The term buena onda is similar to "good energy" or "good vibes." I have grown so much here and there are many lessons I will take with me from this experience. But most of all, this time has helped me to chill out and to return back to a state of good, loving energy: buena onda.
It is no surprise that this is also the name of the yoga studio I work for here. The Buena Onda Yoga community has taught me so much and I will always take them with me wherever I go. I hope to spread some of that good buena onda across the world. :)
So, here are the lessons I am taking with me as I prepare to leave this beautiful place
1. The ability to relax and chill out
Here in Buenos Aires, there is a general lack of formality. People speak very informally. You can be 10, even 15 minutes late to something and considered on time. There is this great Merienda culture - where everyone takes time out of the afternoon to get coffee and cake with friends.
Now, I am not going to start showing up late to meetings, but my hope is to incorporate more of that chill energy. For example, I have found that as I am heading out the door for an information gathering of friends, I have a tendency to get stressed out and nervous that I am not going to make it on time or get everything done beforehand. But what I am learning is that I don’t have to wrap myself in nervous energy as I am heading out the door for a social event. I think friends would rather that I show up calm and collected 5 minutes late, than nervous and high strung 5 minutes early.
The other thing I am learning is that time with loved ones is more important than anything. So, I am going to be more intentional about taking time out of my days and weeks to be present with the people I love.
2. Patience
Here, there are no standard processes; if it worked one way before, you can be pretty sure it won't work that way again. If you have to mail something or get an official document, you know you are in for a treat. Person 1 will tell you to go to Person 2 to get Form A and then come back for Form B. You go to Person 2 and they tell you that you actually need to have Form B in order to get Form A. You are sent in circles wondering if you will ever get the task completed and how anything gets accomplished in the city.
This is frustrating as hell, but it keeps me on my toes and it makes patiences essential to survival. I would turn into a raging nut bag if I didn't have it. There is something about knowing that a situation will require patience before you get into it that makes patience more accessible. But if you go into a situation expecting it to go smoothly and then it doesn’t, patience is a far cry away when you need it.
So, I am going to work on letting go of expectations or what I think “should” happen, and focus on patience. Everyone will be happier for it.
3. Trust in myself and what I am capable of.
Trust, there is that word again. It comes up often for me as it is a major theme I am working on in my life.
One of the main ways I am learning this lesson is through Spanish. Grasping a second language is hard but I am smart and I can figure it out. Even if I can’t figure something out in the moment, it will all be OK.
My tendency is to quickly doubt myself and my understanding of Spanish. But what I am learning is to let go of doubt and call on all of the resources I do have. I will, 80% of the time, be able to figure a conversation out or at least get by with my level of understanding. And it will be 100% fine either way. Almost every time that I doubt myself, I fumble my words but when I am confident and trust, I am able to speak and listen with ease.
The other place I learned this lesson was in my yoga classes. I would have some classes where I just felt "off" afterwards and it didn't seem like my best class. I would start to get frustrated and doubt my teaching abilities. Then, almost every time, I would have someone come up to me and tell me that they loved the class and it was just what they needed. I would thank them and smile, remembering that I can be too hard on myself sometimes.
4. The importance of community and women's gatherings.
I have been lucky enough to find an amazing community of supportive and inspiring women here. We have committed to gather every week to discuss whatever book we are working on at the time and to discuss life, our challenges, and our dreams. This group has helped guide me on my path to the person I am becoming. My experience here would not have been anywhere near the same with out them.
From this experience, I will take with me the commitment to maintain strong, supportive, and loving relationships with the women in my life. I am realizing that this is not a luxury, it is a necessity.
5. The importance of the right partner.
I would not have been able to do any of this work, any of this adventure, half as gracefully and compassionately, had it not been for my relationship with my husband. Over the years our relationship has grown and developed into the most supportive and caring relationship I have ever been in. And I know that whatever happens in our life, we can handle it together. The importance of this is immeasurable. Sometimes relationships can be seen as cages or identify suckers. But the right one will help you step into your best self more fully and will encourage you to share more love in the world.
I think that I always knew this one, but it became all the more clear to me through this adventure.
So, I want to take this time to honor the experiences and thank all the people that have walked with me on this path over the past three years. I am forever grateful and indebted to you for helping me grow and learn these important life lessons.
This is a sweet pic from the last class I taught at Buena Onda Yoga. I forgot to get one with the whole group but I felt like this captured the happiness and radiance that was present in the room. We were smiling hard after wiping away many tears of gratitude. I love you all so much.