I wish I could write a love letter to all the amazing women in my life who have “been there” for me in one way or the other over the years.
Over the past week since Thanksgiving, I have been reflecting on the women in my life for whom I’m extremely grateful.
We’ve all been through so much lately and I find that even the closest relationships have been challenged with not being able to see each other for a myriad of reasons due to the pandemic.
I was so grateful to receive a text from my friend Ursula the other day offering me her rental cottage to focus on writing my book.
I immediately took Ursula up on her generous offer.
The drive up was magnificent – and when I arrived in the Muskokas the skies cleared up and I was able to drop the top down and enjoy the fresh fall air, brilliant show of fall leaves and the dramatic skyline along the windy roads into Huntsville.
I don’t know what I would do without the leagues of women in my life who hold me up and support me in one way or the other.
This collage of women represents some of the women who are always there for me – and because of that, I feel like anything is possible.
They rally for me, they inspire me, they have my back, they raise me up, they heal me, they train me, they text me and say, “maybe you should take that facebook post down,” they quietly advise me of embarrassing spelling errors, they keep me on track with my goals, they love me, they go on adventures with me, the co-create with me, they make me feel loved. I couldn’t ask for more.
And as I sit here in the cozy lakeside cottage all snuggled up with my doggie by the fireplace, I realize that the key to the relationships that I have with each of these women comes down to one word: TRUST.
True friendship is always based on TRUST.
So today I am counting my blessings.
Have you ever noticed that when we stop to think about our blessings (rather than our challenges) that we are naturally elevated?
I chose to focus on my blessings – like this beautiful day, the wonder of nature, and the connection that I have with all of you.
Why not take this day to think about the people in your life that you feel grateful for?
Do you have relationships that have been challenged in one way or the other? Maybe today is an opportunity for forgiveness?
Maybe today is the day to LET GO?
I’m currently reading a book that was gifted to me by one of the best friends I could ever ask for – Pascale – she’s part of my TRIBE.
During my last trip to Montreal to visit Pascale, she declared, “you need this book!”. And she immediately ordered it for me.
To my delight, it arrived the next day. Pascale was right, I did need this book. In fact, I think we all need this book in one way or the other.
One of the things that I discovered in the first 85 pages is that I’ve been holding on to grief. I’ve also learned that the basis for all grief and mourning is attachment.
For me, mourning comes in so many forms: mourning lost friendships, mourning the loss of my marriage and our traditional family unit, and mourning the loss of several of my dear friends who are no longer with us.
I found that this book is bringing me a sense of ease and peace around this ongoing challenge.
Here is an excerpt from page 83 of Letting Go – The Pathway of Surrender:
As we have seen, the basis of all mourning and loss is attachment, plus the denial of the transitory nature of all relationships.
We can begin by looking at our lives, identifying those areas of attachment, and asking ourselves: “What internal needs are they satisfying? What feeling would come up if I were to lose them? How can my inner emotional life be balanced as to decrease the extent, degree, and number of attachments on external objects and people? The greater the attachment to that which is outside ourselves, the greater the overall level of fear and vulnerability to loss.
We can ask ourselves why we feel so incomplete?
“Why Am I so empty within myself that I have to search for solutions in the form of attachment and dependency on others?”
We can begin to look at our own inner areas of immaturity. Specifically, we need to examine: “Where am I looking to get love rather than give it?”
The more loving we are, the less vulnerable we are to grief and loss, and the less we need to seek attachments. When we have acknowledged and let go of all negative feelings, we have graduated from smallness to the recognition of our greatness so that our internal joy comes from the pleasure of giving and loving, then we are really invulnerable to loss.
When the source of happiness is found within, we are immune to the losses of the world.
- David R. Hawkins, M.D., Ph.D.
As I write this, I've been blessed with a text from my beautiful friend Sisi, sharing a quote from Warren Buffet:
I couldn’t agree more. Surround yourself with people that push you to do and be better.
Surround yourself with the people you trust.
Finally, if you are not blessed with as many friends as you'd like, then I suggest that you join the yoga community.
My tribe has long been with the yoga community.
One of my first teachers Claudia came to my home to give me yoga when my second son was first born and I needed healing.
Maria Carr, who led me through yoga teacher training helped me in so many ways when I needed to see the path forward. I have been blessed with so many incredible teachers since I started practising in my thirties.
My current teacher, Radine Corr, who created The Wyld School has held my hand through so much personal transformation through dance, ritual, kundalini practices - and has been a beautiful guiding light for me.
I know that the yoga community is one that I will be part of for the rest of my life.
Yoga is a practise that you can do as long as you are on this planet in one way or another.
Magic exists in yoga spaces.
And friendship lives there too.
These connections are available to all of us - we just need to be open to them. All we have to do is walk through the door - and welcome them in.
Lastly, next month I will be hosting my first Creative Vision Quest Workshop which includes yoga and meditation, creative visualization and goal setting. I will be using this workshop to photograph my new online course.
If you are interested in joining us for this session or others in the new year, be sure to subscribe to my e-newsletter.
WIshing you joy, love, abundance and prosperity.
With love,
Kerri