Matt Corker

Is Yoga Meant To Be An Endurance Sport?

Matt Corker — Thu, 17 May 2012 15:42:29 +0000

My yoga practice reminds me to slow down. To breathe, and to enjoy it.
At the same time, this body of mine craves speed! It wants to feel fast on a bike, streamlined in the water, and strong as I pound the pavement.

Without this combination I am not able to find my happy balance between being an over-achieving ball of crazy and a philosophizing flower child.

Tomorrow I’m going to play with that balance even more as I make my way over to Göteborg, Sweden for the Nordic Yoga Conference. On Saturday, I’ll be rocking out on my mat for 6.5 hours (!!) in 5 classes with 5 different instructors. What I’m most excited for is that they will each be leading a different style of yoga, many of which I have yet to try. (Jivamukti here I come!)

So, if you’ll be in Göteborg this weekend too, grab your mat and let’s indulge in this marathon of yoga together.

Big love and gratitude goes to Anja from Yoga Buddhi for hosting me this weekend.

Pick of the Post: Morgan Page (ft Tegan and Sara) – Body Work (love the video!)

Don’t You Care For My Love?

Matt Corker — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:28:43 +0000

Don’t you care for my love? she said bitterly.

I handed her the mirror, and said:
Please address these questions to the proper person!
Please make all requests to head-quarters!
In all matters of emotional importance
please approach the supreme authority directly! -
So I handed her the mirror.

Intimates – by D.H. Lawrence

Pick of the Post: Oh My! – Dirty Dancer

Pay Attention To Who You Listen To

Matt Corker — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:49:02 +0000

I was recently asked by a reader to give advice to new University graduates who are soon to be -slash- already making the leap into the “real world.”

Tons of advice I give myself immediately boiled to the surface:

Practice the art of laundry. That perfectly fitted tee doesn’t fit perfectly one size smaller.
Ingest and expend good energy. That includes vegetables, quinoa, sweaty workouts, and positivity.
Ditch the handshake. Hugs and high fives create real connections.
Set a vision and goals. Give yourself the gift of direction.
Say yes to at least one thing you’re tempted to say no to a week.

And most of all:

Pay attention to who you listen to.

I’ve blogged about this before (here and here) so I will refrain from repeating myself.

Instead, remember that many people in the world (ourselves included) that will come up with reasons why it won’t work, how it’s not good enough, or why we’re not ready. They remind us that the road ahead is filled with challenges, most at which we’ll fail at. They didn’t succeed, so neither will we.
And then there are a few that come up with the reasons why it could work, how it’s exactly what is needed, and reminds us that we’re ready, now. These people help us prepare for the challenges ahead rather than using fear as a deterrent to starting the journey. If they didn’t succeed, they share with us what they’ve learned so maybe we can.

Find and listen to those people that build you up.
It’s especially powerful if one of them is yourself.

Pick of the Post: Estelle – Do My Thing

I Don’t Have The Best Mom In The World

Matt Corker — Sun, 13 May 2012 14:37:34 +0000

… because that would mean that the other mothers out there are less than my Mom. That my mom is on a pedestal, above all other moms.

And on a day like today, when my big heart is so friggin thankful for my Mom, I want to honour her without it being about comparison.

That way she knows that she has no one else to compare herself with when thinking about how great of a mom she is for me.

So that she knows that her struggles were not harder or easier…
That her race finish times are not better or worse…
That her parenting she gave me growing up was not more or less valuable…

So that she knows that her life, her impact, is hers to be proud of.

That the difference she makes in my life, is hers. That the smile that lights up dark rooms, is hers. And that the crazy bro + sis combo that dreams big dreams, believes that anything is possible, and that are living a life they love in hopes it inspires others to do the same … well, those are hers too.

I wouldn’t be the person I am today without you Mom.
Thank you for all that you’ve done, and all that you are.

Happy Mom’s Day! I love you so so much!

life is art.

Matt Corker — Fri, 11 May 2012 13:36:55 +0000

I feel super refreshed after completing the course The Artist’s Way last month.

Like that first length of the pool after a day of sitting in a chair.
Or that delicious Ben & Jerry’s cone on a hot summer day.

That sigh of relief. That tension melting. That sense of freedom. That aahhhh – bliss.

The Artist’s Way is designed to unblock our creative selves. Sometimes I would be reading the book and I would substitute in “fully, expressed version of myself” for the term “artist” to allow the words to resonate with me more. It took me some weeks to warm up to the idea that we are all artists.

The reason I suspect for feeling super refreshed now is that I feel the flow of my writing a lot more now. I write a blog post almost every day and have no less than 12 completed drafts waiting to be launched at any given time. I feel creative. I feel productive. The creative energy is at times even uncomfortable – like water building up on the other side of a dam. Just waiting to be released.

So, if you are a writer, a painter, a leader, a lawyer, a yogi, a corporate executive, or a person keen on developing themselves to better the world – I encourage you to try it out.
After all, the greatest creation we artists make is the one we call life.

Pick of the Post: fun. – Some Nights

Everything Is A Practice

Matt Corker — Thu, 10 May 2012 12:04:22 +0000

What if everything we did was a practice? Our athletics, our leadership, our relationships, our communication, our development, our lectures – all opportunities to practice something.

