are you curious what could bring you more joy?
February 3, 2021
Originally written February 3, 2021
If somebody had told me 9 years ago, when I was in the thick of raising my twin girls and baby boy, all while building my national franchise business, that I just needed to “play” to find myself again, I would have laughed in their face.
But I did it anyway.
First, I paused.
I took a full week off of work (and my kids’ school pick ups and activity drop offs), and I did the thing I loved the most:
Yoga.
At the height of my stress and overwhelm with family and work, I decided to take time off to do 15 yoga classes in 5 days.
It was a crazy challenge, but it was my kind of “vacation” – a much-needed break from the spinning in my mind and the crippling anxiety I was feeling.
Somewhere along the path to growing my family and my business, I felt like I had lost myself.
What had happened to ME? Where did my inner athlete go? Why was I not doing any of the things I used to enjoy?
It was in yoga – MY FORM OF PLAY – that I found myself again.
What happened when I got home was nothing short of life-changing.
I was processing my I-FEEL-REALLY-GOOD-FOR-ME-BUT-ALSO-GUILTY-ABOUT-MY-KIDS feeling (as many moms do when they take even an hour for themselves).
But on Friday evening, after my 15th class and a week of solo yogic bliss, my twin girls ran up to me and said:
“Mommy, you’ve been so happy! When are you going to do this again?”
It was a “lightbulb moment” for me:
The people around you just want you to be happy.
I channeled my “Mover” play personality and it was exactly the antidote to get myself unstuck, shed expectations, follow my heart, and (yes) inspire my children.
And here, mid-warrior 2 pose, I thought they were suffering, because I missed the cello concert!
(In fact, I was teaching them a much more important lesson about taking time for recovery and pursuing your own passions.)
How do you play?
What are you sacrificing in life to do what YOU love? How do you find your flow? Your joy?
If you don’t know…don’t worry…I am here to help you!
And don’t worry…there’s no need to quit your job or escape to an ashram to achieve your bliss! You can add small moments of play (and joy!) to your days while still fulfilling your commitments. I’ll tell you how.
Remember…your happiness is a gift to your kids, your partner, your friends, your colleagues, your world.
You can choose to add PLAY to your days.
You can and you’re allowed to!
With fierce love,
Alison
If somebody had told me 9 years ago, when I was in the thick of raising my twin girls and baby boy, all while building my national franchise business, that I just needed to “play” to find myself again, I would have laughed in their face.
But I did it anyway.
First, I paused.
I took a full week off of work (and my kids’ school pick ups and activity drop offs), and I did the thing I loved the most:
Yoga.
At the height of my stress and overwhelm with family and work, I decided to take time off to do 15 yoga classes in 5 days.
It was a crazy challenge, but it was my kind of “vacation” – a much-needed break from the spinning in my mind and the crippling anxiety I was feeling.
Somewhere along the path to growing my family and my business, I felt like I had lost myself.
What had happened to ME? Where did my inner athlete go? Why was I not doing any of the things I used to enjoy?
It was in yoga – MY FORM OF PLAY – that I found myself again.
What happened when I got home was nothing short of life-changing.
I was processing my I-FEEL-REALLY-GOOD-FOR-ME-BUT-ALSO-GUILTY-ABOUT-MY-KIDS feeling (as many moms do when they take even an hour for themselves).
But on Friday evening, after my 15th class and a week of solo yogic bliss, my twin girls ran up to me and said:
“Mommy, you’ve been so happy! When are you going to do this again?”
It was a “lightbulb moment” for me:
The people around you just want you to be happy.
I channeled my “Mover” play personality and it was exactly the antidote to get myself unstuck, shed expectations, follow my heart, and (yes) inspire my children.
And here, mid-warrior 2 pose, I thought they were suffering, because I missed the cello concert!
(In fact, I was teaching them a much more important lesson about taking time for recovery and pursuing your own passions.)
How do you play?
What are you sacrificing in life to do what YOU love? How do you find your flow? Your joy?
If you don’t know…don’t worry…I am here to help you!
And don’t worry…there’s no need to quit your job or escape to an ashram to achieve your bliss! You can add small moments of play (and joy!) to your days while still fulfilling your commitments. I’ll tell you how.
Remember…your happiness is a gift to your kids, your partner, your friends, your colleagues, your world.
You can choose to add PLAY to your days.
You can and you’re allowed to!
With fierce love,
Alison