My Mission

Yesterday Barefoot Yoga and Wellness Studio had a gathering with all the current practitioners. How lovely it was to finally meet everyone and to learn more about their work.  Sharon Marquart was invited to help us create personal mission statements and she also served as the mediator of sorts in helping us collectively create a mission statement for Barefoot.

WOW! What a process!  I have not (intentionally) written a mission statement for years.  I really enjoyed doing this again, it was time for me to do it again. Sharon gave us the following guidelines for writing our mission:

• A mission statement is just THAT, a statement.  Make it ONE sentence.
• It should be easily understood - simple - short - grounded.
• Memorize it!
• And most importantly, it is evolutionary.  Meaning, it allows rooms for development and can be changed periodically.

Ok.  So then she guided us through a 5 step process.  First we identified 20 things we are good at doing, our strengths.  It was fascinating doing this with others.  It was pretty easy for me :)  but I watched others sneaking a peek at the list beside them for inspiration! Seriously?

Next, identify 3 things that excite you and 3 things that anger you.  Again, easy for me. And again, fascinating to see others struggle with what excites them yet have no trouble identifying what angers them! Really?  Then we explored ways that we could use those things that excite us to change what angers us. That was more difficult for me to identify.  Interesting, right??? I think we all want to be validated when we are angered by something and unconsciously want everyone to agree with our anger and expect something else to change, not ourselves.

Step 3, she gave us a huge list of verbs and we circled the ones which resonated with us the most.  And then when through another process which narrowed it down to just 3.  Being a Vata AND a Libra, this was hard for me.

The 4th step was to identify who we are here to help.  I have thought about this a lot over the last 15 years as a yoga teacher.  When I first began teaching, I wanted everybody to be in my classes.  I took it so personally when people stopped coming to my classes.  As my teaching evolved, I began to understand that there were definitely people that I did not want in my classes.  It's really important to explore classes and teachers when you are a beginner yoga student.  Certainly, not all classes are the same and every teachers has a different way of interpreting the practice.  I have evolved my opinion, and now I am dedicated to introducing yoga and continually inspiring others to practicing yoga, but I don't NEED to be their teacher.

So who is my audience?? Well, as my teaching and understanding evolves so does those who are attracted to my work.  But there are a few consistent qualities I have identified (in no particular order) ::::::

• artistic, creative, crafty
• healthy, physically fit
• spiritual, awakened, open minded
• fun loving, positive, happy, enthusiastic
• community leaders/builders
• loving

Then the last step in creating the mission - writing it! Stating your intention.  I had an intuitive hit while writing mine.  Yogic Artists/Healing Artists are never at a loss for finding something to do.  Our community is filled with so many very talented individuals who offer so many amazing events.  Individually, we are frequently called upon to participate in some capacity or to give our time away.  Sometimes it is hard to say no.  So in creating this new mission statement and in memorizing it when I am called upon to participate/give I can ask myself, "Does this align with my Mission?".   Saying no is not a missed opportunity, but another step closer to being where I want to be!

My Mission is to (remember it's evolutionary...) :::::::::::::
Connect and inspire authentic love within a creative and spiritual community through breath and movement.