This January I committed to a 30 day yoga journey. Before I was ready to set new intentions and goals for 2022, I was called to reconnect and re-commit to a practice that has been such an integral part of my healing journey.
The Yoga with Adriene theme for class yesterday, Day 25, was Release…
It was a really powerful one for me. During class, and throughout the day, I reflected on all of the things that I’ve had to release in order to get where I am today.
So often, forward progress and success feels like doing. Pushing harder, striving higher.
But on the other side is the release. Those people, places, things, ideas, that we need to let go of in order to create space for what’s meant to be
The Key to Success: Release
Anger and Grief
This one held me back for a long time after my Mom died. I was angry. At the universe for letting her get pancreatic cancer, at her for not handling it the way that I would have, at my life that would never be the same.
It wasn’t until I unraveled the anger and identified the grief that I was able to begin moving forward. Working with a therapist was essential for me. I was finally able to release the anger, lean into the grief, and allow my life to grow and expand around it.
All or Nothing Thinking
I was raised to believe that things were either right or wrong. Taught that I was either successful or I wasn’t. There was an order to things and as long as I followed it, all would be well with the world.
I learned the hard way that life is not as black and white as it once appeared. Realizing the many shades of gray was equal parts terrifying and exhilarating, but an absolute game changer in my personal journey.
Fear of Failure
“Failure is a detour, not a dead end street”
Life Changing. Fully embracing that it’s ok to fall down, to change your mind, or to pivot.
No answer is the final answer and the road to success, and to happiness, will undoubtedly be filled with failure and disappointment. It’s not personal, it’s not about me or about you. It’s just part of the process.
The Opinion of Others
Wowzers, this is a biggie. And can I (or anyone) really claim to not be impacted by the opinion of others? Probably not.
What has changed is my approach. Greeting these opinions with a sense of curiosity vs. certainty. A broader awareness of how they impact me offers perspective and an opportunity to loosen my grip.
This release has shifted my relationship with the opinion of others and allowed me to forge ahead anyway.
A Scarcity Mindset
The ruminating thoughts of “will I make enough money?”, “do I have enough time?”, “do I have enough skills?”. The constant worry and wondering if I am enough.
Shifting out of scarcity and into abundance was crucial for me in gaining forward momentum. Releasing the worry and finding trust in the knowing that the universe has my back. I have everything that I need to succeed.
Perfection
Eeek. For a hardcore, Type A, PT this was a really difficult ask. Realizing that my need for control and perfection was largely contributing to keeping me stuck. I had severe analysis paralysis.
Once I began taking imperfect action everyday things started to shift and I learned to fully embrace that “done is better than perfect”. I closed my eyes and hit send (on the blog posts, job applications, and networking emails).
If I can do it, you can too!
How Life Is Supposed to Go
Shit happens. Don’t let it keep you stuck.
I had a vision for my life and when it didn’t go as planned, I felt lost. In the grasp of expectations and societal norms, I went with the flow. I was fine. Until one day I wasn’t.
Until I decided that it was time to release the vision that I once had for myself so that I could create a new life that is even more amazing!
Thank you so much for reading, for being here, and for striving to be your best self.
I’d love to hear if any of these resonated for you. Drop a comment and let me know!