I headed to yoga last Friday morning. I’ve got a few favorite teachers at my yoga studio, and a few favorite phrases from each of them. 

Begin again. Stay on your mat. 

Those are from my Slow Flow teachers. 

Then there’s the Mixed Flow teacher who is known to fully yell:  

IF YOU’VE LOST YOUR BREATH YOU ARE NOT DOING YOGA. WHERE IS YOUR BREATH?!!? Finally, IT’S ALL ENERGY. 

Last Friday I had an energy release on my mat during savasana–let’s face it the best part of class–when you lie there and quasi-take a nap. By “energy release” I mean tears poured out of my eyeballs in the form of salt-watery energy that needed to be released down the side of my face. 

There is nothing like a good yoga mat cry. I encourage you to experience it at least once. 😉

In an effort to keep shaking off the funky energy that was all around me last Friday, I got home from yoga, threw on a sundress and some mascara, and walked down to the local coffee shop. I was all in on my Never Fails list: moving, makeup, getting dressed, being outside, yoga…all of those things never fail to get me out of a funky space. 

As I walked down the street, I saw a local guy cruise by on his bike. While I don’t know his name, I know for sure he ALWAYS has the biggest smile on his face and is always good for a greeting and a quick word as we pass by. He never fails to make me smile. 

As he peddled by, we gave the usual, “Hey!” and then he kept on riding, only to do a U-turn and circle back. He slowed down as he rode up and said, “Hey, you look nice today! That’s a great outfit!” 

“Well thanks!” I replied. 

“I saw you walking past my window and I thought I have to tell her…” 

I said, “You can come find me every day and tell me I look nice. That would be fabulous!!” 

We had a laugh and he rode off back on his way with a, “See you soon.” 

My smile lasted the rest of the way to the coffee shop. I thought, “If we’re all energy, that man is the most consistent form of positive, radiant energy that ever existed.” 

Maybe it was the yoga, maybe the tears, maybe the mascara (applied after the tears, thankfully) that shifted my mood that day. 

Mostly I think it was that man. His noticing, turning around and saying something, in his kind, genuine, giving way. The awareness, the effort, and the doing it just to do it without some big motive or plan. It’s those little glimpses of the good of people and humanity that keep us…well me…going. 

I’m sort of joking but also sort of not that I live in constant near-panic that I am one of those people on the Don’t be Your Parents Progressive commercials–because I do 90% of what they do. I’m known to tell random people I love their hair or their lipstick or their shoes. There’s normally a, “Should I say it? Will it be weird? Will they realize I’ve been staring at them for an hour? Will I seem like a stalker?” litany of questions that run through my mind before I decide to say something. 

Not anymore. After last Friday’s random compliment that made my week, I’m now going to shift that near-panic to live in constant service to be one of those people–because if a big smile, a few words, and a genuine compliment can have that impact on me–why not fuel that energy in others?