.....stale

Yogis,
In the early days of covid life took a major turn. Days on end spent at home. All classes moved to zoom. What I cooked changed. What I read changed. Even what I wore changed. New routines were developed and for the past two years these have all become my new norm and I have felt satisfied.

Recently though it has all begun to feel a little stale. Dry. Not bad, mind you. I have a wonderful life and still enjoy my days but this little inner stirring is quietly nudging me to break out of the current patterns and is making itself noticed. Some part of me realizes I am in a bit of a covid rut and wants to switch lanes. I am paying attention.

Last weekend my sister and I left our daily lives behind to meet up in Philadelphia for some good quality sister time. Three days where we only had one or two things plugged into our schedule, leaving lots of open space for life to fill on its own. It felt awesome!

We walked and walked……and when we felt like we couldn’t walk one more step, we rested up and walked some more. We ate when and where we felt like it. We stood in awe in front of a wall of bagged herbs and tinctures and bought books on teas and mushrooms. We wandered through parks, immersed ourselves in art and jumped into a late night group’s selfie. One evening we even found ourselves alone in the dark in front of the liberty bell at ten o’clock while bells tolled the time overhead.

One afternoon as we finished up our salads at a hip vegan lunch spot, my sister offered me a breath mint. I don’t really do breath mints so I waved it off. Then my inner voice said, ‘take the breath mint.’ I did. Silly, right? But maybe not. Life offered and I took. A teeny tiny step.

I don’t tend to drink tea at night. I did when she offered. I drank mushroom coffee. We ate fresh figs for breakfast. I dressed up more. We were spontaneous and it was exactly what I needed. Thank goodness for sisters!

Now that I am back home, I am watching my days for those small opportunities to continue saying yes to the mint.

I noticed that I am in a rut (noticing is always step number one) and found that I am ready for change (wanting is always step number two.) Now it is up to me to take conscious steps which sets the energy of change in motion. They can be small…….or they can be large.  Shifting around the order of things. Reading a book on a new topic. Taking a walk on a different path. Making a new recipe. Wearing a different shirt.

Each step tells the universe that yes, I am ready for new……and the universe will respond with new coming my way.

This afternoon I was at the beach. I am more of a knee-deep ocean splasher than an ocean swimmer (as my sister will attest), but I felt the stirring. Do it. Come in, the ocean whispered. And I did. Really in. Feet off the ground and face in the water in. You know what? It was scary and exhilarating at the same time. It was a change and it felt great.

From the book I started reading today – If I want things to change, I have to change how I do them.

Indeed,
SARAH