Letting go of Frames

03 Dec Letting go of Frames

We all have things that are particularly difficult for us to handle; our own challenges that are unique to us. I am a terrible organizer and having to organize things, be it bills, or negatives, or records, or books, can be very difficult for me. Given this challenge, the process of getting together all of the information and the details that are necessary to get out the rewards for our current Kickstarter campaign has been a heavy weight for me the past few weeks. Yesterday I struggled with problems dealing with books that were shipped to stores, and organizing the various excel files for getting out all of the over 800 books that need to go out this week. Part of the issue is figuring out the most efficient and cost effective way to get them out. Balancing out cost and ease of process can be difficult. Thankfully, we pre-sold enough books that we won’t lose money on the project.

All of this was a very heavy weight on me last night, and I could visualize myself as a cloudy scowl. I had trouble sleeping last night but still woke up early in order to go to yoga. As I told my wife this Saturday when she struggled with whether or not to get up, I’ve never regretted going to yoga… except for that time when I strained my lower back trying to go too deeply into a backbend. All joking aside, yoga has been an anchor during this stormy year. I wasn’t disappointed today either. I’m sitting in my car after class quickly dictating this note and recognizing just how much lighter my body, and my soul, feels. At the beginning of class the teacher, Paul, asked us to connect with the idea that while the holidays can bring some stress into our lives it’s our choice whether not to go in to those dark feelings and thoughts. We can recognize them and allow them to pass. As he said this I was already fully aware of this truth but still have been struggling to step away from the myriad stresses and strains of this process. At that moment I committed to being fully present in the class and consciously letting go of some of the frames that had been holding me down. This too shall pass, I thought as I struggled to hold poses. I also thought about how this period of difficulty is an opportunity to respond differently. So, today as I visit the shipping facility, I’m committed to being joyful even if the work is difficult. I know it will be something of a struggle, but each time I’m able to exercise that kind of reframing away from “the problem” I make that moment part of a solution. That solution is really about letting go of the stories that keep us stuck in negative patterns.