The Art of Changing — and Staying the Same

I've been listening to a lot of podcasts lately (you too?), and one funny insight hit me while I was driving the other day.

One podcast described, at length, how the world is constantly changing and evolving — and how we get to be part of that change. YES! I thought. The very next one described how things never seem to change, people in particular — and how that unchanging force inside us can be a source of real strength. Also YES.

I laughed out loud in the car, because you know what? They're both right. The world is always changing. The world is always staying the same. (If your inner seven-year-old is perplexed, give them a hug and let them know it'll be okay.)

Living in the business of change

I've been thinking about change a lot, partly because I'm in the business of offering it. I teach yoga in its many forms. I offer strength training and personal fitness training — movement, in other words. And in those movement-based trenches, I see firsthand how change can be exhilarating and terrifying, often in the same moment.

I also see qualities in my students and clients that will never change — and I celebrate those. Self-advocacy, taking a gentle approach, being determined and believing in oneself. Such unchanging qualities can be a source of real strength.

Though sometimes, if left unchecked, it can become a blind spot instead.

But of course, I'm talking about more than just yoga and exercise here. I'm talking about our lives and our world.

Staying open and permeable — like a healthy cell — is good for our growth, our health, and taking out the personal "trash" so to speak. Our souls love it when we see things in a new light, let that light in, and act on it.

And yet our souls also crave expressing exactly who we are, connecting to truths that don't move. That requires a strong wall of protection around those precious truths. Because who you are, at the most basic level, and what's true — those things are meant to be unyielding, undeniable, unchanging.

The rest of it however, thrives on change and curiosity.

So how do we hold both? Here's how I think about each side.

The case for openness and change

A commitment to real change means staying open to life:

Opening to the possibility that a small moment of new insight, trust, growth, or healing can arrive at any time, in any season.

Releasing into life rather than gripping against it — which is, paradoxically, how we actually enter into it. (See: flowers that bloom in spring.)

Trusting that we have real potential for positive change, and the value and purpose that move us toward it.

Accepting the abundance of life by releasing into its changes rather than bracing against them.

Leaning on accountability and community, which are among the fastest ways to create change in ourselves and the world. We need each other.

Remembering that change can be interesting — it shows us how much range we actually have and we are left astonished with our growth.

Showing up and saying yes.

The case for staying rooted

On the other hand, being resolute and unyielding means having a deep sense of:

Your foundation — who you are and what you believe in. This matters enormously, because your foundation is both a launch pad for adventure and good work, and a landing pad — the solid ground you return to when you lose your way.

The ongoing work of self-study, which never ends. It's what gives you deep roots into what you truly believe.

Knowing you're held and grounded in countless ways — by gravity, love, belief, joy, friendship, even hardship.

The truth that the world needs to see what you see. Don't change how you see the world; it's yours to enjoy, wrestle with and share.

Knowing your boundaries, which are necessary and life-giving. Keep out what needs to be kept out, and don't apologize for it.

(A quick aside: this is part of why adolescence and early adulthood are such critical developmental stages. And if yours was less than optimal, you can still build a strong foundation. Change and foundation-building can happen now.)

Knowing, being, growing, remaining

All of it — knowing and being, growing and remaining — is fodder for a soulful, adventurous life.

I've come to believe the real art and science of living is constant experimentation: trying, checking in, making sure what needs to change does, and celebrating the things inside us that don't. Then we can step out into the unknown and discover we somehow knew this essence all along — venturing forward precisely because we know what we'll land on.

As the seasons change, let's both refine and reflect. How can you see something in your life, or in the world, differently? What's one small act that would support that new way of seeing? And how can you celebrate the non-negotiables in your life — maybe even remembering why those unchanging aspects about you are there in the first place?

A mindful moment in nature

A short practice for this week:

The next time you head outdoors, notice the change taking place. What season are you in? How is it shaping the temperature, the plants, the trees, the animals — and how is it affecting you?

Then remember what you enjoyed about the outdoors as a child that you still love today. Maybe it's sunrises or sunsets, the wind on your face, the quiet of falling snow, a particular time of year that brings you ease.

What stays the same about nature for you? What do you notice about nature that is always there for you?

Finally, hold both at once — the changing and the unchanging — and notice that same capacity in yourself. What does it feel like in your body? In your breath?

Consider the qualities of moving rivers and firm mountains. Floating on the wind, yet rooted. Withering, yet evergreen. How might you hold all of that, right now, in this very moment of your life?

If you'd like to explore movement, mindful strength, or stillness in a practice built around you, I offer virtual 1:1 private therapeutic yoga and personal training. Reach out anytime..