Hot Yoga. Evolve or die.

This is fun. ; )

Hot Yoga: Evolve or Die

I remember the first time I stepped into Paul McQuillian’s class at his Bikram Yoga studio in downtown Toronto. It was 2009 and I was dating his best friend. At that time I had a strong hot yoga practice and a zero tolerance for stillness, and that’s the way I liked it. I wanted to be told what to do and didn’t want time in between to think–I was the perfect Bikram student.

Bikram Choudhury, founder of the Bikram Yoga system, was doing something nobody had done before; he had successfully appropriated, branded and commercialized something that never belonged to him and sold it as his own. And people bought it.

Paul was (and still is) a tall drink of water. With piercing clear eyes, a beaming smile and a gentle yet commanding presence, he lights up every room he enters. I became instantly addicted and it wasn’t hard to commit myself to class 6 days a week. The sequence of 26 postures, done exactly the same way, with the same dialogue, in the same temperature, every single time… I didn’t have to think. I didn’t have to worry about what was coming next. Each day was about pushing myself further, getting that leg straighter, bending myself just a little deeper.

Eventually I broke up with the guy, moved away from Toronto and with it, away from the practice of hot yoga. I allowed myself to ease into that stillness and moved towards practices like Hatha, Vinyasa and Kundalini. Being so immersed in the yoga world, it was impossible to ignore the not-so-spiritual yoga scandals that were spreading like wildfire about Bikram and John Friend, the creator of Anusara Yoga. Both were being accused of inappropriate relations with female students, as well as experiencing publicized money drama. People immediately began to distance and separate themselves from the men behind the techniques they practiced. While Anusara seems to have all but disappeared, hot yoga (albeit branded ‘Bikram style’) is still going strong.

Once the namesake had been dethroned, what did that mean for all of the followers and teachers? What did that mean for Paul? I saw that he had written and published a book: I Hate Yoga: And Why You’ll Hate to Love it Too. He renamed his studio Be Hot Yoga and business is currently booming so much that he is about to add a second room where he will offer non-hot options and shorter classes. I caught up with him in Toronto to pick his brain about how hot yoga has managed to survive–and even thrive–despite the scandal.

We spoke about the challenge of finding authenticity in the business of spirituality in an urban world. My impression was that Toronto was always this giant, soulless city that loved a good brand. However, I realized it was the contrary as Paul told me it was actually the smaller boutique studios that were now thriving despite all the big yoga studios that had moved in to capitalize. “The whole ‘spiritual brand’ is built on word of mouth. People hear about your studio and they come and check it out,” he explains. In other words, integrity of personal experience is overtaking brand name marketing and recognition. After a retreat with a business mentor Paul was told survival advice: “Don’t go back and change everything; take it really slow because it will kill your business.”

Slowly he started to integrate changes that never would have been allowed under Bikram’s strict rules. Paul wanted to adapt the practice towards the needs and interests of his students, both current and future. “Modifying the Bikram method so you have 60, 75 and 90 minute classes, that’s what people want,” he says. His main demographic are now ages 25-34. “They look at a schedule and see 90 minutes and they’re daunted by that. Then they see 60 minutes and say ‘I can do anything for 60 minutes!’”

As he saw his attendance increase, he wondered what else he could change. “To me it was about evolving. What do people want? How can I get more people doing yoga? They want instant gratification, they have less attention span. The yoga market has had to evolve or die based on the clientele… like McDonalds–now they have to have salads.”

The yoga world is a product and so it becomes a question of legitimacy and authenticity. This can be solved by having great teachers who provide legitimacy by connecting with students and helping them in their journey. People want intimacy and connection.

At the end of the day it is Paul who is having the last laugh. Taking me back to the old studio, he showed me where the expansion was going to go and how he was planning to integrate other types of yoga and even meditation–slowly, of course.

I hardly think Bikram would approve… and that’s exactly why it’ll work.

Michelle Lipper (Poppy and Seed Magazine)

IF TRUMP WERE A YOGI…

If Donald Trump were a yogi, instead of a mat, towel and water, he would arrive with a Red Bull, jowel and fodder.

He would demand that a “shock”(ra) wall be built around his mat and the mats of other yogis.

He would not practice without a “rug.”

He would belittle the teacher and bring his phone into the room.

He would ask that all yogis of non-white origin be disallowed to practice beside him so that he could avoid experiencing “minimum rage.” He would call this a fair trade, for his omnipotent presence.

