I Am Me

A note from the writer:

Faithful reader- Throughout this blog, you are going to see the phrase “I am me” written in different ways.  Every time you read this phrase, please take a moment to connect it to your breath. Inhale, thinking “I am” and exhale with purpose as you think “me”, matching the intensity of the written phrase. Let all the stress and tension of the day drift on that exhale each time. Let’s try.

I am me.

I found myself having multiple conversations this week surrounding the idea of habits.  Things people have learned, perpetuated, and even begun anew. And I thought it needed a space here on the blog. Not the conversations - those are private, people! LOL - but the overarching connection of habits, how they impact us, and how self- acceptance is key to creating positive change. But here’s the kicker: self-acceptance can only derive from self-awareness. Let’s begin.

Take a moment to consider your habits. All of them.  There are likely some that come to mind with a bit of guilt or shame- Yep. Me too.- but I hope you remember to give yourself credit for your better habits too.  Like intentional time with children in your life, or even daily time carved out with a spouse or loved one. 

I am ME.

Habits serve as a resource for our brain to navigate the quickest response, allowing you to continue your day with minimal to no interruption. Note I didn’t say the “right” response, merely the quickest.  This is an important distinction to remember as we consider the why behind our habits.

Consider the influential people in your life—those on both sides of the teeter-totter, if you will. I suspect there are people from whom you have learned valuable lessons, whether through positive or other interactions. Bring to mind a pivotal moment in your life when you said, “I want to be like them.”

What was it about them or what they were doing that drew you in? 

Was it the way they acted toward themself or others? 

Was it what they achieved? Both? Something else?

Now draw your mind to influential people that inspired you to NOT be like them and determine the reasoning. I would wager you can also think of a time you caught yourself imitating someone you said you never would and shaking your head. Yeah. We’ve all been there.

Furthermore, what habits have you picked up along the way, whether positive or otherwise, out of convenience and ease? Eating habits?  Technology habits? Communication habits?

I am ME.

Here’s the thing: we all have habits we’re proud of and habits we’re not proud of. Each of us is uniquely crafted from our experiences- positive, negative and everywhere in between. No one else will experience them in the same way  at exactly the same time and perceive them in exactly the same way.  We are, as Sara Bareillas puts it, “mixed up and baked in a beautiful pie”. 

I. Am. Me.

This is where self-acceptance must take part. Please note that self-acceptance doesn’t mean self-indulgence or saying a behavior we know to be wrong is ok simply because you “accept it” about yourself. Self- acceptance means acknowledging where you are so you can then decide a path forward.

Who gets to decide what habits stay and what habits leave?

YOU. 

You always get to decide which habit pathways your brain needs to keep open and which can be filled with so many potholes it disintegrates. YOU get to say which habits are the ones that need the most time and focus and which ones can wait. YOU are the pivotal leader of your brain and your body. 

With that in mind, you have been practicing connecting a breath with the phrase “I am me” throughout this article.  Now, try it with this one on for size:

Connect this phrase with your breath.

Yes you are.  

You can start by joining a class and discovering more…about yourself, about how you engage with the world around you, and how YOU can create positive change within yourself.

Check out my website at www.stormlakesafeharboryoga.com to find a class that suits your needs. 

Did I mention this work is also available for kids?