With a little (LOT) help from my friends…

When I’m having a rough day, I try to remind myself to ‘let it go or be John Lennon…‘

Today, I’m changing that to ‘let it go or be RINGO!‘

Yes.  Today, I’m honoring the sheepish Beatle who sings “with a little help from my friends.”  Because I get SO much from them.

For instance, HONESTY.  I love my friends for their honesty.  And, for the latent permission it allows me.  Isn’t that a rub?!

We walk around with such (unfair!) super-human expectations of ourselves and then BAM!  A friend.  A beloved friend comes in and blesses us with vulnerability.  What a gift.

Seriously though.  It is a gift.

Realness.

It goes something like this:  ‘How are you doing?‘  Answer:  SINCERITY.  Truthfully, the answer doesn’t really matter.  It is a conduit.  It is a conduit for listening.  For connections.  For life.

Translation:  It’s probably not– “Okay.” Or, “Fine.”

It is our humanity not our (feigned) ‘normalcy’ that unites us.

What I LOVE about my friends is their bravery.  It inspires me to be real.  Honest.

I’m beginning to think that the point is not to have it ‘together’ but to have the courage to have the life you have.  OUT LOUD.

And, I have my friends to thank for that 🙂

Swaha… Or LET GO

In yoga, there is a term for making conscientious efforts towards your goals while, simultaneously, allowing for non-attachment and ease with the resultant outcomes of your pursuits.

  SWAHA

Because really– we do NOT have control.  Not of the universe.  Not even of our morning coffee.

I was reminded of this when writing a letter to my friend A.  Too often, people can seem daft– even the well meaning ones!  And, it is our nature to feel hurt.  Misunderstood.  Un-heard.

In cases of (mis)communication:  How do we not take things personally?

What if it’s not about us?  What if every communication has a back-story… (HINT:  Every communication does have a back-story!) simply due to the fact that we are living our ‘story’.  I mean aren’t you?!!!

Does yours have wishes and happy endings and CLARITY too?!  😛

Abstractly, I TOTALLY get this.  I get how communication might as well be bird-calls sometimes to very untrained human ears.

Translated:  It’s never about us.

Never.

But, what about when it feels like it is personal?!  How do we swaha that and return to clear intention?  How do we stop fighting the whining birds?!

Sidenote:  My mother used to accuse me of “whining for the birds” and I guess it stuck!

My swaha:  As some of you know, I’m opening a business.  And, most people have the MOST generous, kind, lovely supporting offerings.  And, some don’t.

BOTH ARE VALID.

And, honestly, probably none are really about me.

Yeah.

It’s been helpful for me to remember to try to take nothing personally.  Because, even if it’s not business time, life is personal for each of us.

How do you say SWAHA in bird? 😛