it.

As for the rest of the song, it's insipid, I know:

I believe I can fly
I believe I can touch the sky
I think about it every night and day
Spread my wings and fly away
I believe I can soar
I see me running through that open door
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly

See I was on the verge of breaking down
Sometimes silence can seem so loud
There are miracles in life I must achieve
But first I know it starts inside of me, oh

But he's right. It does start inside of me. Which is exactly why I'm working so hard to release what I no longer need and integrate what remains:

If I can see it, then I can be it
If I just believe it, there's nothing to it

Hey, cause I believe in me, oh

Yes. I. Do.

And speaking of believing you can do it -- cheers to all the athletes competing in today's Ironman Wisconsin. What a feat!