How do you inspire others?

This is such a great question. It's the prompt for today's #LJInspired challenge with Lorna Jane Active and Fit Approach. My initial answer is pretty simple. Part of my job as a yoga instructor is to inspire my students to push themselves, to provide challenges to keep their practices progressing, and to stay positive for them! It's an aspect of my job I love. Yes, I love arm balances and inversions (duh, big red truck). But beyond that, I love providing a positive, supportive, and "can do!" environment for students to feel as though they can try something new! I was always that athlete growing up, cheering my teammates on from the sidelines when I wasn't in the game or through drills in practice. It helps that I'm pretty loud, too. Literally, my high school boyfriend told me he could hear me cheering him on from the stands while on the field!

New variation of 8-limb pose

The other aspect of this is leading by example. That old adage about not just talking the talk but actually walking the walk is so true! That being said, I am human and am NOT perfect! I've had a student look through my cart at the grocery store to see what her yoga teacher was eating. (Luckily my chocolate stash was at the bottom of the cart!) Yes, I eat meat upon occasion. Yes, I drink wine and coffee and eat chocolate. Yes, I curse. Yes, I go out dancing. Yes, I love to go shopping. Yes, I am always linked to my phone. But I also work hard at my job and at staying active, I am nice and courteous, I get outside regularly, I constantly try new things. I strive for balance in my life, and I think people appreciate and respect that.

Wine+book+porch at the beach=perfection

My favorite #TransformationTuesday comparison

My wonderful experience from a month in Costa Rica

What we need to realize is that we affect the people around us in our lives. It's not just my position in the front of a yoga class instructing students through a sun salutation that affects them. Since my decision to postpone law school and become a yoga teacher, I have been getting emails from people in my past asking for yoga advice. Recently, these emails have shifted a bit into some life advice. They've ranged from positive body image tips for teenage sisters to "what do you do that you're so happy?!"

Here's the thing… I don't know what the f*** I'm doing! I'm not a therapist, nutritionist, life coach, motivational speaker, etc. I haven't chosen a profession where I'm telling people what they should or shouldn't be doing with their lives. I myself no longer have a grand life plan. But by making choices for myself, by experimenting and exploring, by doing what I need to do to put my wellbeing and happiness first for a while, I've apparently inspired some others to strive to do the same! I don't share my life on social media because it's the thing to do or to try and affect others. I do it because I love documenting and sharing my experiences, and if it helps motivate and inspire others, that's amazing! I try to be positive and authentic, and to stay as true to myself (as I'm discovering who that person really is!) as possible!

Follow the journey @lizwilsonyoga on Instagram!