He would pass gas. It would be taxing to others, but personally beneficial to him “on the (w)hole.”

He would not be able to see himself in the mirror, like, at ALL!

Some would see him as a comedy HIT. Others, as an energy kilLER.

His “posturing” would be brilliant, his postures incorrect and un-adjustable.

His form would be atrocious, his depth shallow, his benefits poor.

He would sweat bullets. Literally.

And then something miraculous would happen: Reason would ensue. Compassion would prevail. Humanity would beckon.

He would be given permission to fail and fail miserably. Then, euphoria would overcome judgment and healing would win the day.

Yes, Donald Trump would fall silent with humility and a joy would envelop us all with the realization that we, as a species, are one—and even his dark soul can be shown light and afforded forgiveness.

For this we pray (hard) and say, “Namaste.”

Paul McQuillan ~ Author of #1 Bestseller, “I Hate Yoga” (Morgan James Publishing, 2015, NYC)

Bikram Freedom

In one of the final scenes of the best movie EVER made, Braveheart (IMHO—or more accurately, my humble “Scottish” opinion), the lead character, William Wallace, is being tortured relentlessly on a device that you won’t find at your local Home Depot.

Instead of giving in to his oppressive captors, he honors every overly-stretched bone in his body by screaming with rightful indignation from the very core of his being: “Freedom!!”

It’s a powerful moment, one that came to mind this week when I noticed that yet another yoga peer decided to change the name of her studio, removing the Bikram moniker, in turn offering her clientele more class choices and variety.

I get excited when I see individuals transcend the status quo and move to courageously embrace the liberating feeling of change.

It doesn’t always lead to success, no doubt. But its authenticity should always be applauded.

As more and more once-devout Bikram yogis distance themselves from the man, while continuing to offer up the yoga series he brought to the western world, it would be easy to surmise that it’s simply a tactical maneuver to keep the baby and throw out the bathwater.

It is. So what?

Most people are wise enough to abandon a sinking ship. And if some of the ship’s remnants are recovered intact, it might make sense to use some of the materials to build a better one. You’ll need new tools of course, but those will just be used to make the next vessel even stronger and sturdier.

Bikram yoga was a cult. Let’s face it. I fell prey to it and so did thousands of others. But it’s time to finally step away from the oppressive, archaic “principles” that have been the main ingredient in the Bikram brain-washing shampoo we’ve all lathered up with and allowed to sink into our heads.

I get it. It’s embarrassing. No one wants to feel like they are that impressionable. Our intentions were good. They really were. But now it’s time to pull our shit together and show some autonomy in our new roles as independent leaders, not sheep.

Bikram, the man, is stuck and refuses to evolve. This is evident by his latest tirade in the form of an extremely rude, presumptuous and disrespectful letter sent out to all his “followers” demanding that they bow to his misguided narcissism.

He may still have some redeeming attributes and we can likely commend him for certain qualities, but that’s like touting our new Pope because he’s a step up from his predecessors (Last time I checked, this Pope still doesn’t adhere to gay marriage or a woman’s right to an abortion.)

It’s all just not good enough for men who are supposed to be true leaders.

In light of all of this, there is nothing even remotely cocky or disrespectful about mouthing these words:

“Thanks for everything, but we’ll take it from here.”

And if you’re still feeling trapped by the weight of the status quo and all who doubt your ability to step outside the (burning) box, it might just be time to summon up your own William Wallace and bellow mercilessly to the yoga heavens:

“Freedom!!!!”

Paul McQuillan – Author of #1 Bestseller, “I Hate Yoga” (Morgan James Publishing, NYC, 2015)  http://ow.ly/SYIHx

HOW “Selfish” OF ME!

Happy to announce that “I Hate Yoga” went to #1 on Amazon Kindle today! It’s nice to know that readers are hating yoga both physically AND electronically. It’s all about balance.
On another note, I’d like to thank Kim Kardashian for not putting her book in the same category as mine on Amazon. In a perfect world, I’d like to think that a book about bettering yourself through yoga would easily trump a collection of sassy cellphone selfies compiled in a “book” entitled “Selfish.”
Ya know. In a perfect world.
Ironically, it was very unselfish and gracious of Kim to not list her book in the “fitness”, “health” and “yoga” categories.
As you can see, this picture of Kim balancing on a box after drinking organic, alcohol-free champagne and moisturizing her skin with body oil she collected from the sweat of ex-lovers, is proof that she would have KILLLED me in EVERY category.
‪#‎grateful‬ ‪#‎respect‬ ‪#‎deletetheprevioustwohashtags‬

Bikram. What’s in a name?

