Begin again.

Erin practicing handstands at The Yoga Dojo Hand Balance Class

Thanks to a continued mindfulness practice, when I — and all of my esteemed agile delivery colleagues — were laid off last week, I immediately focused my attention to the expression: begin again.

The coincidence is stunning — how we hear, read, or see what we need at seemingly just the right time. I’ve been reading The Inner Game of Work by W. Timothy Gallwey since learning about the original book in Bill Gates’ “Top 5 All-Time Favorite Books” for being “the best guide for getting out of your own way.” In short, it’s about a tennis coach sharing transferable lessons for coaching oneself or others through non-judgmental awareness (re: mindfulness practices before it became more mainstream in American society), self-trust, and learner-driven work, or the role of agency and choice in the practice of learning anything. He discusses at length the relationship between our two inner selves/inner voice that often dictates how we perform in any given situation. As I prepare for interviews, Gallwey’s examples and insights help me moderate my self-talk a bit better while maintaining a beginner’s mindset.

Recently a fellow yogi shared how he noticed the common phrase, “begin again” from several different yoga instructors — how simple yet profoundly important it is to refocus our inevitably wandering minds in this way. I agreed. Little did I know quite how helpful a reminder this motto would be!

Similarly, my hand balance teacher, Adrian McCavitt, regularly emphasizes the importance of consistency over intensity in working towards the proprioception, alignment, and strength required for hand balance. In order to adopt a consistent practice, I have to begin again each day and in each moment, regardless of how easy or difficult it feels.

Just this morning, Brian Tucker, founder of Good Vibes Fit Co, author, and another one of my yoga teachers (I’m so lucky to be surrounded by such brilliant, inspiring people!), shared a video on Instagram that resonated with me on the role the beginner’s mindset plays in cultivating a spirit of humility and learning. The coincidental inspiration abounds!

As I embark on yet another career transition, I think this motto of beginning again will help immensely, especially in the face of inevitable rejections and the challenges of searching for a job in an economic downturn while at least 1,100 people like me/from the same job family and company search for a new place to share agile delivery practices.

A year ago to this day, January 23, 2022, I started this blog, The Agile Educator, to share my share my experiences and learning from transitioning from agile in education to business and technology. Today — right now — I begin again.

I hope you will join me on this journey. May we learn and support each other with agility and openness to a fresh start.