For over 25 years, I’ve had the same New Year’s resolution year after year: to learn to do a free handstand.
Around the time I learned headstand, I started practising handstand against the wall. Handstand is harder than headstand, but doing it supported—either by the wall or someone else—is reasonably achievable with the right technique and encouragement.
But the leap from practising against the wall to holding a free handstand is huge. In short, I’ve been working on this for nearly 30 years!
I regularly practise at home, have watched countless videos, asked numerous teachers, and attended workshops. I’m so close. Now, I only need the very tip of one toe on the wall—or I can take both feet off the wall for about 10 seconds. But I still need that wall. I can’t yet do a free handstand in the middle of the room.
One year, while sharing our New Year’s resolutions, someone asked me why this was my goal. I didn’t have an answer beyond: “Because I want to.”
But that question stayed with me. Why do I want to master a free handstand so much? What does it prove? It’s not about being a yoga teacher—my students couldn’t care less whether I can stand on my hands or not.
It’s entirely personal. And it’s not even about physical confidence—I already have that. For me, it’s about the fun of the challenge and the sense of achievement.
In everyday conversation, “challenge” often means difficulty, something to avoid. But I think many of us actually love challenges. We like pushing ourselves. Challenges give us a (brief) sense of achievement and open up new perspectives.
When I achieve a free handstand, I’ll become a person who can stand on their hands. It will rewrite my self-image. In a small way, I’ll become a new person.
From that place of fresh perspective and a renewed sense of self, I’ll find another goal—a new challenge. Yoga is an incredible practice because it offers limitless challenges to explore.
So, it looks like my New Year’s resolution for 2025 will still be the same. But I won’t lose heart—I’ll happily keep working towards it!
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