Bikram Choudhury. What’s in a name?

Your name is your legacy. Its mark should not be underestimated. It can have the power—even after you’ve passed—to evoke strong emotions in those you have affected in this world. It is, and always will be, a moniker of all that you represent.

Just to use the political world alone as an example, the memory or very thought of a name can bring up a dominant emotion in an entire nation.

Pierre Trudeau. Pride.

Richard Nixon. Shame.

Margaret Thatcher. Conviction.

Martin Luther King. Fearlessness.

The same applies to sports (Muhammad Ali. Warrior.), broadcasting (Barbara Walters. Groundbreaking), poets (Maya Angelou. Heartfelt.), CEOs (Steve Jobs. Visionary.), musicians (Beatles. Iconic.), and most importantly, YOU (insert your own word here).

Men and women throughout history have fought for their lives to repair, restore, save or elevate the integrity of “their good name” (and all it stands for), sometimes at the expense of their very lives. Let’s just use the letter “J” as an example: Joan of Arc. Jesus. JFK. Justin Timberlake. Just kidding on that last one. Couldn’t resist. But who knows?

It would be a careless mistake to underestimate the value of a name.

To speak only for myself, when I hear the name Bikram, I think narcissist. My body feels narcissism; my thoughts turn to narcissism and my energy becomes subconsciously affected in a negative manner.

I don’t want to hear the name anymore. I don’t want to see it anymore; especially while I’m practicing yoga. So, it’s out. I don’t want it consciously or subconsciously affecting me, my staff or my students.

At our studio (now re-branded with the word Bikram obliterated from our landscape), we practice 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises that may or may not have been compiled by Bikram Choudhury and/or Bishnu Ghosh, his guru. The facts behind who actually “created” the series—an interesting verb to use given that most of the yoga postures themselves date back to what we can deem the pre-Bikram era—are as murky and dubious as Bikram’s claim of curing Nixon of advanced thrombophlebitis in just three days in 1972.

Nonetheless, this series of postures is in the public domain. For anybody to claim “ownership” of a yoga series is so ridiculous it doesn’t deserve elaboration.

I want people to heal from yoga. I want my name and the teachers I am blessed to work with to facilitate that healing, and perhaps leave a legacy of trust, goodwill and integrity in the process. That is my “modus operandi.”

I went through that hazing disguised as a teacher-training program that Bikram continues to offer. I watched the daily abuse of power by Bikram and his minions.

That’s all over now.

I have greater aspirations.

What’s in a name? Time will tell. But there’s one thing I can say with conviction: My name will not be tarnished, associated or affected in any way by the name of a man for whom I have no respect.

My legacy may not be grand. But the coat that father time drapes around my shoulders will be constructed entirely of my own moral fabric, not just the coat tails of Bikram Choudhury.

Will yours?

Paul McQuillan – Author of #1 Bestseller, I Hate Yoga (Morgan James Publishing, 2015)

Guru Be Gone!

GURU BE GONE

“When Chuck Norris does yoga, there is only one guru: Chuck Norris.”

~ Chuck Norris joke. One of thousands.

In this information age, it is becoming clearer that individuals are more autonomous than ever, and we are actually entering into an era where mentors are becoming less common. The same applies in the yoga world. As yogis develop a better understanding of whatever yoga they are practicing and begin to comprehend the basic form of postures and the will required to execute them, so-called gurus will become somewhat scarce.

I’ve always been of the opinion that admiring someone too much can have an adverse effect on the admirer because it relieves him or her of the accountability accompanied by potential greatness.

Greatness can be a daunting responsibility, no doubt. It would seem much easier to let others be giants and simply follow in their path, all the while staying just below the bar they have set.

Too many budding protégés have fallen prey to this common formula, but I really believe the tide is changing.

As an example, I have yogis asking me well-educated questions regarding Hatha yoga, and when I give what I believe to be a definitive response, it is followed by yet another astute question, taking us further into the subject. My word is not taken as fact and if there’s even a suspicion of anything dubious being offered in my teachings, a quick Google search that evening will bring the student back—questioning my possibly outdated and suspect knowledge—the very next day.

Discernment is a greater part of the learning process now. It’s a positive and valuable evolvement.

When I trained with Tony Sanchez in Mexico in the early part of 2014, his humility, openness and accessibility were refreshing. His teaching styles were the antithesis of Bikram’s who clearly favors a more dictatorial approach. Tony was the Switzerland to Bikram’s Nazi Germany.

