An Open, Honest Letter From Sara; You Don't NEED Another Course

“Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.”  ― Lao Tzu

Dearest Mindful Movement Community,

As I am in the midst of enrollment for our group coaching course, I am busy with all the life things--work, family, self-care, an intensive training program, AND the to-do list of opening enrollments for this course.  If you have ever followed the content a creator puts out in the weeks leading up to the start of a course, you will notice it is a lot of content.

I am not looking for your sympathy here, simply painting a picture of the doubling up of workload.  Keep in mind, I don’t have a huge team of people working here at the Mindful Movement.  I am sure you can relate to feeling the heavy pressures of responsibility building up at times.

So, as I am deep into the enrollment process, I read a reply to a post from our community.

    “Do I really need another course? Or do I need something else?”

My first reaction was of failure, that I have let the community down, and that I am being selfish by selling my course.  I had a sinking heaviness in the pit of my stomach.  I think, “Why am I even offering this?  This person is right, you don’t need another course.”

I had to remind myself: I absolutely love what I do.  I am passionate about helping people and I have a mission to help as many people as I can (of those who want my help.)

I understand there is so much information available to all of us, it can become overloaded, even making the decision itself another stressor to get piled on to an already stressful and overwhelming life.  This is especially true the past few years!  The human population has endured a collective trauma and we may not even be aware of the long lasting impact.

Connect with the Body to Understand the Mind

After I had this initial gut reaction, I sat with my response.  Anytime I experience a strong emotion in response to a situation, I want to peel back the layers and understand what is behind this response.  I must ask myself, why am I feeling guilt and shame around this *perceived* failure, this situation where I feel like I have let down the community? What has truly triggered this feeling of not good enough (that I am so familiar with?)

To be completely honest and open with you, this is a repeating pattern in my life, as I am sure it is with so many others. I have done so much work with this, and while it has gotten much better, it still pops up here and there. Who else has felt like a failure and wanted to give up at the first sign of challenge or resistance?

The Importance of Asking Why

As I peeled back the layers of my reaction, I dug a little deeper into my motivation for the creation of this program and that is what I want to share with you.

Many years ago, I was in the situation where I knew I needed more in my life.  I knew I needed to make a change to move forward.  Yet, I was unclear about what would best serve me.

When there are so many choices, so many different routes to take, it can become paralysis by analysis and then no decision is made at all.  The familiar discomfort of the current state wins out over the uncomfortable state of trying something new.  So, how do you choose?

For me, not knowing what I truly needed was at the root of being stuck.  Not taking the time to pause for self-inquiry kept me from knowing myself and my needs deeply.  I only knew myself on the surface level.  Therefore, how could I make decisions that would best serve me?

And to go another level deeper, lack of true self-worth was holding me back from taking the time to really get to know myself.  I had long ago developed the protection strategy of placing everyone else's needs above my own.

Once I started practicing meditation and introspection, I understood myself more clearly and could more easily make these difficult decisions with confidence.

This journey I am sharing is the foundation of this group coaching program.  Because I choose to make the commitment to my own self-care, I was able to recognize my needs and values.  This gave me the freedom and ease to make confident decisions.

So, NO, you do not NEED another course

No, you do not need another course that is another person’s solution to your struggles.  You may be confused by my answer as I am a course creator, but hear me out.

You can dance your journey any way you want.  AND to do so with joy and fulfillment, it is important to connect with what your deep needs are.

Obviously, I believe a course, or a guided program designed by someone you trust, who teaches a solution that resonates with you, CAN absolutely help you turn a corner.  It can be the catalyst for the change you desire.  This is not to say our program is the only way, or the right one for you.  This is true only if this program is something you believe in and you are ready to put in the work.

If you participate in our program, like all the other options out there, you will get out of it what you put into it.  I will not tell you it is a magic pill that will make all your troubles disappear or all your pain and suffering go away forever, because that is not true.

What I can tell you about our program is that it is designed for the variability of all learners.  Because as a teacher, one thing I can always count on is that the way students learn is variable.  This was true when I taught kindergarten, and it is still true whether I am teaching movement, meditation, or making life changes.

So, I will meet you where you are at the start of your journey.  I will help you understand what direction you want to take.  And with my support, your curiosity about yourself (and commitment), and the community of like-minded peers, you will map out your journey, decide what to leave behind, and you will move forward.

The path of change is not always linear, and the key ingredients include patience, love, compassion, and kindness.  If you follow a recipe to make a meal, it will turn out just like every other chef who follows the same recipe with the same ingredients.  This would be great if everyone like the same food.  If you pause, check in with what you like and dislike, and adjust the ingredients to meet your needs, you will end up with a meal YOU are completely satisfied with.

Personally, I find that when I learn a system or method, in depth and in an organized, structured way, good things come out of it.  I must stay focused on the one thing during this learning period, and I must not get distracted.  Have you ever heard this about FOCUS:

• Follow
• One
• Course
• Until
• Success

So, once you make the choice to follow a book, a program, or work with a coach, put your blinders on.  Stick with what you choose and don’t buy another personal development book or course!

This program can be your catalyst for transformation

To circle back to my mission to help, this program is for me as much as it is for you.  This is a way for me to connect more deeply with and help more people, especially those who already resonate with my message and my teachings. (You are reading this post aren’t you?)  When I have the opportunity to work closely with the community it fills my cup.  While I know I can help and support the community with the free content on our channel, I also know I can make a bigger difference with the closer interaction of a small group or one on one.

No, you don’t NEED another course!  We know many of you have been following us for years. If you’re still stuck in indecision and "not enoughness," this offering is the catalyst for change.  YOU are worth the time, effort, and investment. If you feel like you resonate with this message, and the teachings of The Mindful Movement, join the group today.

We are Here to Guide you to Uncover Your Values

I invite you to learn more about our 6-week program, Move and Meditate: Self Care You Deserve for a Lifetime. Our next group is forming now.

In this next-level offering, you’ll gain access to:

• Weekly group coaching calls so you can address and troubleshoot your barriers, ask questions about movement sequences or meditation prompts, and get customized support in your journey.
• A like-minded community with similar goals so you can lean in and make connections with other friendly people on the movement and meditation path.
• Self-study online education course, so you can deepen your knowledge on your own time.
• One full year of the Membership Oasis, packed with weekly fresh and ad-free content targeted to what’s most relevant for you right now

I look forward to the opportunity to serve you at a deeper level, and to help you usher in more of the goodness you’ve experienced in our time together so far.

I hope to see you in the group program.  Let me know how I can support you.

With love and gratitude,

Sara

The Mindful Movement