Lately it seems like everywhere I go and everyone I talk to and everything I watch is a constant reminder of how difficult life is right now. I can’t turn on the television without being bombarded with this feeling of despair. I am told the economy is shattered and that hardship is everywhere…

And then I pause. 

And I thankfully take a delicious gulp of life-giving air.

And I look up, like a child, at the immense sky, and I think of my 6 billion brothers and sisters, near and far, on this huge planet. 

And I think about the other planets, known and unknown, galaxies far, far away, space extending out further than my mind can fathom. 

And I remember, “I am not responsible for all of this.  There is a much bigger force at play here.” 

And I am comforted by how small I am in the vast, loving arms of this Universe.

The time has come for us to put what we have learned on our mats into practice in our lives.  As tempting as it is to fall into the mass fear, to identify with the struggle and with how difficult life is, NOW is the time for us to wake up and be grateful! NOW is the time to have faith! And you must do this, not only for your own sanity and wellbeing, but to uplift those around you as well.

As in our yoga practice, we learn to let go of the struggle as we hold a pose; we learn to be present with what is happening without judging it. So in life, we must remember to identify with what we want, not with what we don’t want.

Your thoughts are powerful, but YOU are NOT your thoughts. You don’t have to identify with everything that pops into your head. Focus on what brings you joy. Now more than ever, we NEED our days off.  We NEED our vacations.  We NEED our yoga.  We NEED our alone time.  Don’t sacrifice these things.  These are the things that keep you sane.  These are the things that make it all worthwhile.

As we move from a place of darkness to a place of light inside our own minds and lives, we become a guiding light to others, helping to lead them towards mental peace and freedom.

~ Brynn