As a matter of fact, some of Tony’s first words were, “I want you to question everything.” And we did. We came at him with years of brewing scrutiny surrounding everything we thought we knew—and he calmly disarmed us with the most powerful weapons in his personal arsenal: knowledge, mutual respect, experience and kindness.

It’s possible that mentoring will not die if the way we mentor can evolve and become less about superiority and more about the depth of experience matched with facts and a comprehensive understanding of the subject. Add mutual respect to the mix and the makings of a meaningful relationship between teacher and student will simply eliminate the unnecessary and somewhat pressure-laden title of mentor.

In the subject of yoga, the guru-eclipse will help more people move towards practicing for the first time because they may just be less intimidated by the self-righteous salad-eater they envision to be their yoga teacher.

I have many friends who won’t go near a yoga studio because the pretentiousness they experienced during their first few visits was enough to make them want to kick the teacher in the face, leaving a considerably ugly carbon footprint.

Understandable. A year ago, while vacationing in another city, my girlfriend and I listened to a yoga teacher go on annoyingly about how important it was to her that the studio go paperless, not realizing that we just watched her pull into her parking spot in a gas-guzzling truck so big it could only be used to carry the staggering weight of her hypocrisy.

I know that hundreds of Bikram’s loyal followers are now dumbfounded—to the point of being completely heartbroken—by the mere notion that the man behind the yoga they love may not be the respected, lead-by-example guru he once was. The flies around him are too many to ignore.

But if there’s a silver lining here, it’s that they now have to move forward with a platform constructed of their own principles. They have been pushed into a corner in which a bright light is shining down upon them and questions that can no longer be delegated to the Bikram camp are being pointedly asked.

This presents a wonderful opportunity for ownership and hopefully a clearer understanding of how to become the shepherd and not just another one of the sheep.

Whether voluntarily stepping away from the reliance of mentorship or being forcibly pushed beyond it, the result can be delightfully liberating.

You’re the guru now.

With any bloody war, there are often a few unsuspecting casualties. So, as we continue to drive a stake into the heart of yoga’s society-born bastard child, it seems only fitting to watch calmly as the sun rises in the background and burns out the eyes of its brethren, the bogus guru.

An excerpt from #1 Bestseller, I Hate Yoga (Morgan James Publishing, NYC 2015)

Author: Paul McQuillan 

Bitter Birthday Beefs!

I don’t’ want to bore you, but I’m going to write a sentence that is very true for me. Once you’ve read it, don’t stop. The more interesting, dark stuff is on its way. Here it is:

Today is my birthday and I am so filled with gratitude for everyone and everything in my life that just the thought of my good fortune fills my eyes with tears of disbelief.

I truly have NOTHING to complain about.

Yet, somehow the day will go by and I will have whined about a few first world problems, regardless of my earnest intention to take the happy highroad.

It’s just so easy to bitch. We do it all the time. We just don’t post it on Facebook. We’re successful, joyous and flourishing with accomplishment on Facebook. When we do spew venom on social media, we’re usually sanctimoniously judged by the self-righteous. After all, it’s so much easier to judge and scorn bitter assholes than it is to actually be one.

But today is my birthday, damn it. So, I’m gonna be a bitch today and I’m going to make a list (I hate lists so I’m strangely torturing myself as well) of stuff that irks me. In so doing, I hope to exorcise a few demons.

I’m not sweating the small stuff here. I think I’m tackling issues without putting forth the worldly—and perhaps impossible—effort to solve them. It’s not particularly constructive or contributive. It’s just grandiloquent bitching.

If you don’t like it, too bad. It’s not your birthday, it’s mine. So suck it.

Bitter birthday beef #1

I don’t understand why planes keep falling out of the air, but when they do—and I happen to be watching the news—how many times do I need to see the video footage? Is five times enough? Or, is it somehow predetermined by the media-Gods and their sadomasochistic-sensationalism that I need to view the fucked-up footage at least one hundred times my age.

I know. My fault, you say? Just look away? Yeah, I suppose that’s an option. So is having salad with a burger. But no one does it.

Bitter birthday beef #2

Fuck you, cancer. There, I said it. Hey, cancer! Go fuck yourself! My best friend’s mother was just diagnosed with a stage three cancer the other day. This was her reward for taking care of her husband—who has been ill for years—and managing a family that has seen more than its share of hardships.

My mother has had her breasts removed from cancer. My father (now passed) had prostate cancer.

