The Yoga of Making Tough Decisions, Dance Breaks and All

Yoga, meditation, and mindfulness all provide tools to help us get in touch with ourselves, so that we can make tough choices about how to create the life we want. While sitting on the cushion, in the flow of a great yoga class, or consciously adhering to yogic philosophy, such as ahimsa (refraining from violence against ourselves or others), the yogic path comes in all forms—serious and otherwise.

Enter writer and journalist Marina Shifrin.

The 25-year-old posted an epic YouTube video that has gone viral. It resonates because it shows how humor and bravery can sometimes get us just where we need to be.

The clip shows Marina, who worked for Taiwanese animator Next Media Animation, dancing at work at 4:30 in the morning to Kanye West’s “Gone.” It’s basically a resignation letter with a twist. And while it may seem like a joke, on a deeper level, it represents the very essence of plunging into what yogis call the uncertainty of change.

"For almost two years, I've sacrificed my relationships, time, and energy for this job," she says. "And my boss only cares about quantity and how many views each video gets. So I figured I'd make one video of my own. I quit."

Yoga and its emphasis on right action, living in integrity, and making tough decisions can sometimes show up in nontraditional ways. Marina, in pursuing her goal to become a comedy writer, is making a bold step toward getting into alignment—by scrapping the job that saps all her energy. Sometimes, when we make big changes, those around us don’t understand. Marina says the video was actually her way of explaining to family and friends why she was packing her bags and coming back to America.

The lesson: While you don’t have to quit your job to be happy, sometimes daring to leave behind stability and comfort for an uncertain future pays off. It has for Marina, who has since received dozens of job offers and appeared this week on NBC’s Today Show.

Not to be outdone, her boss responded with this video, which can be summed up in two words: We’re hiring.

The video also inspired stay-at-home mom Brenna Jennings’ parody of life around the house, showing just how rough it can be—messy kitchen, unmade beds, and all.

Can you relate? Maybe it’s time for you to stage a dance break of your own.

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