Making Room for New Beginnings

As we look ahead towards a new year and say goodbye to the year that has passed, we're reminded that at any time in our lives, we can give ourselves the chance to create new beginnings.

But before we can make room for something new, we have to let go. Let go of the memories from the past year (and beyond) that are holding us back, filling us up and not leaving us any room for light and love and fresh starts. We have to let go of our fears. Let go of our hurt. Let go of resentment and pain. Let go of our doubts and insecurities. Let go of our judgments. Not just the judgments that we make about others, but the all too often and harsh judgments we make about ourselves.

In class today we exhaled and as we did, we tried to practice letting go. We tried to exhale all of the worries and the pains we've experienced that lodge so deeply inside of us. We tried to exhale and create space. Space for love, kindness, forgiveness - for others, but just as importantly, for ourselves.

So here's to 2018. Here's to exhaling, letting go, and making room for new beginnings.

As my favorite Calvin and Hobbes cartoon strip says, after a fresh snow has given them a beautiful, blank slate in which to play: "The world looks brand new... A new year... A fresh, clean start... It's a magical world, Hobbes Ol' Buddy... Let's go exploring."

Namaste.