Focus Forward Friday: Love Your Little Sister

Bride Sis and Matron of Honor Sis at the wedding. Oh, it was lovely!

We all go through tough stuff in our lives. Our natural tendency is to hide, to run from pain, to hope it will be over soon.

In Bikram class, we are forced to face the mirror dead-on, to see the struggle right before us. We examine every detail of our own weakness reflected back, the image and its creases, cracks, blemishes all impossible to ignore.

While sometimes this hurts at the time, the process helps us grow stronger.

Why else did we come to class but to struggle?

During balancing stick postrue, Bikram says, "Suffer in here for ten seconds so that you can live without suffering out there for ten years."

We are forced to be warriors in the moment, and we grow stronger. It is in these moments that we discover what we are truly practicing in our lives... both in and out of the hot room. We take our strength with us whenever we leave the studio and we put it to damn good use in our real lives.

It's hard to know that someone as wonderful as my twin sister is suffering, or going through something challenging -- even if it's only for ten seconds, and we all know real life doesn't happen in ten-second intervals or sets. But I don't doubt that there is a reason for the situation; I don't doubt that the experience will help her grow stronger. She is always learning, adapting, loving life no matter the pain. I admire my little sis greatly and she already knows I'm here for her no matter what.

Do your siblings know that? Your parents? Friends?

You should consider telling them today. Think about reminding them that it's OK to cry in front of the mirror, or to want to give up, or just to kick ass and push on through. Tell them it's worth the struggle to grow stronger in the toughest moments. Tell them it's OK to love their life even when it's overwhelmed with pain and struggle, because they will emerge on the other side having learned something they were meant to.

But first, before anything, tell them how much you love them and always will. No matter what.

Photo via DearDear.