“Knowing that we can be loved exactly as we are gives us all the best opportunity for growing into the healthiest of people.” ― Fred Rogers
Dear Friends, I might be on a bit of a Mr. Rogers kick….the man did say some amazing things. The above quote reminded me of a poem that I happen to love…and that I need to be reminded of on a not so irregular basis, but I think especially during the turn of the year…perhaps I’m not alone, perhaps you do too: Today I Asked My Body What She Needed. By Hollie Holden Today I asked my body what she needed, which is a big deal considering my journey of Not Really Asking That Much. I thought she might need more water. Or protein. Or greens. Or yoga. Or supplements. Or movement. But as I stood in the shower reflecting on her stretch marks, her roundness where I would like flatness, her softness where I would like firmness, all those conditioned wishes that form a bundle of Never-Quite-Right-Ness, she whispered very gently: Could you just love me like this? My dear friend, it is my hope for each and every one of us this week that we can love ourselves and those in our lives exactly the way we are right now, at this moment, in this time and place…with zero conditions. Have an amazing week. Love Krista
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“There’s a world of difference between insisting on someone’s doing something and establishing an atmosphere in which that person can grow into wanting to do it.”
-Mr. Rogers Dear Friends, Establishing an atmosphere. If you live in the DC area like me, you’ll be surrounded by snow as you read this. It always amazes me to look around at the world covered with snow and to notice how instantaneously the way the world around us shifts and changes…us on the other hand, unlike our world when one adds snow, we simply do not change overnight in general. I stumbled across the above quote this past week and it struck me how applicable Mr. Rogers words were…not only to those people in our lives, but also to our own lives. How often do we insist upon change in ourselves and in those around us? We demand it, we give ourselves timelines and time limits. We judge ourselves and others when said changes do not come to fruition, when they have not been fulfilled, or when they fall by the wayside. But I wonder how it might feel in our lives if, instead of insisting and requiring change in ourselves and others, we instead focus on establishing an atmosphere that is conducive to such change. Perhaps we look at the changes we want to establish or encourage with a little more love, gentleness, and insight into what will really help us and others with said changes. How would it feel if we soften a little more toward ourselves and those around us, so we have less of the feeling of judgment for ourselves and others and instead begin to create a space, a life that feels safer, kinder, and more loving to ourselves and others. Change is important, it’s necessary, it’s good. But equally important is establishing an atmosphere in which we, and those around us can grow into wanting that change. I hope you have an amazing week, my friends. Stay warm! Love Krista "For some reason we like to see days pass, even though most of us claim we don't want to reach our last one for a long time. We examine each day before us with barely a glance and say, no, this isn't one I've been looking for, and wait in bored sort of way for the next, when, we are convinced, our lives will start for real. Meanwhile, this day is going by..." - Tom Hennen
Dear Friends, Sometimes we have these big, grandiose plans…plans on ways we’d like to enact change in our lives, plans for things we’d like to do, for places we’d like to go. Thinking about and planning for big changes is good, important, at times really fun. But there are times, I think, that we can get stuck in the grandiose, so much so that we stop living in the here and now because we’re simply stuck in the grandiose, we’re stuck in these lofty goals that might be wonderful, but when we look at them, they end up feeling completely unobtainable. I think there is a lot of good in grandiose plans, I certainly don’t want to diminish them, they serve an important purpose in moving us forward and creating impetus for change…but equally good, I think, are those small, incremental steps we can make toward our goals, toward the changes we’d like to implement. Those tiny movements toward the change that we want to see in our lives are just as important, or at times even more important than the lofty goals, simply because those small steps are oftentimes more obtainable for us. I wonder how it might feel if we spent a little more time making small, obtainable, some might even say minute changes…because, my friend, those small, incremental changes add up, and have the power to create a big difference in our lives. I hope you have a week full of small changes, they’ll be sure to add up to some big results. Love Krista “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” ― Confucius.
Dear Friends I’ve had a little keychain with that quote and a little turtle charm living on my keys for several years now. Months ago the quote fell off the keychain and all that remains is that little turtle…but every time I see my little guy it reminds me of the words Confucius said, that it does not matter how slowly I go, as long as I do not stop. That particular quote has informed me in many areas in my life these past several years since I stumbled across it and immediately purchased said keychain…it does not simply hold true in one area of my life, but informs me in many…my healing, my relationships, my strength, my movement practices, my business…so many of my various journeys. It does not matter how slowly I go, as long as I do not stop. This time of year we have a tendency to want to enact change in our lives…and in some ways it’s a good time to do so. The end of one season and the beginning of another. The end of one year and the beginning of another. A darker and colder time to sit and think about desired and needed change For some, the act of decorating our houses and then carefully putting said decorations away is included in this time of year and provides a good impetus for change. Change is necessary, it’s important, it’s good. Change is a constant in this life, and we have to be willing to move and change throughout our journey. But sometimes in these transition periods we try to enact change so quickly that we end up giving up, we try to move faster than we should, implement too much change too fast, and we end up stopping instead of sticking with the needed changes in our lives. I wonder how it might feel, in this season of shifts and changes, if we slowed down, if we allowed ourselves to shift and change in a sustainable way and with small steps. I wonder how it might feel if we really allow ourselves to step into and embrace Confucius’ quote “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” My dear friends, if you have needed changes in your lives, I hope you can slow down, but never, ever stop. Have an amazing week, my friends, and a very Happy New Year. Love Krista |
Hi, I'm Krista!Krista Mason is a movement instructor based in Washington DC. She founded an online strength, yoga and movement studio, teaches group classes, hosts both local and overseas retreats, hangs out with private clients, and absolutely loves the work she gets to do. Archives
November 2024
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