Sat Nam friends,

Today I wanted to talk to you about self check ins, or as the cliche phrase goes “check yourself”.

When you first find yourself walking the path of change- growth seems to come by the second.

Step one, is turning inward. Addressing the things that exist within you that you may ignore. Addressing past trauma that you may have worked hard to bury. Confronting bad habits, screaming out the anger, changing your environment.

Looking at your actions and perpetual behaviours– whether you like them or not.

Asking yourself, even in what you consider your “prime“, How Do I Treat Others. How do I view other people? Do I place myself above others, and if so, how can I find common ground again.

For we cannot share with one another, if you see yourself hovering over the pack.

It’s taking a long hard look at your behaviour and how you treat other people.

It’s asking yourself, does the philosophy in my head Or the philosophy I preach—match the way I am living my life.

Once we start to uncover all aspects of ourselves there is this great sense of empowerment. This feeling of strength that begins to root to your core and you feel like you are on a hundred meter dash to clarity.

When in real time,

Baby you’re movin in slow motion and should enjoy the ride.

I have found along my journey that as I hit this point I find myself stomping my feet to those who I don’t think recognize my growth. “Can’t you see how much I’ve grown!! I’m a damn sky scraper!!”

This is when it is time for a self check in.

It’s time to remind ourselves that change and growth, should be done solely for ourselves.

Not for the recognition

Not for the praise.

Not with the expectation of a reward.

Because the truth is, once you turn inward, it is primarily You- who will see and feel your growth.

It is not until you turn that inward – outward, and commit to practise and knowledge, that you will feel the peacefulness, the mindfulness, trickling into your life without you even fully noticing.

To “check yourself” is to recognize that growth does not happen overnight, it does not happen by meditating 8 hours a day for a week or even after your first few meetings with your chosen guide through the madness.

Growth, is a lifelong practise.

In western culture we have a tendency to rush, to expect results right away, to say “okay I took a class or saw a therapist and I’m totally different now, see! See!”

We have this need to reach our destination without making any stops for gas.

When the truth is,

That simply isn’t possible.

The Four Agreements written by Don Miguel Ruiz, taught me many things.

Did I agree with all of it? Well no. But the majority of it resonated with me greatly.

The Four Agreements are as followed,

Be Impeccable with your word.

Words are power, what you say, how you talk to others, how you talk to yourself, — is a power that is sometimes greater than action. Respect your words and be truthful in what you say.

Don’t Make Assumptions

We tell ourselves stories each day. “He must of did this because of this, she clearly said this because of this.” We make so many assumptions that can be detrimental to our every day lives. An assumption can truly rob someone of a positive experience. Listen more, accept, and do your best, to free yourself of negativity and prematurely predicting negativity. You never know what could happen or why someone is acting in a particular way. Ask instead of Assume.

Don’t Take Things Personally

Oh this is a toughie. As a reactive person myself this is one I constantly need to remind myself of. It goes hand in hand with making assumptions. We must remind ourselves that we cannot possibly know what someone else is thinking entirely. We can’t know every detail of the lives of the people around us. It is important to be able to separate yourself from the chaos around you, to not take on burdens that our not ours to bare. We must do our best, to separate ourselves and our nature from the harmful opinions of others. Do our best to see all sides and not place ourselves in the middle of a problem that may not exist.

And finally,

Always Do Your Best.

This agreement, is the most difficult. But it is the one that will help strengthen the previous three. This agreement is one that brings us back to self check ins.

To remind ourselves that we may not always be impeccable with our word, but we can make an effort to do our best.

To identify the fact that sometimes we may make assumptions, or we may take things personally— we are HUMAN. Self correct. “Today, I made many assumptions, and this is how it effected me. Tomorrow I will do my best not to make assumptions”.

We have this habit of punishing ourselves when we don’t get things “right”.

But how can we learn, if we don’t make a few mistakes.

I can now see that while I thought I was a mighty oak on my way to the clouds. I am still a tiny seed. A beautiful seed, a seed filed with light and potential, but a tiny seed.

Wearing https://instagram.com/knitwhitscouture?utm_source=ig_profile_share&igshid=1sd5m1ls5g67h
Photo by https://instagram.com/ameliasimagery?utm_source=ig_profile_share&igshid=szdmxq3q68fr

The path I am on now is to be dedicated to my yoga and meditation practise and to continue to til the soil around me. To water, to remove toxins, to let new light and knowledge in. To carry my practise into my life.

To demonstrate change, not explain it.

Oh the path is long and tiring, but worth every single step.

One of the biggest things I have learned so far,

Girls gotta self-check,

Because growth doesn’t happen overnight,

And that’s okay.

Love and light to each of you,

Photo by https://instagram.com/redlemonap?utm_source=ig_profile_share&igshid=tw8juw772zs

Caylee. 💫