8 September 2026

I usually do a yoga-based stretch class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. My teacher is away for two weeks, so tonight’s class was replaced with a mat pilates class led by someone new (to me). Exercise-wise, it was good to activate a different set of muscles. But the class as a whole was another reminder of the difference a teacher can make. Within five minutes I caught myself being unforgivingly cut and dry about her inability to articulate what she wanted us to do. I questioned why I had to face ‘that' wall when doing so meant I couldn’t see her movements, and without her verbal instructions being on point, I was left clueless. “It makes no difference to her or the others if I face the other way so I can see!" That’s what I thought to myself as I fell into the rabbit hole of criticism, which by the way, only made me feel worse. Then, the “Be Kind” t-shirt on my vision board popped into my mind. I stopped with the mental chatter about how the instructor could improve and I concentrated on the exercises instead, all the while facing the wall. And with that, I felt better, nicer. Still, I’m looking forward to my yoga instructor returning. Come back soon Zoe.