They say that the value of yoga lies in keeping your body fit and your mind agile. I am learning the meaning of that right now as I experience the challenge of getting back to exercising after a period of inactivity. I have no doubt there are more than a few of you who can relate.  The part of my exercise routine I enjoy the most is Yoga, but going back to the class was still quite a stretch, literally.  Not only was it a challenge to motivate myself to get back into a routine but my sluggish body is now feeling the effects of my atrophied muscles, even after just a short hiatus.

The teachers of yoga say that one of the obstacles to successful practice and absorption of its’ value is Alasya, “A lazy and inert state of mind and body”. Despite my busy schedule, I had fallen into a rut and had become a little lazy, even if I hate to admit it. Going back to the class, my body felt stiff and inflexible, and it took what seemed like an exorbitant amount of willpower to push myself into the general stretches so that I could actually feel like I was doing something.

If you are familiar with yoga, you have done the plank, holding yourself up by your hands or elbows, as parallel to the floor as possible. In my somewhat weakened state, this was difficult, but I can do it for about two minutes or so. Then there is the side plank and that just seems  impossible. I resist because it seems unattainable and I believe I don’t have the capacity to achieve it. But I push myself, and actually manage to hold myself up on one elbow for almost a minute.

Why do I share this experience, you might ask? I couldn’t help but think about the job seekers who come to me in a similar state of inertia. Either they have given up on their job search, or continue to use the old traditional techniques that require a limited amount of effort or stretching. In many cases, there is a healthy dose of denial. “I am doing as much as I can in my job search, It’s the economy’s fault.” Or I see my job-seeking clients resist challenging situations all the time.  Whether it’s networking, Twitter or embracing a new field or career all together, anything that is somewhat out of ones comfort zone seems quite impossible altogether. But have you even pushed yourself out of your safe place for a minute to give it a try?

The newest and most cutting-edge career management and job search tool is Twitter, and despite its incredible power to help you advance in both, many people are just too daunted to even try it. I hear multiple excuses: “it’s a frivolous waste of time”, “ what does it have to do with my executive level Job Search?”  If you give it a try, read the recent publication of The Twitter Job Search Guide,  or take a class, you might be pleasantly surprised. It has everything to do with your job search, and really does push the limits of your imagination. But, just like yoga, it’s not something you can pick up immediately, nor become a guru overnight. It takes practice, observation, and awareness of the steps it takes to cultivate and grow to see the impact on your job search.

Today’s job search process calls for you to stretch on many different levels. After being unemployed for over 27 weeks, (the average) today your psychological strength is constantly being tested. Never before have you been required to stretch the capacity of your confidence or motivation.  Can you afford to maintain the status quo? What have you done recently to challenge yourself?

Maybe you have learned a new skill, a language, computer software, or even a card game. I have heard that bridge is the ultimate brain jungle gym. And then there is the networking. Any time you put yourself out into the community to participate in something new, you expose yourself to new people, a task that is daunting and a real stretch for some. But then, you never know who you might meet at your next game.

Please share with us how you have stretched yourself during your job search by commenting below. What have you done that has truly pushed you out of your comfort zone? What type of benefits did you feel you gained from pushing what you thought were your limits? What is your next goal? I know I have to work on my side plank!

Namaste!

This is a joint post by Clinical Career Counselors and Licensed Mental health Counselors, Donna Sweidan & Ilana Levitt