We’ve likely all seen the relentless and unforgiving effects of this evil condition in its many elusive forms, and the more evolved and forgiving path would be acceptance. But that’s for another day. Today it’s this: Fuck you, cancer!

Bitter birthday beef #3

Space Travel.

“Hey, we’re going to put a man on Mars.”

How about putting a man in an apartment? It’s cold out.

If you’re one of those assholes who applied to spend a stupid amount of money—money that you’re not going to give to a deserving charity—to get on that flight to Mars, please read the first two words of beef #2.

If this is some weird way of believing you will achieve immortality, you’re part of the problem. The reality is that you’re going to die. We all are. Peace comes from your acceptance of that fact, not your self-serving disillusionment that Mars will offer up some Buck Rogers-Nirvana that will solve all your suffering—while those you leave behind do the actual suffering.

Go to a yoga class and contemplate this thought for hours, as it may just change your mind: You’re going to die. Deal with it. It’s not science fiction. It’s real.

Bitter birthday beef #4

Bikram Choudhury

Sure, you gave us a cool yoga series. Thanks for that. Now, start behaving like a mentor, not a predator.

I’m guessing the damage is done and it might be too late for that, but for the love of Buddha and all things yoga: Get. It. Together.

 

Whew. Glad it’s not my birthday every day.

Okay, as you were.

Paul McQuillan – Author of #1 Bestseller, I Hate Yoga (Morgan James Publishing, NYC, 201

Get your copy! 

JE SUIS L’AMOUR

JE SUIS L’AMOUR

Sexual harassment. Terrorism. Domestic Violence. Extreme weather events.

On any given day, gloomy or downright terrifying news is ushered relentlessly into our psyches through whatever source of information we make the choice to accommodate: television, Smartphone, laptop, newspaper, or a quick chat in the coffee line at Starbucks.

It’s easy to let ourselves get consumed in the drama of it all. It only takes a moment to conclude, with salient clarity­­–and “concrete evidence” through social media–that “the world is a horrible place and the people in it are awful.”

But you’re wrong. It isn’t. And they aren’t.

The beauty of the world is rarely newsworthy. And the true essence of human beings is seldom explored. But it exists so innately and with such authenticity that it’s really the only “headline” that can be trusted and embraced.

It gets better. You see, your essence is illuminated by qualities that feed it during every moment of your existence, allowing it to shine with the light of a thousand stars. It’s nourished by compassion, strength, will, forgiveness, joy and a host of other glorious superlatives that protect and surround it like a mother’s belly safeguards her unborn child.

Your essence is love. But you already knew that. You may not make the choice to know it, but it’s a profound truth that is as accessible to you in any given moment as a smile is to your face.

Accessing it in yourself and other human beings usually begins with an inward exploration, but once you understand that the seed has already been planted, you need only let it grow.

Yoga is a facilitator of love. It helps it grow through a cultivation of the body and mind, ultimately creating a portal to the human spirit.

Just as love has its contributors, as does yoga. Its comrades are strength, discipline, awareness, clarity, focus and breath.

In yoga, there is a Sanskrit word called Dharma. Your dharma is your purpose in life, your path, your passion.

When I sat on the deathbed of my father, he opened his eyes for a moment before taking his final breath. He looked deeply into the eyes of his four children who surrounded him. I will never forget that moment. There was only love in his eyes, and only love was reflected back to him through ours. That constant exchange of love continues to this day. It doesn’t have to be seen anymore. It is felt and known.

You don’t need to be told that your essence is love, but when you need to be reminded, don’t let today’s headlines be your ambassador. Let yoga, once again, introduce you to this truth:

I am love.

Je Suis L’Amour.

Paul McQuillan, author of #1 Bestseller, I Hate Yoga, Morgan James Publishing, NYC 2015, Get your copy here!

You are beautifully flawed! Let yoga help you embrace this glorious truth.

If you have NEVER tried yoga and you’re intimidated or scared, I want to help.

Alarming stats show that most people who could actually benefit from a yoga practice, feel that they are too old, fat, inflexible, weak, or lacking in mental strength to simply begin. (Studies in book)
NONE of these things are true.

