Bring it!

The first time I did a yoga class, I went with a friend of mine and when we left she said, "That was so hard, I am never doing that again!"  I left feeling a little deflated as well, it was hard but I was determined to try it a few more times.  I didn't want to give up so quickly.  I went to different classes, tried different teachers and over time I found myself enjoying yoga more and more. As I  have grown to really enjoy yoga I realized the benefits of this quality.    How do we allow ourselves to keep trying when something is hard?
When something is hard our natural instinct can be to give up.  I have watched children do this repeatedly in school.  They go to play in a sports game or write something or create something and it doesn't go the way they planned.  They will crumple up their work and throw it away and at times abandon the project all together in frustration. With just the littlest bit of encouragement from us children will often be able to try again.  We can encourage, notice and celebrate perseverance in our children  with the smallest of gestures and words.  You keep trying, you haven't given up, you've got this.  Your tenacity is admirable (always nice to throw in some new vocabulary in the process!).
When walking into school first thing in the morning we have a block that needs to be put under our school gate to keep it open as everyone arrives. I often ask children to set the block in place.  It is difficult.  The block has to be set in just the right spot.  It is interesting to watch the children work hard to position the block so that the gate stays open.  Sometimes they collaborate and two or three children do it together.  Sometimes parents want to jump in and help or do it for their child, our patience as we give the children time to complete a task/skill/goal is beneficial in supporting their resolution.  Practicing,  trial and error, trial and error, trial and error is essential in this process.  Watching children work hard to get this block just so always leaves me with a feeling of happiness.  Seeing them work on this on their own or with a friend is awesome.  Sometimes they even laugh at themselves as they keep trying to get the block just right.  How beautiful it is to be able to laugh at yourself when you have to figure something out.    That is pure innocence and strength.
Our frustration and/or our impatience with ourselves and our children can be short sighted.  The process of getting the block in place is possibly more important than the block actually being set in place.  Everything that occurs as we get that block just right teaches us important skills. When we have a specific task to do it is important that we work hard and we try different strategies. The important challenge is not just getting the block in the right place, the ultimate accomplishment is the journey of how we get the block just so.  Lately I have noticed the block has gotten harder to get just right and I have debated asking children to help  post the gate open.  As I reflect I realize just because it is harder does not mean we stop trying.  Bring it!  We are ready to challenge ourselves, because again it is not just about getting the block in the right place , it's the journey we take to get the block positioned just so that's important.  From math skills, to fine motor skills to self esteem to perseverance and everything in between, positioning the block is a process.  We embrace the process!
Each day is filled with a variety of tasks and challenges and opening the gate is just one of many.  All of our different activities involve perseverance, working hard, and trial and error.  Children are building their skills and strength so that hopefully when their adult life throws them a challenging yoga class, a hard work assignment or a challenge in their personal life they  have the ability to say, "Bring it! I've got this!"

It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer. ~Albert Einstein