At the start of every yoga class we’re urged to set an intention for the practice. The intention is set as something to grasp onto when the practice gets tough. When your muscles are aching and sweat is dripping down your forehead you can come back to your intention for strength and motivation.
Recently I made my second trip to an advanced yoga practice. The first one had been a miserable experience. Overwhelmed and unable to follow along with the instructor I spent most of the class lying on my mat. It had taken a few months before I braved the advanced class again, yet the memory of my failure was still in my mind.
I knew that the class was going to be just as hard, and I would feel overwhelmed, tired and frustrated. So I chose my intention carefully. This practice I was going to focus on one thought:
Be Encouraged By What You Learn
Be encouraged by learning, not by perfection. Even if I try a pose and fail, my muscles become stronger, I learn more about the technique. Even if I’m too tired to stand up, I watch others and learn from them.
Throughout the practice I felt encouraged by my frustrations. I felt encouraged when I couldn’t do a pose. I felt encouraged when my muscles ached and my body quivered. I felt encouraged by what I was learning in every moment.
Crossdress and Be Encouraged
Sometimes crossdressing is like the most difficult yoga practice. You’re frustrated because you can’t seem to get your makeup right. Your clothes don’t fit properly, you struggle to walk in heels and you ladder your stockings. Every step you take as a crossdresser seems manly, clumsy and awkward. You may even have people laugh at you, or stare with intense interest. Your feet might be hurting, sweat ruining your makeup and the teller calls you, ‘sir’.
Despite being excited at the prospect of a wonderful day spent en femme you end your day in despair. Cursing your transgendered misfortune.
But Be Encouraged By What You Learn
It’s easy to get caught in the perfection trap. Always striving for perfect, yet never achieving it. Each failure chipping away at your pride until you barely feel like wearing anything at all. Don’t let your own judgments stop you from crossdressing.
Wear those clothes, do your makeup, put on that wig. Do your feminine best, and be encouraged by what you learn. Even if all you learn is how ill suited that red sweater is for your figure, have fun being awfully gorgeous.
We’re all just practicing our femininity, some of us have been at it a while longer, that’s all.
More Articles by Vanessa Law
- 7 Essential Tips to Crossdressing
- Win a Free Makeup Prize Bundle from Jecca Blac
- A Few Changes in Our Family
- I Want to Live Like That
- Hope in Despair, Light through the Darkness
Hi all This is my first time on a site such as this my story is a long miserable one I’ve been dressing since I was 8 or 9 and it’s ruined my life , I have lost everything I have ever had thro dressing it caused me to hit the bottle,I was an alcoholic for 17 years till I got ill I lost my job my home and wife and kids thro the knock on effects of dressing to make matters worse I’m a manly hard ex marine. I loath myself to the point of wanting to take my… Read more »
Candy i understand your frustration. 20 year marriage, 4 kids,6 year marine and all the depression i could handle.until i accepted who i was. I was constantly angry and bitter towards others but worse off toward myself. I pray you find acceptance here, both of who you are and its okay to love yourself today.
Shauna
Hi Shauna
I’ve just read your message it could be me writing it , 3 kids a 17 year marriage followed by a short fiery 3 year marriage and 12 years in the service please tell me how I start to accept cross dressing I’ve fought against it all my life all my anger and depression is caused by it my currant partner is very supportive it’s me that isn’t ,I’m stubborn I guess ,I see both a physicist and physiologist and both say “what is wrong with it " any advice will be kindly accepted
Candy
Hi can anyone tell me to join crossdresser heaven ? When it tells me to let us know your human I can’t type anything
hola vanesa encantda de saludarlay darle las gracias por tan bonita pagina me encantan todos los consejos y aprender ha ser una buena mujer gracias por todo y esperando sus noticias , un beesito y feliz dia
Thank you for the encouraging article. I am just beginning my journey and every bit of encouragement helps. Thank you so very much.
I enjoy exploring Femininity and look for ways to embrace it through reading and experiencing. Finding ways to connect with the world of Women, and trying as best as possible, begin to see the world through a Woman’s eyes and develop those traits which define Femininity. I am curently reading Cokie Roberts’ Founding Mothers and have been profoundly illuminated as to the role of Females and what was expected of them in the colonies during the eighteenth century.
That was a wonderful read and presentation Vanessa.I have printed it to read to my support group . Hugs
Hi to all was once on here but lost my membership but anyway I’m back yes wigs are nice to have if don’t have the hair already an if don’t secure them when first putting em on they will fall off or twist n move on you however the best thing to do is grow out your own then don’t have that problem even though still have keep it washed n brushed make sure it’s kept maintained)zena
Well it is nice to read all the comments about cross dressing, I suffer many of the same problems. Taking in enough liquor I to will go to a club considered a gay club and have several drinks. Scared to death!!!! not many cross dresser (admitted cross dresser come out). Finding a sister to go out with is a major problem, one girl, scared two gurl’s very secure no problems. It seems every time I meet a sister in arm they are moving North oh well I’ll keep trying. For now limited to dressing and going for a drive around… Read more »
Two marriages three children, seven grandchildren and at the ripe old age of 63 I have finally found what’s been missing. The pleasure I get from my, all beit, secret cross dressing. I hope that I have found in this site a warm relaxing atmosphere to be who I want to be.