Yoga is a subjective journey and it can start you on a path of healing, clarity and joy…as well as moderate amounts of frustration, sadness, and anger. You and the world you inhabit thrive on the elusiveness and occasional discovery of balance.
YOU ARE BEAUTIFULLY FLAWED. Our world is beautifully flawed.
Imperfection is the essence of beauty.
What yoga can do is simply help you understand this truth, accept it, and embrace it with all of your heart; embrace your flawed, imperfect, beautiful self.
Go on a hate-to-love yoga journey that will bend your mind and heal your body with my book, I Hate Yoga. I wrote this book to help. It is my humble and earnest belief that it can help YOU!

I also want to be clear on something else: This is not a shameless profit-promotion. These days, with the exception of the likes of Oprah Winfrey and J.K. Rowling, most authors do not make a profit from their books. The royalties paid are incredibly small once they are spit out of the publishing machine.
Most authors today write because they have something to say, share, confess, deliberate, contemplate, debate, explore, present or pontificate…with YOU. If others didn’t benefit from our scribes, what would be the point?
Happy New Year, lovely people. Enjoy the journey.

Paul McQuillan – Author of #1 Bestseller, I Hate Yoga (Morgan James Publishing, 2015) GET YOUR COPY HERE!

Generation Y…are you ALWAYS late?

I had a recent email exchange with a new yoga student who complained that she arrived for a 12pm class and the doors were locked. I asked what time she got to the studio. “Around 12:10” she wrote, without a hint of irony or remorse.

I explained that we don’t allow latecomers and once class starts, the door and elevator to the studio are locked. It’s protocol that honors the yoga series and the students.

She wrote back that if she couldn’t be late for classes, then the studio would not suit her needs; needs which obviously include not following rules or showing common decency to other people.

I’m realizing that these “needs” have proliferated within the audacious social realm of one particular generation. Y.

Let’s be clear: This won’t be a popular post for those of you who are responsible, accountable and more to the point, familiar with the ever-more-elusive concept of punctuality.

So, if your immediate reaction is to become defensive, ask yourself “Y”? Is it because there’s some truth to my rant, or are you offended due of the incredible inhumanity and generation discrimination I display in even suggesting the following, which is this:

Generation Y needs to take a mandatory course (government-funded, naturally) on how to be on time, because it’s my argument that a large percentage of this generation actually doesn’t know the basic definition of the word “punctual.”

Humor my sarcasm (perhaps inherent in my generation?) and allow me to post the definition of the word from our Oxford friend:

Punctual: Happening or doing something at the agreed or proper time.

Let’s put aside that the Oxford dictionary actually rewards those who honor the word as being “happening” and look at the two words that jump out here: “agreed” and “proper.”

When the “proper” time for a yoga class is 12pm, that’s when it starts. It’s an “agreement” made between those who actually arrive on time and the establishment offering the class at said time. The arrangement, when executed properly in the above manner, gives birth to and ultimately breeds another fine word: respect.

The first part of the course on time should spend at least 3 hours explaining this vague and confusing concept to Generation Y participants—the course will actually only be two hours and a bit because no one will be there for the first hour, but it’s a start.

Then, another ugly word is going to have to be included in the curriculum: entitlement.

It should be clearly pointed out that being late not only shows disrespect for the poor soul(s) doing their best to tolerate your chronic lateness, but it also adds salt to the tardy-wound when you feel entitled to your lateness. When you insist on owning it with the suspiciously motivated pride of a snake-oil salesman, it turns you into an even bigger jerk than you already are.

Hey, we’re ALL late at times, but when you’re late more often than not and your arrival is not accompanied by a sincere, heartfelt apology and a worthy explanation as to why you’re late, you just upped the asshole-ante.

And if you’re “always late” and use that self-serving, non-contributing phrase as some sort of fucked-up rationale to free yourself of accountability and crucify common sense, another requirement will be to explain why you feel you’re more important than the people who were waiting for your ass.

I know. I sound angry and in need of yoga, but hey, it’s fun to get this stuff off one’s chest, and while it’s a generalization of sorts that may cause moans from Gen Y, there is most certainly data out there that can back all this up. There has to be. It’s just too prevalent and obvious to be made up. I’d look for it now,  but I promised to meet a friend for lunch, and seeing as they fall under the classification of being another human being, I thought I’d be, y’know…

ON. TIME.

This Huffington Post article (http://ow.ly/G4bzG) does its best to create some scientific backing and offers Lucy (a Generation Y-gal) three important tips at the end of the piece: 1) Stay wildly ambitious 2) Stop thinking that you’re special 3) Ignore everyone else.

I’d like to add #4: Be. On. Time.

Paul McQuillan (author of #1 Bestseller, I Hate Yoga, Morgan James Publishing NYC, 2015)