Resiliency Is The New Sexy
Ciao Amica Mia,
I’m down on my knees grateful as I scroll through social media and see how the narrative is beginning to change. Even if only in small segments of the population.
Shifting ever so slightly away from near-naked women located in exotic places, executing advanced yoga poses, to posts and photos that pull back the curtain on the reality of what’s playing out on the global stage; and revealing what living life in the midst of a pandemic, the rise against systemic injustice and all-time intense levels of fear and uncertainty looks like.
This realization has sparked the impression that resiliency is the new sexy. And in my humble opinion, it’s about dang time.
According to an online dictionary resiliency means:
1. “The power or ability to return to the original form, position, etc., after being bent, compressed, or stretched; elasticity.”
2. “Ability to recover readily from illness, depression, adversity, or the like; buoyancy.”
I align more with the second definition as I don’t believe that collectively we will “return to the original form or position”. Plus, I feel immense relief that we won’t or can’t. There is much to be learned from this year of unrest if you and I choose to be brave and look inward.
It doesn’t mean that you need to make base camp in the archeological dig of shadow work turning away from the joy of life.
It means you’re to take what I call authorship of your life. It means you’re to be brave and sweep the dust off the mirror of your heart so that you can clearly embrace and engage in life.
You might wonder, “how do I do that when I’m feeling beaten down?” You simply choose to get back up and try your hand at living again.
We asana practitioners are blessed to know how to “bend, compress and be stretched physically”. And we know that while we may look the same after a yoga practice, each and every time, no matter the duration or how basic the poses, we’re never the same person that stepped onto the mat.
Something inside of us has shifted.
We’ve learned through the yoga what it means to be resilient. We’ve learned how to recover from a torn relationship the same as we have from a torn hamstring.
We’ve learned that the ability to adapt is our personal power. Let me be clear, adapt doesn’t mean to give up. Adaptability is the fuel behind resiliency and paves the way to evolution and growth.
Resiliency is a muscle that needs training. It’s the reset key, the code to breaking away from the muck and towards legacy living.
Below are three breakaway resiliency training tips:
~Be willing to acknowledge that “life is like a box of chocolates”. Accept that your life will be filled with sweet gooey marsh-mellowy days as well as unexpected spit it out throwaways.
~Give yourself permission to be open to grace. Pay attention to the small ordinary moments that bring joy and beauty.
~Resist the pitty-potty and try out my philosophy instead, “life isn’t out to get you, life is here to teach you if you let it.”
These tips aren’t always easy to implement, I know. So, I want you to remember that resiliency is a practice. You can learn to wear it like a second skin. Resiliency makes your eyes shine with more luminosity. Walk with more assurance. And helps you focus more on what’s meaningful and valuable to you. Resiliency helps you put the pieces of your heart and life back together again with full acceptance of your imperfections. And life’s imperfections.
Resiliency is that hot new little black dress, slinky stiletto’s and fire-red lipstick and YOU – choosing to be seen and live in full glory.
Or, on another day, pulling your hair back in a ponytail, then throwing on your favorite well-loved baggy sweats and YOU – choosing to be seen and live in full glory.
With love, xoxo Paulette
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