In the moments when I am bored in class, what am I practicing?
– Patience. Focus.

When someone is practicing being the team leader and is struggling through it, what am I practicing?
– Listening. Being present. Creating a space where perfection is not required. Optimism.

When I am invited back to their place for the night, what am I practicing?
– Powerful communication. Authentic expression of my self. Love.

In these situations, it could be easy to give in, to be frustrated, to deviate from our best selves, to throw in the towel, to complain, or to make excuses for our (in)actions. If we view life as an opportunity to practice something, when we don’t “get it right the first time” we can find comfort in knowing that this is all part of the process.

There is always a next time in a practice.

Pick of the Post: One Direction – One Thing

Ditch the best practice

Obama Endorses Same Sex Marriage

Matt Corker — Wed, 09 May 2012 22:24:06 +0000

Some may celebrate this. Some may be infuriated by this. Some may even ask themselves “what if I’m wrong about this whole thing?”

I lean back in my chair and smile.
Because, in my opinion, this is something to smile about.

Pick of the Post: Rebecca Ferguson – Nothing’s Real But Love

No related posts.

Tim Kiladze: Creating the Best Bonds Possible

Matt Corker — Wed, 09 May 2012 07:34:12 +0000

corker #5: Tim Kiladze! Tim and I met through our work in youth leadership conferences. After going through business school at McGill, and landing a six-figure salary in a job on Bay Street (Canada’s Wall Street), he quit. He enrolled in the journalism program at Columbia and is now a business journalist for The Globe and Mail. Tim’s career switch is a perfect example of his gusto in my opinion. He is committed to making a dent in this world and is following his heart along the way. What a corker!

After ten years as a social worker, Brené Brown came to one sweeping conclusion: social connection is what humans live for.

It’s strange, then, that so many people never experience it. They may call their friends besties, and they may even get married, but they know they never experience any deep, core-shaking bonds.

Through her research, Brené realized it’s because they’re afraid to open themselves up. Conversely, the people with deep bonds have the courage to be imperfect. By accepting their vulnerability, and by appreciating that they are a work in progress, they open themselves to a more fulfilling life.

Brené soon saw the relationship between shame and connection. Shame, she realized, is the fear of disconnection. The fear that if someone finds out your deepest, darkest secrets, they’ll abandon you.

Here’s what I’ve learned: our flaws are our best parts. The people who knock us for them are simply terrified of their own. Ignore them. By opening yourself up, you let people see all of you, and the more they see, the more they realize you’re just like them.

That’s what creates the best bond possible.

Check out her TED Talk here:

- Tim

More musing from the corker series:
corker #1: Steph Corker -The Remarkable Journey
corker #2: Mike Desjardins – Creating White Space
corker #3: Wesley George – Value and Motivation
corker #4: Adam Martin – A Plea With The Religious

Pick of the Post: One Direction – Gotta Be You

We Get What We Expect

Matt Corker — Mon, 07 May 2012 15:00:43 +0000

After our adventure in Sweden, and watching marathon finish line photos flood Facebook this weekend, Lori’s words really resonated with me:

In 1957, Dr. Robert Merton introduced an idea known as the Galatea Effect, which suggests we tend to do what we expect we’ll do.

If you think you can run a marathon, you’re more likely to push yourself through training and eventually cross the finish line. If you expect that you’ll make friends easily, you’ll likely be relaxed enough to make people around you feel at ease.

It also works the other way around. If you believe you don’t have the leadership skills to run a meeting, your insecurity will undermine your authority. If you expect you’ll clam up around the person you’re attracted to, you’ll find yourself sweating whenever you meet eyes.

What if we woke up and expected not only the best of ourselves and our efforts, but also the best in the unexpected? What if we expected that the things we can’t predict will somehow turn out for the best? What if we didn’t just believe in ourselves; we believed in our ability to adapt to the unknown?

We can never know exactly what’s coming, but we can know that no matter what happens, we can turn it into something good. We can know that no matter where our aspirations lead us, we can meet all our needs through our interpretations, attitude, and actions.

If you’re feeling stressed about the things you’re trying to accomplish, choose to expect the best in yourself – but more importantly, remember that you can find joy in tomorrow, no matter what it brings.

- Lori Deschene, from Tiny Buddha

Pick of the Post: Plug In Stereo – I Blame You

No related posts.

Believe in Transformation

Matt Corker — Fri, 04 May 2012 18:07:02 +0000

When others believe in us, we gain confidence.
When we believe in ourselves, our lives transform.

Thank you Arthur for such a powerful reminder:

And to that one yoga instructor that never lost faith in him, thank you. You are also a perfect reminder of what leadership truly is about.

Pick of the Post: Yuna – Life Your Life

No related posts.

Matt Corker

Is Yoga Meant To Be An Endurance Sport?

Don’t You Care For My Love?

Pay Attention To Who You Listen To

Pay attention to who you listen to.

I Don’t Have The Best Mom In The World

life is art.

Everything Is A Practice

Obama Endorses Same Sex Marriage

Tim Kiladze: Creating the Best Bonds Possible

We Get What We Expect

Believe in Transformation