Regrets after practice?

What a week! I don't even know where to begin to explain the huge emotional rollercoaster I'm on this week...and I'm not quite sure anyone would even care *that* much, because all of our journeys take us on rides like this every once in a while. Suffice it to say, that one of the ways I "deal" is to take it to the mat. My experiences on the mat were definitely high points this week - especially my elusive treat of time with Diann ♥ on Saturday! The only thing is that I have a slight feeling of regret. I'll elaborate...

Have you ever experienced a feeling of regret after a practice? Maybe a favorite asana was left out, perhaps your pranayama (breathing) was only half-hearted, maybe you wish the class was a bit longer, or perhaps your focus just wasn't there. These things happen, and while they cause regret, the sooner your get yourself back on the mat, the sooner the feeling of regret will fade.

I've experienced all of these feelings and a whole host of others after a practice, but this time my feeling of regret is from something new. At the start of practice, Diann said we'd be working on standing balances, and while I'm not terribly confident at these, I thought "This is going to be good for me!", and I was ready for anything. Well, almost anything, it seems, because at the end of practice, Diann invited us to take a supported handstand, and I didn't do it. I feel like such a fraud - after WEEKS of offering inversions for my Pose of the Week (handstand noticeably absent, BTW), I'm invited to take an inversion, and I don't do it.

Why didn't I do it? Was it fear? Was it exhaustion (emotional from my week/physical from Diann's practice)? Was it because I had an "option"? Was it *gasp* stubbornness? It doesn't matter, really. I didn't do it, and I'm disappointed in myself.

So what to do? Get right back on that mat. Build up some strength in the arms. Try out some of the preparation postures that Diann gave throughout practice (a foreshadowing of what was coming - I should have seen it!). Get my legs up that wall! And hang out there for a while, getting used to seeing my crazy week from a different angle. At the very least, I'll build some courage to tackle what the next week offers, and at the very best, I'll squash my regret.

Don't let regret get in the way. Get out there and conquer!