Ongoing pandemic or not, we still have so much control over where we place our intention and our attention. What are you pointing yours toward as we move into this (symbolic but as meaningful as we decide it to be) fresh start of the new year?

Our systems -- physical, mental, emotional, logistical, relational -- are being taxed to constantly reconfigure themselves. And the go-to practices you generally turn toward to fill your well may feel like they're just not working like they normally would.

So now here we are. Each of us in our own family units, our own communities, this country, and the world, together in this same wild situation. Reminded every day – every moment, in fact - how inextricably interwoven our cells and well-being and lives as beings on this planet are.

This path of spiritual/personal growth is rife with paradox. Things that appear on the surface to be contradictory but upon deeper exploration reveal themselves as deep Truth (capital T).

What if the more you practice hanging with the discomfort of the I-don't-know-ness rather than trying to distract yourself from it or solve your way out of it, the more strength and trust that you can handle whatever life throws at you you'll start to own within yourself?

We can't tap into our most essentially creative power or the flow of abundance when we're rushing forward.

Our fullest power and potential are only available when we're firmly grounded in this present moment. 

It takes deep courage to allow ourselves to be transformed despite the discomfort that's a necessary part of the process.

It takes courage to take committed action steps in the direction of the life we want to create day after day after day even when we're not sure if "it's working" yet.

The way these human brains of ours are wired, we try to resist pain and discomfort when we anticipate them coming our way anyway. But the more we resist anything that's a natural part of the cycle of life, the more suffering we cause ourselves.

When we really do trust the process and lean into earnest inner inquiry with curiosity rather than judgment, we arrive at insights we never could have conjured up with our logical minds alone. The deepest wisdom arises from stillness, not from doing; from being, not from thinking.

"I love the thing that I most wish had not happened." Talk about fierce acceptance.

And that's what we're doing with all this awareness cultivation. We're learning to create more space to help us accept whatever "is" in our lives. The pleasant, the unpleasant, and everything in between.

The thing you no longer need is taking up the space of something you really want.

Life can't bring you more good stuff if the "OK" stuff — or worse — is blocking the door.

The reason apparent opposites come up when we focus on healthier ways of being is because we have to clear out whatever's taking up the space the thing we want to welcome in will inhabit.

The old less healthy habits are in the way.

So the unpleasant stuff has to come up in order to create space for the pleasant stuff to come in.

Keeping an open heart in this world isn't for the faint of heart.

Staying as open as possible while simultaneously protecting our energy and soft spots when appropriate. Riding out the open and closed phases of the heart.

And the reality is, the heart does open and close. Rhythmically. Naturally.

Our work is to let ourselves feel life in its insanely wide spectrum as best we're able.

We stay quiet because we fear if we put words to the things we fear most about ourselves, it will confirm that they're true. Paradoxically, the reality is the moment we share our secret shame - our monster in the closet - someone else inevitably chimes in with "Oh my God, you too? I thought it was just me!!"

The truth is, beating yourself up all day isn’t actually making you more productive.

The habit of beating yourself up as an attempt at motivation is actually likely damming your flow up way more than you realize.

You have to meet the universe halfway, for sure. But if you cling too tightly to what you want, you'll suffocate it.

Your dreams need air and space to come to life.

Two antidotes to suffering:

1) Keep your eyes on your own paper (or yoga mat). 2) Let yourself let go of things you can't control.

Placing rigid demands on how your desires manifest blocks the flow of abundance.

If you're pushing 100% of the time, there's no room to receive what life wants to deliver you. And who knows, maybe life has something even better than what you'd been imagining in store for you?

Appropriate guilt is a useful call to action. It's a flare going off to call your attention to an area where you might want to alter your behavior to get back on track toward being the kind of person you want to be and living more in alignment with your values.

Whether you write it all down or not, trust this: You'll receive the lessons you're meant to receive in your life no matter what. So you can relax and let the process unfold without worrying whether you've captured every detail. The core essence will leave its mark in the perfect way for you.