I do traditions, but I don’t do them traditionally. So when it was time to reflect on 2015 and look forward to 2016, I did but not in the typical list of things or goals. Why? Because change doesn’t come from checking off things on a to-do list. Change comes from living a lifestyle. From that lifestyle you can strengthen and grow certain characteristics of yourself which will lead to letting go of things and beginning others. And a lifestyle is not a list that begins on a certain day of the year, it is a progression that continues from the day you are born to every day you wake up.
So let me recap my progression through 2015, and tell you where I think it is leading me 2016. But again non-traditionally. Let me tell you from the focus of the best thing that happened in my life this past year, my nephew.
This is Levi. My nephew. He has been in my family since 2014, when my sister began the process of adopting him. This picture is from January 2015. He was 14 months old and standing and babbling a little. I learned that timing is an important element of life, and Levi crawled into my life at the right time, to show me that I was ready for change in my life. My sister (Levi’s mother), Melanie, is a strong, loving, passionate woman that I learn from every day. Her passion and love from the day she met Levi, drove her through sleepless nights and countless doctor visits to be rewarded by the stepping stones of seeing Levi grow. I saw my sister flourish and re-energize every morning she woke up to see Levi and every day when she came home from work to be greeted by his smile. My sister found passion, and I knew I would find satisfaction in my life if I found and pursued my passion. So it was then that I committed to my bike trip and pursuing the life I dreamed of — adventure and learning.
In April, Aunt Jenn forced Levi to overcome his fear of swimming. I learned that children usually have fear because they are unfamiliar, not because they have expectation of failure. Children don’t know what failure is, so the reason they don’t do something is because they aren’t sure how. Give a kid a book and they’ll look at it like any inanimate object with confusion, until you show them that books are meant to be read — then they will read every book they see. So Levi and I went to the beach. I showed him how Aunt Jenn loves the water. And how I can sit with my toes in the water and then slowly move deeper until water is all around me like bathtime. Levi joined me on my lap and together we felt the water cover everything but our heads. Then we splashed together. Finally, over time and many visits to the beach, water was fun and not an unfamiliar thing. I learned that to overcome negative thoughts and doubt or fear, you have to identify what it is that is holding you back (lack of knowledge, previous bad experiences, fear of failure) and then overcome those thoughts with positive thoughts and trusting you are capable.
Levi also taught me to explore. At 18 months, he started to constantly explore everything. If there was a switch, a button, a door he would figure out how to turn it off/on, in/out, open/close. He showed me the only way to learn something is to try.
There comes a time in a toddler’s life when you an give them space. They start to explore on their own, discover without a ton of guidance, and they are able to communicate what they need more so you don’t have to constantly be on the lookout. Like this picture, I could take a picture of him sitting on a firetruck , without holding him, because he had reached a point of communication and understanding that moving would mean falling and when Aunt Jenn asks you to stay, you need to stay. It was at this time that I personally associated important of taking time for yourself and growth. I started to learn how important it was to have “me time” and I dedicated myself to a weekly yoga practice, biking practice, and started to see that keeping some simple habits in my life led to a better, happier, more productive me.
When I left for my bike trip, I took this picture with me. Levi loves “momma” and “daddy” and he has the most exhilirating smile. He gave me motivation along the road because Levi really looks up to me, and like a sponge he soaks up everything he hears and sees. So Aunt Jenn on a bicycle means every bicycle he sees is an opportunity to talk/babble about “Aunt Jenn” and “Levi” riding on a “bicycle”. When Levi sees Aunt Jenn achieve her dreams, he knows that no dream or goal is too crazy to achieve. He sees the importance of eating fruits and veggies, and playing outside instead of sitting in front of a TV (unless it’s Wheel of Fortune). Levi has taught me to live the life I dream of because it will inspire others to do the same.
When I got back from my bike trip, I was re-energized and filled with a spirit of freedom and adventure. I remember being so excited to see my little man, but worried because I wasn’t sure if he would be as excited to see me. A lot had happened in the month I was gone. He was becoming more and more social, so what if I was no longer one of his main social figures? Well I had nothing to worry about because Levi was just as excited to see me!
This is Levi helping me in the kitchen. While I was mixing up some eggs for breakfast, Levi had went and gathered his stool, a bowl, and a “whisk” so he could join me to help cook breakfast. This was about the time in my life that I learned family should not be taken for granted, the important people in life will always be by your side, and worrying is just a waste of energy.
Toward the end of the year, I had a big decision to make. From all of the lessons I had learned throughout the year, and the lifestyle I had chosen of seizing opportunity and living a life of integrity and care for myself, I had to make the decision to let things go. I let go of a relationship, I let go of a job, I let go of a home. I did these to embrace my future. I see my upcoming year with a new career as I study yoga, a new social group as I move to a new city and spend my energy staying connected to family instead of other people, and I see travel and adventure ahead of me as I yearn for more knowledge. I don’t have specific goals for this year but I know that right now (so during this year) I will achieve a yoga teaching certification, I will learn to run and bike in the snow, I will live in a new city. And I plan to keep progressing as life continues forward. That is my New Year’s plan.
There isn’t a “right” way to live, or a “right” way to start the year. If you feel like putting a bowl on top of your head when you’re all done eating, do so…just remember for every action there is a reaction so you might not like the result if there is yogurt inside the bowl.
LIVE LIFE!
Ananda Yoga & Wellness 