I loved reading this! And I resonate so deeply. As someone who started down this path fairly early (around 17 or 18) and felt isolated and like I needed to keep that part of myself hidden around peers, I feel YOU. I’m looking forward to seeing this side of yourself unfold and shared with the world more freely. I’ve gotten so deep down the rabbit hole of “woo woo” but ultimately, everything I do is a coming home to self and to the “me” beyond the labels/masks/identities. Glad to be on the path with you :)
Yess..I love "beyond labels/masks/identities." Such an important piece to it all. I appreciate you Nikki, thank you for the encouragement. Grateful to be on the journey with you!
Your writing is so incredibly beautiful, and you are so zen from the outside that I would never have guessed your secret past as a hockey player ;) I'm looking forward to hearing more stories about this and more on your thoughts on grounded spirituality. Are you suggesting people are missing the larger picture and our inherent connection to each other? They're just doing the process to do the process, or what do you think is the reason?
Fun fact: I was also a personal trainer in my early '20s. I was already working as a newspaper journalist and then got certified as a personal trainer, because there was this other part of me that loved the feeling I got from fitness. I was a terrible personal trainer, though, because I didn't realize that most of the world didn't love working out, and they believed by paying me they would somehow become fit without doing any work, but I worked part-time at the YMCA for many years to at least cover my gym membership.
I've come along way in my own practice to healthy movement, and I've dabbled along in the way in many practices—and sports! I think I'm finally getting to the right place, but I also understand that it's no longer a final destination, rather it's embracing the process and present.
Thank you, Kristi! Yes hockey was a huge part of my identity, 2x national champion and recruited to play in college. I got so burnt out and jaded in college that I quit after my 1st year.
I love your editor-brain questions! They've really made me think and reflect more. I certainly think people are missing the larger picture and connection to each other. I also think in our results-driven world we often miss the forest for the trees. Spirituality has just become another thing on the "to-do" list because we are told by experts that it will help us "feel better." I think this is missing the point completely. What do you think? It sounds like you've come to similar conclusions with your movement practices.
These are the best kinds of posts, because I've been reflecting on what you wrote since I read it yesterday.
I think when people first come to mindfulness practices, they're often driven by their own perceived issues and inward focused. And with more time and practice and awareness, they begin to see the bigger picture, the larger connection. And the more we see our inter-connectedness generally, I think the better and happier we are.
It's very similar to my experience with quitting diets. I started from this very me-centric position of I have a problem with food that needs to be fixed, but the further I went with the work, the more I began to see the larger societal systems in play that had made me feel that way. Those systems, by the way, have their roots in racism, sexism, ableism, oppression, and they span centuries. I'm still doing the work on me, but having that larger awareness means that I'm no longer just doing it for myself, but rather I'm doing it for the betterment of society.
Some of us just want to do the work on ourselves. And that's ok. It's better than not doing the work. But when we connect to the larger purpose, that's when the real magic happens.
I loved reading this! And I resonate so deeply. As someone who started down this path fairly early (around 17 or 18) and felt isolated and like I needed to keep that part of myself hidden around peers, I feel YOU. I’m looking forward to seeing this side of yourself unfold and shared with the world more freely. I’ve gotten so deep down the rabbit hole of “woo woo” but ultimately, everything I do is a coming home to self and to the “me” beyond the labels/masks/identities. Glad to be on the path with you :)
Yess..I love "beyond labels/masks/identities." Such an important piece to it all. I appreciate you Nikki, thank you for the encouragement. Grateful to be on the journey with you!
This really resonated with me—thanks for sharing!
Thanks for reading, Jaime! Glad it resonated :)
Thank you for mentioning my piece!
Your writing is so incredibly beautiful, and you are so zen from the outside that I would never have guessed your secret past as a hockey player ;) I'm looking forward to hearing more stories about this and more on your thoughts on grounded spirituality. Are you suggesting people are missing the larger picture and our inherent connection to each other? They're just doing the process to do the process, or what do you think is the reason?
Fun fact: I was also a personal trainer in my early '20s. I was already working as a newspaper journalist and then got certified as a personal trainer, because there was this other part of me that loved the feeling I got from fitness. I was a terrible personal trainer, though, because I didn't realize that most of the world didn't love working out, and they believed by paying me they would somehow become fit without doing any work, but I worked part-time at the YMCA for many years to at least cover my gym membership.
I've come along way in my own practice to healthy movement, and I've dabbled along in the way in many practices—and sports! I think I'm finally getting to the right place, but I also understand that it's no longer a final destination, rather it's embracing the process and present.
Thank you, Kristi! Yes hockey was a huge part of my identity, 2x national champion and recruited to play in college. I got so burnt out and jaded in college that I quit after my 1st year.
I love your editor-brain questions! They've really made me think and reflect more. I certainly think people are missing the larger picture and connection to each other. I also think in our results-driven world we often miss the forest for the trees. Spirituality has just become another thing on the "to-do" list because we are told by experts that it will help us "feel better." I think this is missing the point completely. What do you think? It sounds like you've come to similar conclusions with your movement practices.
These are the best kinds of posts, because I've been reflecting on what you wrote since I read it yesterday.
I think when people first come to mindfulness practices, they're often driven by their own perceived issues and inward focused. And with more time and practice and awareness, they begin to see the bigger picture, the larger connection. And the more we see our inter-connectedness generally, I think the better and happier we are.
It's very similar to my experience with quitting diets. I started from this very me-centric position of I have a problem with food that needs to be fixed, but the further I went with the work, the more I began to see the larger societal systems in play that had made me feel that way. Those systems, by the way, have their roots in racism, sexism, ableism, oppression, and they span centuries. I'm still doing the work on me, but having that larger awareness means that I'm no longer just doing it for myself, but rather I'm doing it for the betterment of society.
Some of us just want to do the work on ourselves. And that's ok. It's better than not doing the work. But when we connect to the larger purpose, that's when the real magic happens.
Yes! I couldn't agree more!