If there’s one thing I know for sure, change is inevitable. It’s how you navigate that change that can determine how you get through it. When we’re young, change is easier to accept, and new experiences are part of life. But, as we age, we tend to rely on sameness and turn away from change. This is a form of control, of safety, when we try to keep our world from shifting.

Yoga can serve as one of the most useful tools to help us manage the divine nature of change. Through daily practice, I have been able to get through many transitions in my own life, both good and bad. Learning how to accept these with equanimity and loosen the controlling grip to find some breathing room can provide the safety we need. Through asana, breathwork and meditation, we can learn to sooth the discomfort change can bring and tap into our spiritual side of healing and love for ourselves.

We can use these self-care tools everyday and be guided by a sense of peace from within to make better decisions and navigate any of life’s ups and downs. When we practice mindfulness on and off our mat and focus on the present moment, we can tune into our breath and better respond by knowing that strength can be found in that stillness.

“Yoga does not just change the way we see things, it transforms the person who sees.”

B.K.S. Iyengar