Newsletter: Free To Be You & Me
It is hard to believe we are in mid-July. Here in the UK, summer has finally arrived, keeping the joy and sizzle alive. :)
I have been thinking about one of my favorite childhood albums, “Free To Be You and Me.” It was a Pink cover with words and kids of all colors playing. I listened to it on repeat because it helped me feel like I belonged in a world that didn’t feel like it welcomed difference. This project from the 70’s was created by Marlo Thomas and narrated by diverse voices. It opened the discussion toward gender neutrality and racial equality. It planted the seeds that “I don’t need to look like or be like other people.” Being different was celebrated and that felt like freedom and joy.
Almost 50 years later, the conversations continue because many folks are not free to be, and so much change and healing is happening. As a yogi, this is what the practice keeps teaching me. How I connect to my inner liberation reflects how I show up in the world. If I am berating myself and living disconnected from my essence and light, I am diminishing my capacity to share my gifts. Healing the wounds of past patterning and living courageously in the heart of wholeness shifts the consciousness of this planet. Doing the inner work isn’t just for me to feel good about myself, it is also about holding my resourced Self in a way I can support and stand with those who have less access to resources.
Recently Ibiza, an island in Spain, went on the green list and I packed my bags. My need to get some sun and float in the sea was calling to me. Slowing down and resting is what my body and soul needed. I posted a pic of myself on Instagram in a hammock and had a moment of guilt, like how can I be having so much joy while others are struggling? That guilt is not helping anyone! Living in my joy is not disrespecting others, it is respecting the life I have and not squandering it. I also recognize not everyone has the privileges that I do. I had an aha moment, Joy is our birthright. It is not devoid of anger, hurt, or grief, it can hold it all. Happiness comes and goes, JOY is a space of acceptance of all life’s lessons, the bitter and the sweet.
Fear of the unknown and uncertainty can stop us in our tracks. Taking some space to connect to joy can help us navigate toward new territory that feels more in alignment with freedom. These are challenging times, may we rise up and commit to a vision of courage and compassion. There’s a land that I see where we are free to be you and me.
In Love and Joy,
Mia