About a month ago, I came back to my daily meditation practice.

I was amazed at how easy it was to sit, get into that groove, and just be. I expected to sit for 10 minutes, but on this day, I continued past that. My body didn’t want to move—I was so content in stillness, in complete silence.

I have been meditating and practicing yoga for many years, and different variations of different practices feel good at any given point in time. However, this was the first time in 13 years that I sat down in meditation and didn’t fidget—didn’t move a single millimeter until the time was over.

This continued for a few weeks, and I was elated. I felt like I had reached a new level of comfort in my body, of awareness of what is important, of connection to a magical inner peace. Day after day, the long sits felt wonderful and I thought it was my new normal. I only had to carve out 30-45 minute meditation blocks in my schedule, and my body knew how to do the rest.

But life is a constant ebb and flow, and after that sweet three weeks, I was back to discomfort and fidgeting beyond about 10 minutes. I felt a bit bummed, somewhat jokingly thinking that my zen superpowers were gone.

But of course, fluctuations are normal. And, after not regularly meditating for a few months, my body was deeply craving the softness and stillness of sitting, instead of pushing for five more minutes of intensity in Vinyasa flow or five more handstands.

The Lesson:

Every day, every week, every season of life brings different needs, desires, and requests. Honor them.

I know this to be true, and I continue to learn this lesson with each new revelation that shows up in my body, mind, and spirit. There are always new levels to be discovered, new layers to be peeled away, and new ways to blossom and evolve.

The How:

Check in—regularly, actively, and consistently.

Ask yourself, what do I need right now? What do I desire? What’s true for me today? Only then can we address the shifts in us and show them the respect they deserve.

When I work with clients, I constantly remind them that every day is different, and I encourage them to send gratitude for exactly where they are today, because tomorrow, next week, and next month will be different. Whether the differences are subtle or obvious, it’s undeniably true. Believing that we are stagnant in life or permanently stuck in what is presenting today serves no value and simply isn’t in accordance with the natural order of life.

The body, mind, and soul are constantly in flux, in growth, in evolution. When we don’t check in at least once a day about what is different and how our needs and wants have changed, we often do what we have done previously. We stick to our last best routine, and end up giving ourselves something that might have worked two weeks ago or two months ago, but doesn’t necessarily benefit us today.

When I sat down and meditated so easily and effortlessly, I was finally answering some subconscious call. It made me curious to know just how many weeks or months prior to starting meditations again that my being had been requesting the practice. And, if I had been tuned in then and started meditating again when my body, mind, and soul was asking for it, I could have given myself the medicine, the sweetness that it was requesting and felt healthier and aligned much sooner, instead of struggling through imbalance.

Now as a daily practice upon waking, I ask myself:

What does my body need today?
What does my mind need today?
What does my soul need today?
What is my key word intention for today?  

Finally, I write an empowering statement or affirmation to use as a mantra throughout the day. I write down whatever answers come and then figure out how I am going to fit those responses into my schedule.

For example:

Today my body wants nurturing and sweetness.
Today my mind wants relaxation.
Today my soul wants peace and joy.
My key word intention today is peace.
I am at peace with exactly where I am in my life. I am proud of and happy with all that I have and hopefully about all I desire.

The Key:

Follow-through is as important as tuning in and asking questions, because only when we give ourselves what we truly desire can we thrive and be the best version of ourselves. When we give ourselves exactly what we want, it’s surprising just how different our day is. We then care for ourselves and honor our needs in a deeper way, we show up for other people and our work in a higher vibration, and we live on purpose in the truth of what is really important in life.

Many years ago my therapist told me, “Every day is a little life.”

I loved that phrase and put it on my mirror. How I lived this phrase then and how I live it now are different, but the point is the same. Every day is a magnificent, magical, grand chance to create our life—a chance to give ourselves exactly what we crave, a chance to choose to be our genuine, raw bold selves, and a chance to be fully alive in our skin.

Things will shift—change is the only constant. But we can check in every day. Are we living each day with purpose, with intuitive wisdom, and with love?

And we can give ourselves what we need, what we desire, what we deeply crave. When we honor ourselves, life simply feels better.

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