People may think the road to success is a straight and linear path. What our Oakridge ambassador Ingrid Nilson discovered on her first trip to Japan to teach yoga with the Fukushima Yoga Project and rock star yogi 

It was just two years ago when a powerful tsunami devastated the Fukushima area causing a level 7 nuclear meltdown, leading to massive evacuation zones. Imagine for a moment being evacuated from your home and told that you could not return for 60 years, not even for a photo album. This is the reality for many surviving residents of the area.

Our own way of giving back to a community that has lost so much was through sharing the universal language of music and yoga. Will and I designed classes to delight for both children and adults full of movement, music (much from his album Hallelujah) and even a little confetti! What we established had the pizzazz of a live performance complete with costume changes and a grand piano (when space allowed) combined with the playful, peaceful and powerful nature of yoga.

Leading up to the tour a lot was done to prepare for the Fukushima Yoga Project. Many yoga classes and even a raw, organic cooking class were set up in Vancouver to raise funds and awareness. However, nothing could have prepared us for what was to come. Upon our arrival in Japan we were greeted by the stunning red sun and sakura (cherry blossom) season. And on March 11^th at the crack of dawn, we had the great privilege to link hands with thousands along the ocean’s edge to honour the memory of what was lost and what lives on.

When struggle occurred, I took a deep breath and reminded myself of the intention fueling the whole trip to put a moment's anxiety into perspective. Our intention was manifested through our mission:

• to uplift the human spirit
• to promote joy and togetherness
• to inspire the whole of humanity!

As students thanked us after each class, I became more and more humbled by the resilience of spirit possessed by these people. We were warmly received and made to feel welcome by a community that has experienced great loss. With each smile, hand-shake and hug, gratitude filled me as I witnessed very directly the impact of a powerful intention made manifest. As the visionary behind this project, Will has reminded me many times on this trip that anything is possible and after teaching in Fukushima, I can say that the people there helped me realize this to be true.

One month ago, I wrote a Big Hairy Audacious Goal on a piece of cardboard that said, “I have been featured on lululemon.com in a sports bra by July 1st!”. I had a lot of friends asking me why this was a BHAG. While some people have no problem heading into a hot yoga class sans shirt, I have always been a little shy of my body. So what better way to overcome my fear than to declare to the world that I will show my stomach off! This scary goal fit into my health, personal and career goals!

• Health: it motivated me to push my body a little harder when I worked out because I knew I was going to be wearing a sports bra in public and online.
• Personal: it helped me overcome my ego, as I was committed to doing it whether I was in my ‘ideal’ physique or not.
• Career: it pushed me to create and accomplish a BHAG and be featured on my company’s website for all to see!

In order to hold myself accountable, not only did I write my goal down, I shared it with the entire company through our internal communication channel and online for all of our guests to see. The response was a little overwhelming, but it was also empowering to see the support I got! For me, this wasn’t just about taking my shirt off and snapping a picture, it was about being comfortable in my own skin, literally.

following through

Flash forward to July 1st. I woke up, packed my yoga gear, picked the hottest class on YYoga’s schedule and was on my way. I even specifically wore a long sleeve shirt as extra motivation to take off my top in class. As I walked up the stairs of the studio, I secretly had my fingers crossed that the class would be full and I would be turned away. I quickly pushed these thoughts aside and told myself, “Shawna, this is not a big deal".

I was the last one to join the class and ended up right in the middle of the room. I placed my yoga mat down and pondered the idea of wearing my long sleeve shirt for the whole class (it was moisture wicking after all).

Shawna letting go to achieve her BHAG.

I'm not going to lie, I kept my shirt on for the first 15 minutes of the hot yoga class and as a result I began to feel quite nauseous. Not because of the heat, but because of the internal conflict in my head and the increasing butterflies in my stomach. At that very moment, Will Blunderfield, an inspiring YYoga instructor, told the class to “just let go”. While it was a general statement to the class, in that moment I felt like he was speaking specifically to me. I took my shirt off and dedicated the rest of my practice to myself.

Forty-five minutes later, the class ended. While I admittedly had the urge to reach for my shirt a few times throughout the class, I didn’t. No one looked at me funny, no one judged my body and no one cared. So if no one else cared, why should I? In that class, I let go of more than just my shirt. I let go of my ego, my baggage and the barrier I put in front of myself.

Will I be able to let go and rock another class in just a sports bra? Yes.