For over eight years, I worked as a Resource Specialist at a counseling and trauma center, helping people develop skills for emotional regulation, resilience, and self-command.  As a Life Coach with a background in Yoga therapeutics, it was deeply rewarding work. Not without its challenges, but I had my groove and, on my best days, I felt like I had some semblance of functionality and control over my life and my career.

Then, this past winter, my mom died. My world went upside down. It was forever changed. I was changed. I wasn’t even quite sure how, or what exactly it meant, but I knew that life without parents in the fold would be different than the one I’d always known.

Adrift in the transitional sea, I rode the current towards a decision to do something different.

Which begs the question, “What am I doing with my life now?”  Look, I’ve done plenty of therapy and coaching, read plenty of books, done the courses and workshops, you name it.

And here I find myself in some kind of existential crisis. It’s not the first time, but I gotta say that doing this in midlife feels...different.

In the Spring, I decided to go into private practice. I would build my own Yoga and Coaching business. It feels like a hero’s quest of sorts. All my inner saboteurs and critics go absolutely wild. Turns out building a business is some hard work.

I read somewhere once that if you really love self-development, then you should either get married, start a business or become a parent. That tracks.

In this season of my life (I turn 48 this month!), I acutely feel the imperative to live my life’s purpose. My dharma is critical stuff. Living authentically will set me free. Failure to do so will destroy me. So basically, what choice do I have?  Step forward into the hero's journey, or let my heart break under the weight of my inner critics.

Here’s what I did. I enrolled in a coaching program for myself. Again. Remember, I’ve done all this self-improvement work before. But now, as a different person, with a new perspective. As part of the coaching program, for seven weeks I have been doing morning and afternoon mindfulness practices. Sometimes sitting, sometimes walking, sometimes two minutes, sometimes longer. Each time, building my mental muscles. Each time, thwarting the mutiny from within, and each time creating neural pathways for growing my sage mind.

What a difference! I mean, I already know that these practices are impactful. But wow! Again and again, I am reminded just how much so. I was recently telling a friend that I have felt more calm lately than I have in...I don’t even know how long.

That doesn’t mean I don’t get hijacked by old patterns of stress and hypervigilance. What it does mean is that I have a way to energize my sage mind and proceed with what I need most. Inevitably, this involves some compassion and acceptance for myself and where I’m at before I can find the energy and bandwidth  to explore and navigate toward my next best step.

Here’s the deal. Change, even positive change, is stressful. Letting go is really active, conscious work. Inner saboteurs are a function of survival. They will resist change every damn time. The work of self actualization is to catch the saboteurs when they show up, then energize the sage mind with a practice like mindfulness, breathwork or somatic awareness. And repeat. Again. And again.

Every time we do, we find the gift of inner strength. From somewhere deep within. And sometimes, it’s a strength we didn’t even know we had.

When life feels unsettled, we need our inner resources to stay anchored. When uncertainty hits, it's tempting to abandon healthy routines—exactly when we need them most.

The gift of strength shows up as your ability to create and maintain the practices that keep you grounded. True strength isn't pushing harder or striving for perfection. Routine doesn’t mean rigidity. The more established our routines, the more adaptable we become and the more ease and flow we find in our precious days.

During this change of seasons, or any change we may be experiencing, we need an anchor, a quiet strength. Routine is what provides us the stability and structure to endure the unknown or unpredictable. Whether we are experiencing a shift in career, relationship, or health, our routines are what will ground us.

As we enter Fall, the seasonal transition can leave us feeling a bit ungrounded. Remember that Fall is governed by the Vata dosha, which is the combination of aether and air. And so, we may feel a bit spacey or easily distracted. We may also find ourselves living in our thoughts or feeling anxious.

From the ayurvedic perspective, we are encouraged in this season to favor activities or practices that help us feel calm, clear and focused.

Let’s start with a single question: “What do I need most right now?”

Choose one simple daily practice. Focus on consistency, not perfection. Use your routine as an anchor.

Here are some practices that you might consider trying this Fall:

In the morning:

Midday:

Evening:

Close your eyes. Take a slow, steady breath. Feel your feet on the ground, your body supported, your heart strong.

In times of change, it’s easy to feel as if the ground is shifting beneath you. Yet within, there is a quiet strength—an inner steadiness that does not waver. Strength is not loud, not forceful. It is the soft, enduring power that allows you to return, again and again, to what nourishes you.

Routine is one way this strength expresses itself. Each small practice – your breath in the morning, your cup of tea held with presence, the journal where your thoughts find rest – becomes a sacred rhythm. These are neither chores nor obligations. They are your anchors, reminders that no matter what is changing around you, there is something constant within you.

Let yourself imagine or contemplate:

Breathe into these questions. Let the answers rise slowly, without force. Trust that your strength is not measured by how much you hold up, but by how faithfully you return to yourself.

Weekly LifeFroce Yoga + Meditation classes

LifeForce Yoga + Meditation Fall Practice 2025

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A seven week virtual course to support you through life’s transitions

For more information on these offerings, click here.

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