...and why it should matter to you too.

It’s been a process to get to where I am now.

The past decade has offered me countless opportunities to learn and relearn lessons that needed attention and work—many that I acknowledged but placed in the long bag I drag behind me. It took complete downfalls, failures and heartbreaks to free myself from the internal prison I created.

The biggest takeaway from the past 10-years: to not be afraid of unpacking my baggage. Theres magic in the unveiling of truth. It’s through the grief, the sadness and the sorrow, that I found profound love.

From codependency, to honing my individuality while holding great love for my partner.

From lack of self-worth, to feeling my best inside-out.

From irresponsibility to taking ownership.

From wanting too much and then too little. I’ve reevaluated my relationship to money.

From living an unrealistic life beyond my means, to the realization that my life is mine—

beautiful and perfect—and it not meant for anyone else.

I speak for myself, but the reality is that we can not have one flavour without the other. You can not savour the sweetness of joy if you have not experienced sorrow. You cannot feel profound love without experiencing the depth of grief. It’s when we allow ourselves to taste all the flavours on the menu, that we can appreciate those magical moments of joy, bliss and ecstasy with ourselves and loved ones.

What matters to me most is kindness and compassion. May we be gentler with ourselves and others.

What matters to me most is communication. May you, and only you, hold yourself accountable to showing up and doing what you say you’re going to do. May your word be followed by action. May that character trait influence others to show up to life as well.

What matters to me most is heart-work. The proverbial ‘work’ that we-I as yoga educators say so often. To unpack our baggage and reveal the grief, sadness and sorrow, for the sake of being able to taste all the flavours that this one precious life we’ve been given has to offer.

Remember, what you think of yourself manifests in the way you live or ‘don’t live’ your life. It will dictate the way you treat others and yourself. It is our duty and privilege to do the heart-work… It is whats needed most in this world right now.

And if you’re in your 30/40/50+ somethings and you haven’t yet dealt with the divorce (your own or your parents), the loss of a loved one, the bankruptcy, or the lack of self-confidence… if you haven’t unpacked your baggage, then all you’re doing is denying yourself greater capacity to love and be loved in return.

May this be your decade to get to know yourself on a deeper level and give more than you receive.