Don't Quit - Modify

 

Nancy Range Anderson

Have you ever gotten choked up because you realized there was something you could no longer do—and might never be able to do again?

That happened to me the other day when I discovered that I could no longer do Malasana, the deep yoga squat. I have been able to sit in that position since I was a little girl, and I could remain there comfortably for quite some time.

Now? Nope. It simply isn’t part of my practice anymore—at least not in the way it once was.

It may sound silly to become emotional over one yoga pose, especially after everything my body has carried me through. My right knee was replaced less than eight months ago, and I have worked hard for every bit of strength and movement I have regained. I know how fortunate I am.

But Malasana connected me to the little girl I once was and to the woman who could still drop into that familiar position without giving it a thought. Losing it felt like another reminder that some things change as we grow older—and that determination cannot always bring everything back exactly as it was.

Yoga has taught me how to modify. If I cannot do a pose one way, I can use a block, hold on to a chair, change the depth of the movement or choose another pose that provides some of the same benefits. Modifying does not mean I have failed. It means I have found a way to continue.

The same is true in life and at work.

Sometimes we don’t look much farther than the ends of our noses. We see the obstacle directly in front of us and assume it marks the end of the road. But what if we paused long enough to look around it? There may be another route, a different approach or a modification that allows us to keep going.

When you discover that you can no longer do something—or that the old way is no longer working—don’t simply quit. Stop and ask yourself: Is there another way? Can I modify my approach? Can I do part of it? Can I learn a new skill, accept some help or find a different path toward the same goal?

Modification does not mean failure. Sometimes it is the very thing that allows us to keep growing, contributing and moving forward.

Yoga teaches us to honor the body we bring to the mat today rather than the body we had yesterday. Life asks us to do the same—to work with the circumstances we have today, not the ones we wish we still had.

I can be grateful for how far I have come and still feel sad about what I have lost. Both things can be true.

And then I can modify—and keep moving.

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