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Practicing Non-Attachment

Sat, 01 Aug 2026 23:56:26 GMT

Are Your Beliefs TRUE?

Take a moment to think about all the things you are attached to in your life. We all have our preferences when it comes to fashion, beauty products, movies, TV shows, music genres, vacation spots, foods, and leisure activities. We are also attached to our favorite material objects, such as our cars, our homes, the technology we own, our clothing, our kitchen appliances, and so on. Then, we have attachments to our communities, our religious affiliations, our families (well, maybe not all of our family members), our pets, and our friends.

But if we dig deeper, we can acknowledge our attachments to our beliefs about right and wrong, how people should behave toward one another, how politicians should conduct themselves, and how our government should be run. Most certainly, these beliefs stem from earlier experiences in our lives, our upbringing, how we were educated, and our interactions with others.

Peel back the layers a little more, and we find that we also attach to beliefs about ourselves. This is the ego in action. We tend to believe certain things about ourselves, and, like a broken record, these beliefs have been playing in our heads for probably as long as we can remember.

The problem is that we tend to assume our beliefs are true. But this is disillusionment.

When we form attachments to people, material things, our own beliefs, and so on, we cause ourselves suffering because we are grasping at illusions. In other words, when our preferences or expectations, which are based on our attachments, are not met, suffering ensues. Our attachments stem from our beliefs, so we become disillusioned when we expect or assume people will act a certain way or that events will have a particular outcome.

Let me give you an example. You are at a coffee shop, and you order your favorite coffee: 8 espresso shots, 5 pumps of classic syrup, 4 pumps of vanilla, 4 pumps of hazelnut, heavy cream, vanilla sweet cream foam, extra caramel drizzle, extra mocha drizzle, cookie crumble topping, and light ice. The barista is only half-listening to your order, and, as a result, makes you a coffee that does not meet your expectations.

If you are attached to this particular coffee order, then you will be upset when you take a sip and discover it is not what you wanted. The suffering occurs when you become angry because your expectations were not met. But, in reality, what you have is still a really good cup of coffee—it’s just not what you expected. By practicing non-attachment, you can go about your day happy with the coffee you received, despite it not being what you ordered.

Because, in all honesty, is it really worth getting upset over something like a cup of coffee? And if we can practice non-attachment with something as simple as our coffee order, think about all the suffering we can let go of when it comes to bigger things that are outside of our control.

The same can be said about our yoga practice. Remembering that everybody is different and that everyone is at a different place in their yoga journey, we cause ourselves suffering when we become attached to our preferences. Notice the next time you start attaching to your beliefs about how a yoga class should go. Take note of when you start thinking things like: the room is too hot, too cold, too crowded, too empty; the teacher is too young, too old, too new, too experienced; they teach too fast or too slow; you did not get to stay in savasana as long as you wanted; and so forth.

Remember that the ego is speaking when you attach to certain beliefs about how your practice should be on any given day, especially when you start comparing yourself to others (please don’t do that!).

If we can simply begin to notice when we are creating attachments, then we can remind ourselves to take a breath, return to the present moment, step out of our heads, and experience freedom from suffering.

Energy Flows Where Focus Goes

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 18:28:27 GMT

What do you want to put your energy into?

Summer in Georgia…whew. The second I step outside, I can practically feel my energy evaporating. If you live anywhere in the South, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Between the humidity and this heat dome hanging over the eastern seaboard, it feels like we're all living inside a giant greenhouse under one very intense heat lamp.

The heat has me thinking a lot about energy—not just the kind we lose from sweating through our clothes, but the mental and emotional energy we spend every single day.

Our energy is one of the most valuable things we have. Once it's gone, it's not like we can plug ourselves into a charger and be back at 100%. That's why being intentional about where we spend our energy is such an important form of self-care.

So often, we give our energy away without even realizing it. We try to do all the things, be there for everyone, answer every email, solve every problem, and somehow keep all the plates spinning. But when our attention is divided in a hundred different directions, we're not really focused on anything. We become exhausted, overwhelmed, and eventually burned out.

What if we stopped giving our energy to everything that asks for it? What if we got a little pickier?

There are so many sneaky ways our energy gets drained throughout the day. Some are obvious, like physical exertion. Others are much quieter: overthinking, worrying about things we can't control, doomscrolling, constantly checking email, or replaying conversations in our heads. Those little moments may not seem like much, but they add up.

