From both the Yogic and Coaching perspectives, change is seen as a gift, an opening rather than an obstacle. Every challenge carries within it the possibility for growth, renewal, and deeper alignment. Yoga offers tools for cultivating resilience and inner steadiness, while coaching provides the support and accountability that help us to recover from setbacks and return to what matters most. Together, these disciplines encourage a shift in mindset. Instead of resisting change, we learn to meet it - perhaps even welcome it - as a pathway toward self-actualization.

In Yoga, we remember that true inner strength arises from our capacity to remain present with ourselves and with our circumstances, without being swept away by fear or overwhelm. This path invites us into self-inquiry (svadhyaya), a willingness to take intentional action (tapas), and ultimately, the practice of releasing attachment to outcomes (ishvara pranidhana).

So often, we long for positive change in our lives, yet find ourselves held back by one simple truth: we’re not quite ready to let go of something. If this feels familiar, you might gently ask yourself, What am I willing to give up in order to create what I truly want?

This Fall, I found myself asking that very question. I’ve been on an elimination diet - no gluten, no dairy, no sugar, no coffee, and no alcohol. A lot, I know. But I had finally reached my threshold for pain. In my case, it showed up as chronic hives that lasted for months. And let’s be honest: pain is often what propels us into change, isn’t it? Real, meaningful change usually happens when the discomfort of staying where we are becomes greater than the fear of doing something different.

Almost immediately, I began to notice shifts. My jaw didn’t hurt as much. I was sleeping a little better. My mood felt more even. I wasn’t reacting quite as intensely to the diabolical injustices of the world. Not that I stopped paying attention, just stopped experiencing a certain level of nuclear rage. So… progress.

To all of you out there making little and big changes, I bow deeply, because change asks something of us.  Sometimes it asks gently, sometimes not so gently. It always invites us to release what no longer serves us so we can make space for what will. And while the process isn’t always comfortable, it is deeply clarifying. When we choose even one small shift, our body, mind, and spirit respond. We begin to feel steadier, clearer, more aligned with who we’re becoming. Change doesn’t demand perfection; it simply asks for willingness. And when we offer that, even imperfectly, transformation begins.

In the Hindu pantheon, Ganesha is known as the remover of obstacles. This archetype symbolizes the power of process, change, and transformation. He represents the metamorphosis experienced by letting go of our limited perspectives and false beliefs around duality and separation. Ganesha’s energy is said to bring forth clear and wise perception and a better understanding of ourselves and our place in the world around us.

More on Ganesha here

Winter offers a natural invitation to slow down, soften, and reconnect with what steadies us. In Yoga and Ayurveda, this season is a sacred time for cultivating inner strength and stamina. We turn toward practices that help us feel clear, energized, and awake in the midst of darkness.

When we are balanced in winter, our life-force energy circulates freely. The mind feels sharp and steady, the senses are alive, and we experience a deep presence within ourselves.

Yet winter can also bring lethargy, heaviness, and sometimes low mood. We may find ourselves ruminating, feeling stuck, or slipping into patterns of stubbornness or passive resistance. These states are natural to the season - and they are also an invitation.

LifeForce Yoga teaches us to meet ourselves exactly where we are and gently find center again. Through steady practice, we begin to shift our inner landscape and cultivate positive energies that uplift and balance mood.

This seasonal session weaves together warming breathwork, stimulating movement/asana, and grounding meditation - practices designed to awaken vitality, break through inertia, and support emotional clarity through the winter months.

Thanks for being here on the journey.

We are excited to hear from you. Please reply to this email with your comments or suggestions.

If you know someone who would value this newsletter, we’d love for you to share it with them.

If you’ve been forwarded this email, and would like to receive more Breakthrough Bits, subscribe here.

Visit my website