It feels as though things have been moving at a rapid pace over the past month. Many of us are experiencing feelings of anxiety, uncertainty, and a sense of being overwhelmed.

A couple of weeks ago, I spent several days in bed with COVID. Without the ability to work, teach yoga, or connect with friends in person, I found myself slipping into the habit of doom scrolling through the news and social media. As with any obsession, this behavior proved unhealthy, and I could feel myself starting to spiral. Once I began to feel better and could reconnect with my community, I felt the weight of the darkness lift.

In times like these, especially when things feel overwhelming, it’s crucial to set boundaries for our own well-being. We must find a balance between staying informed and taking the time to rest and recharge. After all, we can’t show up as our best selves for others if we are emotionally drained or exhausted. The world needs our love and light now more than ever.

Happy New Year!

As the days grow colder and the first snowfall blankets the earth, many of us instinctively slow down. The vibrant energy of summer and fall now seems a distant memory, and we find ourselves retreating to the warmth of our homes, savoring the stillness that winter brings. 

Often, however, we can get caught up in the pressures of the new year; in setting (many times unrealistic) resolutions and goals, pushing ourselves to our limit. I find myself wondering if perhaps the reason so many of us feel like we “fail” in keeping our resolutions just a few months into the new year is because this season of winter, in its essence, is a time for rest—both for the body and the soul.

I just returned from a week-long whirlwind tour of Spain. My head is still spinning from all of the beauty and history that I absorbed in a short amount of time. It’s always difficult to come back from vacation, but It feels especially difficult this time to come home to the gray November of Ohio against the backdrop of the recent election results.

The morning after the election, like probably many of you, I awoke with a feeling of dread; I felt that the whole world had changed overnight. Although nothing in my life was any different than it had been the day before, my whole perspective seemed to have shifted.

As I write this, I feel as though I’m buried in commitments. I am working on finishing up projects so I can close my interior design business by projected year end and I am simultaneously teaching classes for Ohio University’s online Interior Architecture degree program. My intention is to be in a place of having more time to dedicate to sharing mindfulness practices with others as well as prioritize my own self care.

Our ego serves a very important purpose; it is essential in allowing us to know ourselves as individuals having individual experiences. The ego is what enables us to say, I am eating an apple rather than an apple is being eaten.

Problems arise when we allow our sense of “I” to define us—our relationships, possessions, our fears and desires. When the inner self is limited, our sense of identity becomes clouded by our external experiences.

There is a lot of uncertainty and anxiety in our country right now and understandably there is much to be concerned about. Anxious feelings often stem from fear of what could happen; about worrying about what the future holds. But the truth is that none of us can predict the future. Things around us and within us are in a constant state of flux. The present, this moment right here and now, is all we truly have.

Three months ago, if someone would have told me I’d be participating in acts of civil disobedience by marching in the streets protesting police violence, attending Black Lives Matter rallies, and actively engaging in local justice organizing, I doubt that I would have believed them.  Three months ago I was looking to the teachings of yoga for guidance in navigating the challenges to daily life that the pandemic brought.  But here I am now, donning my mask, marching in the streets for racial justice and boldly speaking out against racism and injustice.  Current circumstances afforded me the time for much self-study and self-educating.  Although I was already keenly aware that racism was alive and well within systems of our society, I feel as though I have fully awakened to the degree of which white supremacy pervades these systems.  I now understand that I have a responsibility to use my white privilege to take action against systemic oppression and injustice. Now, I find myself looking to the teachings of yoga for guidance in understanding what this means for me as a yoga practitioner and teacher.

Be patient. This too shall pass. We've most likely heard these words many times during the past couple of months. For most of us, our patience has been put to the test and will most likely continue to be put to the test for the foreseeable future. We are getting anxious to get back to the freedoms we enjoyed in our pre-pandemic lives. We may be feeling anxious to get back to our offices; to get our hair cut or go shopping at our favorite stores; to get back to our gyms and yoga studios. We may feel anxious to see our children go back to the classroom, and perhaps most of all, anxious to see and hug our friends and loved ones that we have been separated from. We’ve been practicing patience. And we are being asked to keep doing so.