Sometimes allowing a little time out for yourself to do what you love without any expectations, guilt, or pressures is exactly what you need in order to return to your "normal" life fully recharged. For me that was getting to visit my family and friends back in Oz. Because of this time to connect with others and the demands of everyday life, I am so fired up and buzzing with excitement for the rest of this year ahead.
My move to Scotland was and is so exciting, but at the same time it has been incredibly difficult to leave behind my support system and a whole lot of preconceived ideas I had of what defined me. But everything we do leads us to a new place of discovery and holds open endless opportunities. These last 8 months have been monumental for me in regards to furthering my business and the direction it is taking and getting my own Holistic Health Coaching program started (something I have been dreaming of doing for way too long), but also they have been monumental for me mentally and physically.
Having booked my trip to Bali to undertake my Yoga Teacher Training in September this year I have inevitably been challenging myself physically, but as a result I have found myself challenged beyond belief mentally.
For me my head has this constant battle of trying to be perfect at things, and undertaking my preparation for my yoga training I am learning to let go of my want to be able to master harder poses and learn to gradually get there at my own pace and with my own body, and in turn I am learning to release my ego, the things that hold me back, and I am finding a deep appreciation for myself and my body that I hadn't found before. Meditation and yoga are proving to be some of the best 'teachers' I have yet encountered.
I have also become more aware of how much tension and pain I have stored in my body (something I wasn't aware of before I started practicing yoga daily and sometimes twice daily) and how releasing these can even bring up painful memories and force you to deal with these then and there before the pain and tension releases, sounds crazy but trust me. I have always had back and shoulder problems and my hips even cause me pain in child's pose (yes that cosy lovely resting child's pose is often difficult for me!) but each time I work on releasing this I feel myself move forward mentally, and I feel like I am challenged to become stronger and calmer in my everyday life (and I can truly feel when I miss a day).
I believe we all could benefit from simply taking a kinder approach to ourselves. To ask our self what is it that my body actually needs today to feel nourished and loved - and then do that. Sometimes rather than hitting the gym you may benefit more from a walk along the beach. We need to work to find a balance that suits our own individuality, and we need to work on this every single day, and we need to be challenged mentally also. I urge you to find some sort of movement practice that resonates with you and not only physically drains you, but mentally challenges you to find your goals and your purposes in other areas of your life.
Find your happy spot.
Be present in each and every moment of your life. You are free, alive, and at peace. Seek to help and heal others, and in turn you'll surprisingly also help to heal yourself.
With Love,
Cat Elliott
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