Have you ever realized that something you didn't even realize was toxic was poisoning you and when it disappeared from your life you suddenly felt better? Sadly enough, this is the topic that sent me racing over to my blog today after a long hiatus. Showering this morning, and shaking off some negative emotions surfacing after a good yoga detox session made think of recent life events and how sneaky this kind of relationship can be, whether it is with stuff, or people, or even events; and how quietly the toxic part can creep in and contaminate your life.
Horses, dogs, yoga, and some very good people in my life help me recognize when I need to discard something, and maybe sometimes it is a gut feeling - not easily articulated, but definitely felt. If I follow the gut feeling, or the advice offered by the good influences, life usually takes a turn for the better. I don't always know right away what the source of the toxin is (or was) and have to give it time to unfold (or occasionally just reviewing the chain of events will start to unravel the mystery) but I always notice that there is a definite upswing in moods and an increase in calmness and peace of mind.
You might be smarter than me, and quicker to react, but it takes me awhile to really accept the information that unfolds over time. Some decisions I make consciously and some decisions are made for me, and initially I might even be hurt - but then I begin to see that it is all for the best. I begin to see that no, I don't miss that item, or person, or habit - and in fact, the absence lifts my spirits and lightens my burdens. And this is not to cast a negative light on anything that might actually enhance another person's life. We are all unique in what makes us able to live life to the fullest. One person's bitter pill might be just the ticket for another's taste, but I think we've all experienced this feeling of letting go of something that just wasn't serving us well.
This is a great time of life - when it really is okay to let go of possessions, of the intense "desiring" that comes with youth, and of people and habits that don't contribute to joyfulness. A good time to cultivate good habits and friendships and to allow the poisoned ones to fade away (or even die a fiery death!). In the words of Taylor Swift, shake it off!
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