End of an Era
Hi friend,
Last night I was drafting up a blog all about how we are nearing the end of a decade! As 2019 comes to an end there is a big shift happening as we enter 2020! Coincidently, this morning one of the first emails I received was from my business coach Marie Forleo discussing this exact topic. She has created three call to action videos to reflect on the past decade of your life so that you can be more intentional as you enter into this next decade. I thought it would be fun to share the videos with you as well as my takeaways. We can reflect and set our intentions together. I have included a link to the first video on the bottom of this page. The rest of this blog is me sharing my insights from the first video exercise which focused on what you’re most proud of over the past decade and biggest lessons you’ve learned.
I’m really looking forward to doing these exercises with you and setting ourselves up to have the BEST decade EVER!
Decade In Review: Part one
What I’m most proud of and WHY?
Building a relationship with my body based on love. I looked back on my photos over the last 10 years and as I looked at myself I was able to recall the relationship I had with my body at that point in time. In a lot of the photos I noticed scabs on my face from when I would obsess over my skin and either a itty bitty version of me or excess. It took a long time for me to make peace with my body. But that happened through educating myself, going to see professionals, and letting go. I had to accept my skin & body as it was and learn how to support it so that it could heal. I started using only natural oils on my face, getting regular facials, and trying my hardest not to touch my skin. What has made the biggest difference in my relationship with my body is educating myself on anatomy. Learning and understanding muscles, bones, and joints has really helped me to connect with my body and work with it. Then taking that knowledge and applying it when I’m practicing yoga, lifting weights, or getting a massage. Creating a deeper understanding and relationship with my body has helped me to support it, instead of being cruel to my body for all the things I didn’t like about it.
Travels! In 2010 I was reading the iconic book Eat, Pray, Love. At just twenty years old I had big dreams of all the places I wanted to visit, but absolutely no idea how this island girl could get off the island. Well, I worked hard and made my dreams come true. I traveled to Europe, Morocco, New Zealand, Australia, India and all over the US. Not to mention living in NZ and Austin, TX. I’m most proud that I had the courage to leave my comfort zone and meet new challenges and people with an open mind. I’ve learned so much from experiencing other cultures and that has shaped who I am today.
Becoming a YOGA TEACHER. I am so proud of myself for putting in the time, money, and commitment required to become a yoga teacher. Most of all when you become a yoga teacher you really have to take responsibility for your life. You are now a leader and you have to hold yourself accountable. I love teaching because it pushes me to be vulnerable, to do the work, and to constantly be learning and growing.
The home I’ve built and family I’ve created. Last night Sani and I were looking back at pictures from when we lived in NZ. We lived in a tiny bedroom in essentially a frat house with 4 other guys. Fast forward to now and I’m truly amazed at our apartment. We’ve lived in this space for nearly two years now and it has been a haven for us to grow. We moved in right after I started my 200 hour yoga teacher training. This space has supported our dreams and held us in hard times. I will forever be grateful for this apartment. More importantly is the family we’ve built. I know it is the reason I am where I am today. I would not have been able to accomplish my goals and navigate hardship without the support of my family. Family is everything to me and I’m grateful for my team.
NEXT up: Lessons
Part two of the video exercise is reflecting on the lessons you’ve learned. Here are the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the past 10 years.
FORGIVE. FORGIVE. FORGIVE. I have learned this the hard way. Losing my Dad really made me realize that the expectations I had for him were impossible. He was only human after all. We can’t possibly know what another is going through internally. What thoughts hold them back or enable them. I wish I forgave him sooner so that we could have had more time to work on our relationship. Truly seeing someone and loving them through their mistakes can make a huge difference in someones life. Moving forward in mine, I want to forgive people for being human.
Believe in yourself or nobody else will. If you want to achieve anything in this life you have to have SELF CONFIDENCE. Not in an egotistical way. But in a deep sense that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.
Selfless service is the only way you won’t build negative karma. I learned this from my philosophy teacher in India. Whether you believe in karma or not, serving others is a way for you to get back into the flow of life. It takes you out of your head and out of your problems as you put all your attention on serving someone else. It also helps to put your life into perspective. When my dad passed away I knew I was going to fall into a dark place if I didn’t take action in some way. I decided to join AmeriCorps and dedicate my time towards serving others. That experience helped me move through grief with grace.
You cannot save anyone else. You can support others and hold space for people to save themselves. We must trust in others that they are capable of steering the way on their own path. If others come to you for advice that means they are open to receiving. But if you solicit your advice when it is not wanted, it most likely will not be received in the way you intend.
Cash flow in needs to be greater than cash flow out. Thanks Rich Dad, Poor Dad.
WHAT YOU FOCUS ON YOU AMPLIFY. Both good and bad. So choose your thoughts wisely.
If you made it to the bottom thank you for reading and listening to me. I hope some of that was helpful for you. Take the time to watch the video and do the exercise yourself, Id love to hear some of your insights as well! Here is the video: