Sometimes life gets heavy. The last few months of 2018 were some of the heaviest. They were emotionally, mentally, physically draining, and I was suffocating under the burden of this weight – I snapped under it. As a result, I realized that I don’t want to live like that anymore. That less is more. Less is better. And that’ has been one of my most liberating discoveries of 2019.

I guess you could say this year’s resolution has been to “Keep it light.”

It started small. Purging my closet, gifting books I’d read and furniture I wan’t feeling anymore. Buh-bye clutter!

Lightening my workload came next. I started saying, “Nope.” Nope to subbing opportunities and private clients. I cancelled two retreats, all my kids yoga camps, the majority of summer dance. Turns out, downtime is awesome.

I chilled with the long-winded Instagram posts. I keep them (mostly) short and sweet because I don’t have the mental capacity to read through 7 paragraphs of text on a visual platform. I figured you guys might not either.  I’m drawn to a short, witty caption, and I’ll follow along to your blog if you have one. But on IG? It’s too much. I’m there for the pictures. *According to statistics, the majority of your followers are too, so others like me who use IG as a marketing tool – KEEP THIS IN MIND. 

I’ve laid off self-help and work-related books, and have turned to fiction – also more movies. Nothing too dark, but the kind you get lost in and usually has a happy ending.

I stopped over-analyzing my own emotions and behavior patterns. I’m self-aware, but I don’t need to spend my entire life in deep introspection. Always trying to be more this/that is exhausting. I’ve truly enjoyed simply living and being.

More playtime! I invested the extra hours in reconnecting and cultivating new friendships. I bought a bike, took those weekend trips, and have gone on all those coffee/lunch dates I’ve been talking about over the past year.

“Not your healer, not your teacher,” became my dating mantra. It’s evolved into the mantra for all of my relationships. I am a healer and teacher, but at work where I’m getting paid for it. It’s an even energy exchange. As a result, I’m better at creating boundaries. I’m learning to be supportive without getting involved or invested. I’ve learned to walk away from some situations completely. And I RUN at the first sign of co-dependency.

It’s nice to live lightly. I’m still looking for new ways everyday.