Don’t look back.

We all know the feeling of trying to make something fit that doesn’t. Whether it be a job, a home, a relationship, a friendship, a diet, or that elusive yoga asana. We have all been in a space that feels wrong, but we keep holding on because of fear. Fear is strong and can keep us hostage in situations that don’t help us grow.

As I approach my 20th year of practicing yoga, and my 14th (holy shit) calling myself a “yoga teacher”, I still find myself trying to fit where my energy is just too big to fit. In the past 2 years the universe has been pushing, slapping, and leading me towards a place I still am afraid to enter. The unknow. I feel like I need to learn more, or do more, or somehow be more before I can give more. Honestly even writing that makes me feel some type of way, but that’s the point of moving on. It’s should make you feel uncomfortable, nervous and even a bit afraid because that means your growing.

Life has taught me tons of lessons, and I’ve failed more than enough times to be okay with saying this situation isn’t working for me, and I should be okay with that, except sometimes you’ll still not be okay. Every now and then it’s still very hard to walk away without looking back. So if you are in this space at the moment, here’s a list to help you make that final decision to find peace in your life and move on to a better cosmic place.

Evaluate – Look at the situation without you in it. Ask yourself a few questions. How does it work without you being in it? Can you physically survive without being there? Are you happier when you are not in that space? These few questions can lead you to understanding why you feel the need to maybe even consider walking away.

Consider – Think about why you even started. Whether it is a job, relationship, or the push to achieve pincha mayurasana, why did you set out to accomplish the goal? Sometimes we get lost in the funky sauce of the world and we don’t even realize we are lost. If you can think about why you started the journey most of the time you will go back to that original feeling, and it’s usually a good place. From that place you should be able to see if where you’re actually headed is where you want to be.

Reflect – Of course after asking yourself these questions you will find yourself reflecting back to the ideas of hope and joy that made you even want to be in that situation. Find time to sit, and just allow the universe to lead you without the push of society, friends, coworkers, or family. Just be in the moment and listen to what your soul speaks of. What is it that your soul needs to be happy?

Love – Love yourself and all of your decisions! Look, we are spiritual creatures that happen to house our souls in these fleshy overalls. We are going to make mistakes; we are going to fuck up. That doesn’t mean the world is over. Life and death share the same beautiful starts and finishes, and with that in mind, so does all of our decisions. At one point in your life, you thought that decision was a good one. So live with it and all that it brings. If we can move on from being perfect, we can also move on without looking back. Your life will be a series of choices, and no matter how they end up, you made the original choice, and you can make the choice to change it again and again. Love the process, and the process will allow you to let go with a smile.

Chase Happiness – Let one foot lead you out of unhappiness. Our situations don’t control us, we control them. It’s really that simple! Just choose happiness. Who cares what it looks like to other people, they aren’t you! They never will be. So just chase your happiness, and if you’re running fast enough, you’ll have no time to look back.

Move forward with grace and just don’t look back. Sometimes it’s just what you need.