Can you hold the pose?

Hey Reader

Have you ever felt like you were stuck in a sort of limbo or personal purgatory in your life?

Like you can see the gold at the end of the rainbow, but you can't quite reach it yet?

This could be anything from an overdue vacation you're eagerly awaiting to a big life change like a career shift or a new baby.

Or maybe it's a version of yourself that you're working towards, but the lifestyle changes aren't sticking and you're exhausted from fighting against ingrained beliefs.

Personally, I've felt this deeply for a while now.

Like, I know amazing things are on my horizon and I trust that they will come to me in the perfect timing.

But we're still human. It's still hard to patiently wait.

And the anxiety of the unknown can sweep you up like a tidal wave and toss you around until you're no longer just seeing the vision of your exciting future, but also the fear of all the "what if's" and dirty details.

I recently heard a spiritual business mentor refer to this time as "holding the pose."

And as yogi-in-training, that really hit.

If you've ever done different styles of yoga, you've probably come to find that the slow-burn, long-hold classes can be just as difficult, if not more, as the fast-paced hot flows.

It takes a lot of energy to move quickly, but it takes immense strength to stay still and hold the pose.

When you slow down, it's not just your physical body shaking to hold you together.

A slow pace allows for a loud mind.

When you hold the pose, you're fighting against the noise of the mind that our fast-paced lives more easily dismiss.

I could write a weekly email for the rest of the year on managing the anxiety that comes up when we choose to slow down.

But, for now, I thought I'd share what's helped me most in standing strongly in the in-between:

Gratitude and appreciation.

Yep. That positive mumbo jumbo again.

But, for real, I've lived enough life to know that we often look back and think, "I didn't know how good I really had it," or, "I wish I would've appreciated that (job, body, simple time) more than I did."

As much as I know that the best thing for my family is me returning to the workforce to build a life separate from my parenting partner, I'm also acutely aware that all of us together in this home is something special.

I know that the time I have at home with my kids is invaluable. That even when things are toxic and tumultuous, there are also moments of sweet togetherness.

So I practice soaking in all of the goodness I have in this current moment, whilst also grieving what I know must go.

It's another example of the both/and.

Things can be both coming to an end and worth soaking up, until the end.

I'm not suggesting you bypass the real, difficult feelings that may be coming up for you in this time of letting go. Not at all.

Feel those, but don't forget to feel the full-spectrum of emotions available to your during this experience.

Don't let joy and beauty pass you by-even in the hard times.

I hope, as always, that this somehow resonates with you and where you're at in your life right now.

My greatest wish for this newsletter is that it leaves you feeling less alone and more hopeful in knowing that sometimes a simple mindset shift-a change in perspective-can bring immense ease to the daily grind.

Of course, please hit reply if you've got something to share or you need a listening here. I'm always here for you!