About Me

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Canada
With a B.Ed., M.Ed., and over 10 years of classroom teaching experience, Chantelle has been privileged to observe the fruits of many living philosophies. By continually striving to live the best life possible, Chantelle has been able to overcome many personal challenges in life and enjoys helping others do the same. In 2001, Chantelle stepped into her first yoga class and has been amazed at the ways it has transformed her life. In 2007 she studied under Shri Yogi Hari of the Sivananda lineage and became a certified yoga teacher. She has since earned the E-RYT designation from Yoga Alliance and continues to study under various Indian Master Yogis. In October 2013 launched Prana Yoga & Wellness, offering private/corporate yoga and stress management workshops based on Eastern wisdom. Chantelle frequently appears as a guest speaker and is involved with various community projects and local non-profit organizations. Dedicated to walking her talk, Chantelle is not afraid to do the necessary work to remain happily married and be a healthy role model for her two young daughters.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Choose Your Relationships Carefully

Take a look around you. Who do you call your friends and significant other? Do they inspire you to be the best version of yourself or do they at best, keep you in an average state?

I love nothing more than being around people who keep me stretching, call bullshit when it needs to be called and are there to remind me to get back on track at the slightest hint of derailment. If I'm bold enough to share my goals and vision with them, then I've given them permission to guard me like a pitbull. These same people who have high expectations and a strong moral compass expect me to also deliver the same function to them. My true friends are not threatened by my success nor am I threatened by theirs. We cheer each other on, provide motivation when we need to and refuse to believe in failure.

The truth is we cannot accomplish anything on our own. If you set goals, you better surround yourself with people who will not only support you, but push you as well... that is, if you're serious about actually accomplishing what you set out to do. Achieving goals is not a painless process. Sometimes you get weak. Sometimes your vision fails and you lose sight of where you want to go and who you want to be. The last thing you need are so-called "friends" to help blind your vision with doubt, fear or guilt. You need friends who energize you, not suck the life out of you.

Sometimes, it can seem comforting to have friends who will reinforce self-defeating habits because it makes it easier to defer your own advancement and succumb to your list of excuses. Maybe it's fear of failure. Maybe it's fear of success. It doesn't matter. Choosing to feel safe instead of overcoming your fear is the easy way out when you have friends who want you to be "safe" too.

We only progress as fast as the most resistant aspect of ourselves will allow us to. What end of the scale are your friends on: progression or resistance?  You better hope your friends will kick you in the pants when you need it or you're going no where fast.

Moral of the Story: Good friends are also bound to be a pain in the ass. 

Posted by at 11:30 PM
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5 comments:

  1. VortexVisualMarch 1, 2012 at 2:00 PM

    Lovely Chantelle.

    I came across this today - applicable to your post in many ways:

    "Sometimes being a friend means mastering the art of timing. There is a time for silence. A time to let go and allow people to hurl themselves into their own destiny. And a time to prepare to pick up the pieces when it's all over." ~ Gloria Naylor

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  2. Chantelle DiachinaMarch 1, 2012 at 9:32 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  3. Chantelle DiachinaMarch 1, 2012 at 9:48 PM

    Beautiful quote, Cheryl. It speaks to the delicate dance of true friendship. Here's another good quote (a lesson I'm trying to teach my children)

    "Travel only with thy equals or thy betters; if there are none, travel alone."- The Dhammapada

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  4. NadineMarch 4, 2012 at 12:23 PM

    Those are both wonderful quotes! I'm so happy that I can call both of you friends for all of these reasons.

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  5. Chantelle DiachinaMarch 4, 2012 at 5:49 PM

    I think I can speak on Cheryl's behalf when I say, "We" are also very happy to call you a friend. :)

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