Originally published by our elephriends over at Recovering Yogi on January 27, 2012. 

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Sh*t I say.

By Kirk Hensler

All those videos about Sh*t Different People Say really got to me.

They put me in a funk.  I mean, they described me to a T.  I felt insecure about myself.  I came to know how some of the angry readers of my articles felt.  I wanted to comment on YouTube and mention how appalled I was, but then I remembered (from being on the other side) that it would just make me look like a guilty bitch.

Things got bad for me.  I started wearing a disguise into Whole Foods.  I couldn’t even grab for a coconut water without looking around to make sure no one was looking at me, judging me.  And f*ck, I was making green smoothies for years before that yoga chick!  But who was going to believe me now?  Just another bandwagon bitch.

I couldn’t keep living like that, even if it did make me feel good.  Everyone was starting to think it was cool to eat well and practice yoga, and it made me feel average to be a part of it.  I hated that feeling.

I decided to say f*ck it.

So I’ve gone in the opposite direction as of late.  I’m drinking during the day a lot — liquor mostly.  I’ve started smoking cigarettes during my yoga classes, usually during back-bending.  And I only eat food if it’s been deep fried for an hour or more.  When someone gives me a green smoothie, I slap it out of their hands in disgust.  My friend asked me if I wanted to go to a kirtan the other night; I told her to go f*ck herself.

I ordered cable TV.  Moved into my mom’s basement.  Got a 52” flatscreen and a really nice water bong.  I’ve put on some weight, little bit of black under my eyes… well, a lot, really.  But f*ck it, I’m happy with the new me! Been watching a lot of that FOX News stuff.  That O’Reilly guy is pretty interesting.  Maybe I’ve had it wrong this whole time?  All these new age sh*theads running around being all healthy and in touch with their bodies, elevating their existence, they are totally missing out.  I can TIVO sh*t, and then fast forward through commercials.  I never would have known that before.

Some of my friends are a bit concerned with my behavior these days.  But I know they’re just jealous about my new “I don’t give a f*ck if there’s Cheetos on my fingers” attitude.  They’ll come around; they always do.

And for those of you ready to join me now, have you ever puffed an American Spirit in Urdhva Danurasana?  I’ll give you a drag, sh*t’s the bomb.

About Kirk Hensler

Kirk Hensler was raised in metro Detroit on a steady diet of meat, potatoes and team sports. As a competitive athlete, he relied on his speed, power and dominant attitude to excel. Years later, when he took up martial arts, he was tossed around a sweaty dojo for months by various women and children. One day, while horizontal on the mat, he had the profound realization that their patience and finesse quietly trumped his strength and aggression. This led to an exploration of ancient Eastern philosophies, which, in turn, led Kirk to Taiwan, where he taught English, studied martial arts and ate a lot of delicious and strange street food. When Kirk returned to the US, he began applying what he’d learned to his Western, urban life and to his career as a wellness coach, martial arts instructor, and yoga teacher.

Artwork by: Vanessa Fiola