A teacher and friend use to say “we detox to retox.” Her words were running through my head, as I dragged my butt to hot class last night. After an insanely fun, but crazy weekend in which I realized I am way to old for that shit, I needed to sweat.
The thing was, I didn’t really want too. In the last four days, I maybe got six hours of sleep. Six hours! How I was functioning I have no idea. I didn’t even have my endless supply of intravenous espresso to get me through. Yet, some how I did. Perhaps it was wall those wine tastings or the Brex and Rye, a pretty cool speakeasy that got me through.
Whatever it was, call 911, I needed a major detox as soon as humanly possible. A bachelorette party will do that to you after all. I have been to quite a few and this was one of the more epic ones to add to the books.
While I was still kinda, sorta hating life, I knew hot yoga would do the trick if not exact torture first. I seriously debated cancelling at the last minute. I had met a friend for lunch and I was still hurtin’ something fierce. But no was not an option, and I went.
Disclaimer; I may or may not have been sweating pungent amounts of alcohol. And I may or may not have offered a thousand apologies to my neighbors and teacher for the raunchy smell. But I survived.
As I flowed through the vinyasa sequence, sweat streaming down my face and body, I began to feel reinvigorated, calmer, stronger. My sluggishness wore off and the hangover I was nursing, dissipated.
I have written about it before. Many a yoga instructor, myself included, have said it many a time. The hardest part is getting to the mat. I have regretted not getting myself out of bed in the morning and NOT going for a run or taking a yoga class. I have NEVER regretted taking said yoga class.
No pain, no gain has always been a motto of mine. I do not think of if in terms of actual physical pain, but as in, if you do not drive yourself to do something, you will never succeed. Getting yourself to that mat is the pain, but when you do go, you will find you gain so much more.