Relationships can drain us, too. Whether it's a toxic friendship, a difficult family dynamic, or trying to force something that just isn't meant to be, emotional energy is still energy. We can spend so much of it trying to fix people, keep the peace, or hold onto something that's no longer serving us.

As a wife and mom, I also know the weight of carrying the mental load. Keeping track of appointments, grocery lists, school schedules, birthdays, errands, and all the little details that make a household run doesn't just take time—it takes energy. Sometimes I have to remind myself that I don't have to carry it all. Delegating responsibilities isn't a sign of failure; it's a way of protecting my own well-being while teaching my family to share the load.

One question I've been asking myself lately is: What is actually within my control, and what can I let go of?

It's such a simple question, but it's powerful. So much of our energy gets poured into things we can't change anyway. Other people's opinions. Things that happened in the past. Imaginary future scenarios that may never happen.

When I'm deciding whether something deserves my attention, I ask myself another question: Does this add value to my life?

If the answer is no, maybe it's time to release it.

Maybe it's time to stop engaging in that argument. Maybe it's time to set a boundary. Maybe it's time to unfollow the account that always leaves you feeling anxious. Maybe it's time to walk away from the relationship that's constantly draining you.

Your energy is precious. Treat it that way.

This summer, while we're all trying to stay cool in this Georgia heat, maybe we can also be a little more mindful about protecting our inner energy, too. Save it for the people who love you, the work that fulfills you, the moments that bring you joy, and the things that truly matter.

Because the way we spend our energy is, ultimately, the way we spend our lives.

Beginning Anew

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:47:51 GMT

We can start over at any moment...

Everyday is a a chance to begin anew. I know it is cliche, but think about. When you wake up in the morning, you are born to a new day and have the opportunity to start fresh. Every sunrise is another chance to change your life to be the one you want to live. Every inhale is a new beginning, every exhale is a letting go of the past.

Our brain is constantly creating thoughts. These thoughts are electrical signals in the brain triggered by our environment and circumstances. Producing thoughts is just what the brain does. However, we have the power of choice at this juncture. We can choose to not think about our thoughts. We can choose to watch our thoughts like a person observing a scene playing out from afar, without judgement. It's when we start thinking about the thoughts that we are having that causes suffering for ourselves. Our thinking about thoughts creates emotions because we are attaching unnecessary judgements to the electrical impulses of the brain. You are not your thoughts.

So how does what I just said about noticing when you are thinking about your thoughts relate to starting over? When we notice that we are thinking about our thoughts, that we a making judgements about ourselves, others, or our circumstances, that is a chance to begin again. Take a breath, let it go.

In yoga, every time you roll out your mat, you are starting again. Every day is going to be different with its own challenges. Maybe one day you are rocking a balance pose, but then the next day, you can't stop wobbling. That is just how it is sometimes. Start over. Try again. Take a breath. Know that it is okay and that we have endless chances to begin again. In fact, it is never too late to begin a yoga practice. Meet yourself where you are and go from there.

Nesting

Fri, 22 May 2026 01:34:05 GMT

Finding Joy in the Chaos

Things have been, shall we say, a little chaotic around here lately. If you haven't heard, we are *ahem* opening our doors June 6 for a soft opening of Bluebird Yoga House. I feel like a mother bird myself, flying this way and that, gathering items for the studio, contacting various people, marketing the business, attending community events, setting up all the things...in other words, I'm building my nest. And although the finished product will be beautiful, nesting is a messy process.

We all go through periods of nesting, when it feels all too overwhelming and crazy. Self-doubt wriggles into the consciousness and makes it's nasty little self be known. When we listen to slimy self-doubt, we tend to believe what it tells us because we think it's coming from a place of truth, our brain. Well, yes and no. The brain is wired to protect us from harm, so of course it going to tell us whatever stories it can come up with to keep us from taking risks. That's its job.

Be what it may, noticing when I'm listening and buying in to what self-doubt is selling has helped me to quiet the creature a little. We can only do what we can do; at the end of the day, as long as we have made our best effort, that's all we can do.

Continue to gather those sticks and twigs and soft things for the nest you're working on. You are more than capable.