One of the things that has stayed with me from my yoga teacher training is the fact that change is one of the only constants we know. I wasn’t always one who handled change, particularly last-minute changes in plans, well. I wouldn’t say I completely go with the flow now, but I will give myself some credit – I’m not nearly as predictable as I used to be.

As I look forward to the new year I know change is on the horizon. I am about to embark on a new role, in a new place, with new people, and new responsibilities. And, frankly, this change scares me. I’m nervous I won’t be successful; I’m scared I’ll have a hard time making new work friends; and I know I will miss the people with whom I have established relationships in my current place of work. I have bounced this career change off of more people than I can count on both hands. In so doing there has been one main refrain – you cannot grow without change. So not only is change one of the only constants we know, but it is also necessary for growth.

And, yet, I’m still nervous. One of my aforementioned confidantes reminded me that, although change is constant, I do have some pretty great constants in my life, “focus on all the stuff that is consistent in your world. You have your house, and P, and kitties. A lot of stuff is going to stay the same.” I’m only moving one piece.

Some of my Constants – P, Hcat & Sofacat

Resolutions have never been my thing – I either forget to make them or forget to keep them. Last year, however, I changed my approach. I thought of my resolution as an intention or a sankalpa in yoga-speak. And when you think about it, an intention is a resolution – just one that can be made whenever and can change as much or as little as you want.

This year as well as last year I went to New Year’s Eve yoga at my yoga studio. I didn’t even have to think about setting an intention – I was asked to do so! What I love about setting an intention is that it feels so real and raw because, for me, it is what first comes to mind, which is typically what I need most in my life. This year my intention is to be brave. To trust that this experience is what I need to continue to grow and challenge myself to be a better person professionally and personally.

Ultimately, change can be or, in my case, is, scary but it is also something on which we can count to help us grow and stretch our minds and bodies to be better versions of ourselves and that is my hope for this new experience.