In 2016 I got married to my beautiful husband Al, we moved to Australia 6 months later and I’m transitioned my face to face yoga business to an online business at the same time. It was massive! Since then I have also started a Masters in Social Work to fulfil my value of pursuing social justice for those who are most vulnerable in our society.

I made a commitment to myself a few years ago that I was going to live from my heart – a few changes were needed!! At the moment every aspect of my life is being changed in some way or other , and I wanted to blog about how I have gone about making a these huge transitions in a few simple steps so, if you are wanting to make some big changes, you might be inspired to do so.

Alongside this I think it’s also prevalent for maintaining our yoga practice throughout huge transitions as it can often be the first thing we ditch in a bid to ‘get everything done’ or it realistically takes time to incorporate our practice into a new life.

1. Some serious planning/visioning – one step at a time

I didn’t realise until a few years ago that I am an exceptional planner or visionary and I don’t say this lightly! I used to think everyone worked in the same way. I think about where I want to be and I work back with what I need to do to get there (in a nutshell). Planning seems to come really easily to me and I like it for two reasons. Firstly I’ve noticed that my brain (others must work in this way too) has different people in it! No I’m not mad, what I mean is I have a really organised person in there and I also have a really lazy person in there. My planning comes in handy when I’m in a lazy mood- it helps me get back on track without needing too much energy and focus.

Secondly it gives me a sense of security when I’m feeling overwhelmed with having massive goals. At any point I can look at where I’m up to on the plan and it takes away this sense of feeling overwhelmed.  Knowing how your brain works and what you need to feel happy in life is all the planning you need. My kind of planning doesn’t work for everyone- that’s not what’s important, it’s knowing what does work for you and then do it- again and again.

Of course planning is always flexible so you can go with what is presenting itself at any given time and it may be that you just need to plan your next step initially without any greater sense of where you are heading.

2. Perseverance

This is the one consist aspect of these huge changes. I just keep going and moving on each day with something which is connected to where I want to be. I’ve read quite a few books on creating the lifestyle you truly want recently and in all of them highly ‘successful’ people state they have a plan and they just keep going which brings me onto my next point. The next steps are how I keep doing this.

3. Looking after myself

For those who have known me a while you know I like to eat a few ‘naughty’ things from time to time and I’m not adverse to the appreciation of well made natural ales. I also have a sweet tooth which I am constantly managing. What I’m saying is, I’m no perfect health guru however I do make sure that I have some seriously good nutritious food every day. I love my green smoothies and my veggie food. I’m conscious of my energy and what I need to out into my body to help my brain to think, give me energy to teach and be a generally positive person. Knowing your limits is a great skill in this field and it also means you can have a few things which might not always fit into the ‘very healthy’ category.

4. Regular Spiritual Practice

This is vital for me to nurture myself at the deepest level. I take responsibility for this and ensure I give myself time to practice my yoga, attend my meditation class and have some peace and quiet when I need it. I go for walks in nature to become energised and inspired and read inspirational books which keep my energy high. I consider all of these aspects to be a spiritual practice and I like to always bring myself back to a place where I feel connected to nature and spirit pretty much every day. Sometimes this concentrated practice can be an over an hour, sometimes it’s five minutes. Know what takes you to a space where you feel connected and in body and take yourself there regularly. If you’re not sure what this is, consider what makes you feel inspired, really good and fulfilled.

5. Taking breaks to do fun stuff

Now this is one that I really need to put effort into. It’s so easy to forget this bit for me. I’ve noticed it is important to pull myself away from persevering every now and then, to go out and have some fun and see friends and family. Basically I find this grounding and it helps me to still enjoy my life in this moment rather than constantly be living in the future. Connecting to loved ones and sharing the moment with them is really important for most people so make sure, if it is for you, then make time and have fun as well.

6. Surround yourself with images and words to inspire you

This will help you stay aligned to where you want to be and who you want to be in this moment. For example I have a vision board with images of what I want to create and also how I want to live my life. I also have a longer term written vision on the wall which I read regularly. It’s easy to get bogged down with the everyday grind so try thinking of what will work for you. Images are great as they work with a part of our brain called the reticular activation system. Basically the images the brain sees regularly will be what your brain will guide you towards again and again. Think about what images you have in your home and how they make you feel. If you want to make a big transition have lots of images around which remind you of what you want to transition. It’s a very efficient and magical way of getting your brain to work for you.

7. Feel your fear

I’m sure you’ve heard of the book ‘Feel your fear and do it anyway’. It’s true. I interpret this as I am aware of my fears and I will spend time feeling and clearing them as they arise. It may be a case of simply feeling a sense of uncomfortableness in your body and it dissipates. For me I use my Yoga and Meditation practice, EFT by myself or for issues that I need more support with I use Karen Howarth from One Heart Healing or Alison Van Vuuren from HappiSoul. Both are fantastic practitioners and I am able to release and let go of whatever is holding me back. I then feel inspired and happy to keep heading towards my goals.

Notice what you avoid or procrastinate on and see if you can feel this in your body. Check out my Emotional Balance Meditation to help guide you through this. It is important to discover and work with techniques that you resonate with and find practitioners who can help you do this.

This is my tried and tested way of making huge transitions in life- I wonder what yours are? I’l love to hear in the comments box.

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