And so, I put on the ipod mini, strap on the shoes and go.

But, I feel heavy.

I have this thing. No one passes me on the beach path.

No one.

But today, one man did.

And the thing is, he only passes me and stays a few feet in front. So, technically our pace is the same. Kind of pissed at passy Mc Pacerton.

I'm sluggish. And the thought of falling back behind is tempting.

But, I see him before me, good form, nice pace for me today, challenging but not over exerting.

I teach in my Hot classes, where we practice in front of a mirror for alignment purposes, to keep that one still point of focus in the mirror. The place between the eyebrows, the space at the heart or other places on the body depending on the posture we are working on. In my flow or Ashtanga classes, we call this the drishti or gaze point. In dancing, they call this the spot. Without it, there is no focus. We need that still point to gaze at so our mind and body can stay, for lack of a better word, on pointe.

We need the still point of focus to smooth out the breath, keep our mind steady and not frazzled and support the structure of our body as we move in space. In Hot yoga, there is ALOT of balancing, so that still point of focus is so important.

And, can be frustrating.

I was a little mift at Mr. Pass me on the Path Pace Master, but I appreciated him in the long run, pun intended, because I kept pace with his pace, kept my focal point strong and my mind was at ease.

One still point of focus, eye on the prize, the goal, the road. Keep that laser beam focus and you can achieve anything, even that balancing posture you've been working on for years, that project at work, that novel that's been gnawing at you.

Focus in the eyes, focuses the mind, the body and the breath.

And, sometimes, the thing, the person, the situation that causes a bit of frustration, can end up being just what you need.

Today, let's make our collective intention to find that one point of focus and zoom in on that. When things get rough, find that thing to stare at, that moment to think about, that phrase to chant or remember.

You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus. – Mark Twain

The key to success is to focus out conscious mind on things we desire not things we fear. – Brian Tracy

It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. – Aristotle Onassis

Focus 90% of your time on solutions and only 10% of your time on problems. – Anthony J. D’ Angelo

Focus is a matter of deciding what things you’re not going to do. –John Carmack

To do two things at once is to do neither. –Publilius Syrus

Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life- think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body be full of that idea and just leave every idea alone. This is the way to success, that is the way great spiritual giants are produced. –Swami Vivekananda

All that we are is the result of what we have thought. – Buddha

Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The suns rays do not burn until brought to a focus. – Alexander Graham Bell

A person who aims at nothing is sure to hit it. – Unknown

When walking, walk. When eating, eat. – Zen proverb

Concentrated attention is the collection of units of power on a chosen point of intention. – James Arthur Ray

Concentration is the secret to strength. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

If you focus on results you will never change. If you focus on change, you will get results. – Jack Dixon

It is a mistake to try to look too far ahead. The chain of destiny can only be grasped one link at a time. – Winston Churchill

It is a process of diverting one’s scattered forces into one powerful channel. – James Allen

Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground. – Theodore Roosevelt.

Visualize this thing you want. See it, feel it, believe in it. Make your mental blueprint and begin. – Robert Collier

We are too busy mopping the floor to turn off the faucet. – Unknown

What we see depends mainly on what we look for. – John Lubbock

When meditation is mastered, the mind is un-waivering like the flame of a lamp in a windless place. – Bhagavad Gita

The successful warrior is the average man with laser light focus. – Bruce Lee

Presence is more than just being there. – Malcolm S. Forbes

Strong lives are motivated by dynamic purposes. – Kenneth Hildebrand

There is no substitute for paying attention. – Diane Sawyer

Don not let what you can’t do interfere with what you can do. John Wooden –basketball coach

Do the hard jobs first, the easy jobs will take care of themselves – Dale Carnegie

Don’t aim for success. If you want it just do what you love and believe in and it will come naturally. – David Frost