Continuing the Journey
January is often a time for fresh starts and new year's resolutions - it's full of optimism, hopes and dreams. But the bushfires have made it difficult to go on with business as usual...
It's like we're in limbo - waiting for the chaos to end, so the year can truly begin. But there will always be challenges, and we can't let ourselves to get stuck here...
For someone who loves to plan and daily 'to-do' lists - I've had a slow start to the year. Without all my usual classes to teach or uni to attend, I've been sleeping in and watching movies in the middle of the day.
My 2020 goals board is still blank and I worry that I'm being lazy, wasting time or missing out on opportunities. I warn myself - that whatever I do now will set the tone for the rest of the year... Maybe I should be doing more, trying harder?!
2019 was a big year! There were some truly great achievements. But nothing was wrapped up in a neat ending and I've come to realise that life is not a series of beginning and endings, like a collection of short stories. It’s more like an epic saga that's always - to be continued...
Do you feel uncomfortable if you have no plans or nothing to do? Are you always searching for the next shiny new thing? What if you embraced the quiet moments and learned to just be, rather than do?
The things I want to do this year are the same or very similar to last year, so there's not as much excitement to bounce off or as many milestones to motivate me. Life simply goes on - an ongoing story of yoga, writing and everyday tasks.
If you're like me and like to tick things off your list, that can be a daunting realisation...
Sitting in meditation this week, I was reminded of a friend who wears a tortoise charm (remember the story of the Tortoise and the Hare?) to remind her that not everything is achieved with speed. I am comforted by the idea that doing things for the sake of staying busy may not always be the right action.
Learning to go at our own pace is something many of us struggle with. We compare ourselves to others and feel multiple pressures and expectations from our family, friends and society.
On the yoga mat, we learn to accept and work with our body and mind, however they show up on each given day. But in life we tend to push and force things more.
So, I've settled into this quiet place for now - where life continues slowly, all the while knowing that it can and will change at any moment.
Join me on the mat to move into the year at a calm and steady pace...
Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.
- George Bernard Shaw
