I’ve always allowed life to impact me. I don’t experience a hardship or a joy and let it pass through me as if it wasn’t meaningful. When I lived in an ashram for 30 days during my yoga teacher training, I came back embodying my spiritual name. When navigating family health crises, I did not shy away from grief and fully felt it, allowing me to hold stronger space for others.
There’s a passage I’m reminded of. Maybe it will speak to you:
“Let the hard things in life break you.
Let them affect you.
Let them change you.
Let these moments teach you.
The experiences that we don’t run from, that we let in,
are the ones that shape us.” – Pema Chödrön
It’s tempting to brace against discomfort. To try to “stay strong.” But sometimes, the strength is in softening. Letting life create new space inside you.
This week’s invitation: Write a “permission slip:”
Take a quiet moment and write yourself a note that says:
- “I give myself permission to feel ______.”
- “I don’t have to fix this right now.”
- “It’s okay to not be okay today.”
Tuck it in your journal or set it as your phone’s background. If nothing else, take a moment right now to close your eyes, place a hand on your heart, and simply allow yourself to feel whatever is present.
Our challenges don’t define us, but they can expand us. Let the hard things impact you—not by breaking you down, but by opening you up.
Warmly,
Elana
