Mind - Body - Spirit

Now I don't claim to be an expert but I am pushing towards the big 50 next year so I can say that I have lots of experience when it comes to living. Wow, just writing that sentence gave me a little shudder - where did nearly 50 come from?

I've worked in an office environment for nearly half of that 49 and a bit years and its only recently that I've started a) to think about my own mortality and b) really seriously started to think about the holy trinity of Mind, Body and Spirit. Not just my own but those of the people that I am responsible for across our group.

Ive got into yoga recently - I do a couple of private lessons in the evenings a week and then go to a group class of "mixed" ability at the weekend. The mixed ability is my disclaimer. Im clearly one of the "worst" practitioners in the group but my teacher Sarah tells me that yoga is a very personal journey and not competitive at all - yeh right!

Ive surprised myself with how much I love the meditation aspect of yoga - I have to admit I did think that my thing would be the physical side, I smiled a lot the first day I managed the crow pose without banging my nose.

https://dailyburn.com/life/fitness/beginner-yoga-crow-pose

Now Ive got over myself and don't feel the need to be the next Cody, I see the relaxing aspects of the class as the key reason to go and have a stretch. I feel like I have much more time to think, I think my normally noisy brain has become a bit quieter and I genuinely feel a little more peaceful. Ive decided to bring a yoga teacher into our new coding school next year to see if I can get our students to do the same - quieten their brain and code like they have never coded before.

To counter all of that zen, Ive also taken up boxing - Im genuinely rubbish but very enthusiastic. My biggest achievement to date is lasting for 6 x 2 minute rounds of sparring without passing out. Its genuinely the hardest and toughest thing I've ever done and I have a new found respect for anybody brave enough or fit enough to put on a pair of gloves .

The connection between boxing and yoga might not be obvious at first glance but actually they have more in common than you might think. There is nothing that can focus the mind like the threat of a punch (very skilled and gentle - ish) from the coach. Im serious, its another form of mediation and has allowed me to again, quiten my mind.

I've decided to offer a bit of boxing coaching next year, not from me but from our official CodeNation sparring coach Matt Nuttall.

Ive put his profile picture up for you to swoon over - he's definitely not that good looking or tanned in real life. He does pack a punch though.

So, having reached the half way point of my expected life (hopefully) I've made a conscious decision to get my Mind, Body and Spirit aligned. Not only do I want my "trinity" to be energised but I feel its important that we offer that same escape to all of our Groups employees.

I know that this is not a new phenomena in business, lots of the really successful companies that we all reference have been doing this for years. I wonder how many yoga or boxing enthusiasts I can help develop in my own organisation ?