tranquilosophy: begin again

The amazing gift of being alive is that no matter what, we can always begin again. 

Sharon Salzberg

The new year is filled with a sense of possibility and, often, one too many resolutions. A focus on removing items from life can feel debilitating (there’s even a Say No to January campaign). No more late nights. No more sugar. No more afternoon dates with the vending machine. No more running from appointment to appointment.

Consider reframing it around what you’d like to add. More joy. More downtime. More green juice. More yoga. More meditation. More family time. More whole foods. Psychologically, it can feel better to focus on what you’d like more of this year.

Although I love the process of reflecting and intention-setting, I appreciate the reminder in the above quote that we can always begin again (especially since many of my intentions are carried over year after year). So you met up with the vending machine after weeks of ignoring it and now feel you’ve ruined your new year’s plans. It’s ok, you can start over.

Memoirist Dani Shapiro, author of Still Writing, writes, "Sharon Salzberg speaks of catching the mind scampering off, like the little monkey that it is, into the past, the future, anywhere but here, and suggests that the real skill in meditation is simply noticing that the mind has wandered. So liberating, this idea that we can start over at any time, a thousand times a day if need be."

Use January as a launching pad to live what you love, dabble in creating new habits, and constantly begin again. Creating sustainable shifts toward a more healthy, happy lifestyle takes time and energy. It will happen. And you deserve it. I look forward to seeing you on the mat this month. Namaste.