Embracing Change with Openness

Why Change is Beautiful

Supported bridge pose and a sunrise hike to welcome the new day. 

Transitioning from summer to autumn, we are reminded of the inherent strength found in change. Just as nature shifts and adapts, we too can harness the power of transformation in our lives. This month, we will explore how embracing change can build inner resilience, promote growth, and deepen our connection to ourselves and the world around us. Through practice, we will cultivate the strength to navigate life’s transitions with grace and confidence. – notes from Julie, co-founder of Sui Yoga

Ah, September: While we’re entering this new month with familiar hot weather the first crisp breezes are well on their way, and apples and gourds galore are ripening in fields across the Northeast. Soon, we’ll be swapping out shorts for sweaters and beach totes for school bags. It’s definitely a month of change. Although many of you have been embracing transformation throughout August, I’m sure this theme of change will continue to surprise you! 

When Change is Difficult

Fall is by far my favorite season, but I was a little sad to say goodbye to a blissfully long summer. Many personal developments that started gaining momentum over the summer are coming to fruition this month – a new apartment and roommate, a first job, new hopes. This new territory is both exciting and intimidating.

A Different Point of View

Recently, I’ve come to realize that when things don’t go according to plan, it may actually be a blessing in disguise.  Facing recent changes of plans or rejections, I have had to accept that I don’t know everything – neither why something didn’t work out nor what the future holds. I’ve started to view these “failures” as lessons and objective information. Often, recognizing the lesson without judgment has been enough to take the sting out of the experience.

While it’s important to do your best and plan for success, accepting that something simply wasn’t meant to be or wasn’t the right time for that relationship or opportunity can alleviate a lot of pain. What comes next, now that this space in your life is cleared, might be better than you could ever imagine. We truly don’t know everything, and having some faith could bring greater comfort during  these times.

How to Reframe Change

Last month, when I had the amazing opportunity to visit Paris with a friend (did anyone catch that Easter egg), I realized how differently we experience travel. As a planner with a perfectionist streak, I find it challenging to embrace the unpredictability of travel, whereas my friend thrives on the lack of control. I found this both absolutely bonkers and very admirable! While I am a little slower to accept change, I am grateful to have friends who help me to see things differently.

Recently, another friend reminded me of the power of the simple phrase, “it’s okay.” Just as positive affirmations can help you to speak more kindly to yourself, this friend suggested that you can also rewire the initial reaction within to instability. Some phrases you might use  are “it’s okay to not know” or  “it’s okay that something went wrong”. Change happens to everyone and accepting this can make times of transition feel less stressful, allowing you to benefit more from the lessons these moments offer. 

Navigating change is like a challenging but rewarding mental exercise, much like yoga. My friend, though not a yogi (yet), is taking improv classes for the first time and told me how uncomfortable and intimidating it can feel! In these moments, she reminds herself that the discomfort is okay and that her life is not actually in danger –  a core aspect of the stress response. Our biology and habits aim to be helpful, but in modern contexts like acting class, it is important to regulate and reframe this reaction to better serve you.

The Beauty of Change

Fall reminds me that change doesn’t have to be sad. In fact, autumn is one of the most beautiful seasons of the year – most people would agree that the bright foliage is foremost an object of beauty rather than just a harbinger of colder weather and bare branches ahead. Fall feels like a gift from nature, a reminder that change can be good. 

It is also symbolic that Fall is the time of the agricultural harvest, when all the changes and growth of the hot summer months come to fruition. To welcome September, here are some activities you can do to find more acceptance in change.  

●  Journal prompt: Reflect on a recent change in your life. How did it make you feel, and how did you respond to it?

●  Focus on poses that open the heart and chest, such as Camel Pose (Ustrasana) and Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana), to symbolize openness to new experiences.

●  Follow a guided meditation on embracing change with compassion and openness.

●  Create a playlist with songs that inspire openness and courage.

“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.”

– Alan Watts.