Week 1: Beginnings and Becoming
I truly believe that the toughest part of a journey is the beginning, the moment in which we can no longer stay where we are and so we take that bold step outside of our comfort zone onto a new path. So often we find ourselves hanging onto what is safe, what is comfortable, but not necessarily what is serving us. Change is the ONLY constant in the Universe, and yet, so often we wish it defied it's very definition. We cling to the past, stuck in familiarity and habits we’ve grown comfortable with, long past the point of them serving us. Why? Because with change, comes fear. Fear of the unknown, the uncertainty’s, the “what if’s”.
“What if it all goes wrong?”
“What if I fail?”
“What if it isn’t for me?”
But what if it all goes right?
We seem to place so much emphasis on making the RIGHT decision. It’s almost like we forget that even the WRONG ones will lead us in the RIGHT direction.
Think about it.
How often has a seemingly “wrong” decision actually guided you down a path to something better suited to you? Think about the relationships that have not worked out but also gave you deeper insight into yourself, your needs and boundaries, and ultimately created space for someone new to enter your life. Think about the jobs you’ve lost but that have shifted you into a different career path. Think about how every closed door is asking us to walk through the open ones.
Instead of looking at change as “right or wrong” or “good or bad”, what if we just accepted beginnings and endings as a natural part of life. Anytime you’re going to grow, you’re also going to lose something. This may include people, places, or even former versions of ourselves. And trust me, it’s not always painless. But this is where the magic happens.
And so this brings me back to the point of all of this:
The beginning is often the toughest part of the journey.
Beginnings can be terrifying because they ask us to step outside of our comfort zone and embrace the unknown. I am here to remind you, that even here, amidst the unknowns, there is room to breathe and you don’t have to have it all figured out.
I’ll admit it, I’m a beginning addict. I LOVE starting projects, ideas, and paths that I never end up following through on. It has been really important for me to stay connected to the soft whispers of my heart by taking time to honour the beginnings. Before starting a project or a shift, I find it helpful to sit with this first step in the journey and create clarity around why I’m choosing this path.
Before we get started on this month of yoga, self-love and discovery, I implore you to consider this beginning and what it means for you (because it will be a different journey for everyone). So grab a journal and just freely start to answer the following questions, taking as much time as you need:
Why am I choosing to take this challenge?
Where do I feel like I have not been showing up fully for myself? (eg. not enough “me” time, not moving your body, procrastinating etc.)
What do I need to let go of to be fully present over these next few weeks together?
What do I want to call into this next month? Look at your answers from question 1 & 2, and begin to create an intention (eg. peace, grace, self-care, space). Write it down in BIG BOLD LETTERS on a new page. It’s a beautiful moment to flip through your journal and be reminded of this intention.
**If you feel stuck in answering any of these, just simply start to write and let the words flow even if it doesn’t make sense. Think of this as a word dump onto your page. You may even be surprised at what shows up.
Finally, the most powerful part of the beginning of a journey is the wait; it is sitting with it long enough to finally accept that we can no longer stay where we are. It is then that we shed the skin of who we used to be and allow ourselves to step into who we are becoming. Because where you are, is not who you are; you are constantly becoming. Let your faith in this journey be stronger than any doubts or fears.
***Every week I will post a different theme as well as journaling questions and activities to prompt you to engage with the content and consider how you can shift your perspective and see the world with a new set of eyes. In knowing why we are taking this journey, we create a foundation of trust and guidance for the moments ahead where we’d rather not show up. Thank you for trusting in me to guide you through the next month, I am so grateful to spend this time with you. I’ll leave you with a quote from my badass lady, Michelle:
“For me, becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self. The journey doesn’t end.”