Letting Go Archives - Susan Choi

Friday Focus – 1/5/18 {Magic Of The Unknown}

Happy first Friday of 2018!

With the holidays having come to a close it’s certainly been hard to say “see you later” to family members and friends alike, but having said that I am earnestly looking forward to what unfolds for this upcoming year.

You see, there’s something special about surrendering to the magic of the unknown… to watch the unfoldment of a beautiful, divine orchestration… that’s magic.

That’s not to say hard work and setting intentions around the areas of desired change fly out the window. Far from it! Rather, it’s the tone in which these efforts are carried out that make all the difference.

With surrender there is a lightness to how you move, do, say, BE. It allows for possibility, flexibility, and perhaps an unknown angle that might have escaped you had you kept your focus narrow on specific goals.

When we surrender the outcome and watch what unfolds, we are being mindful of our desires. We are being mindful of our actions & reactions. We are being mindful in hopes that we can see clearly enough to take the next step.

So here’s to allowing more magic into our lives. The twists and turns that life takes us through can be a beautiful journey, not a burden. May we surrender to the magic of the unknown…

In wellness,

Susan

Photo by Matt Quinn on Unsplash

Dreamwork: The Recurring Dream

Unbeknownst to me I’ve been having a recurring dream on and off in a span of a couple of weeks. So how do I know this? Well, somehow in my meditative state this morning I became aware of this recurring dream… and it’s meaning.

First, let me tell you about this dream. Like almost ALL dreams this one is particularly odd 😉 I seem to be running, whether on a treadmill or out on the natural pavement, but every time my left foot hits the hard surface of the ground I notice that the heel edge of the shoe is crinkled from having stepped on it so many times and I am struggling to make sure that with each step I am trying to jam my foot back into the shoe so that it is secure and doesn’t fall off! As you can see, this gets QUITE frustrating…

There’s no conclusion to the dream, just the constant anxiety and pressure to ensure the shoe doesn’t fall off!

Well, guess what? As soon as I became aware of the dream I realized it’s meaning!

It’s all about LETTING GO.

How many times do we try to make something work on our own, OR believe this one way is the only way?

To me, this dream symbolized a few simple, yet deep truths.

I’m reminded that the struggle comes in trying to do it all ourselves. Oftentimes we feel alone in our endeavors and/or our thoughts. We begin to believe we truly are alone and that no one could truly “get” us and our thoughts furthering ourselves from seeking friendship and true understanding of the human experience.
Furthermore, I’m reminded that when we try to control every aspect of the situation in order to get to an expected outcome, this keeps us in a state of suffering and panic. Why? Because there is no way we can control anything outside of us. This includes events, and yes, other human beings.
Lastly, I’m reminded that when we try so hard to achieve the thing we think we want, the desire keeps us in a state of suffering. Will we get it? No one knows. Are we enjoying the journey? Certainly not!

It’s funny, I hadn’t even realized I was having this dream and yet, when I became aware of the dream I instantly became aware of it’s true message. And what a relief!

We all go through moments where we need the reminder, the pep talk, the simple loving touch to remind us of WHO WE REALLY ARE AT OUR ESSENCE. After all, what truly matters in this thing we call life?

I cherish and honor these simple remembrances of what it truly means to be alive, and to awaken me from my shift in perspective so that at the end of the day, I can truly live from a heart of divine love and presence.

May we all cherish the reminders.

In wellness,

Susan

Photo by Seth Macey on Unsplash

Creating For The Sake Of It

When was the last time you felt inspired to create something? Do you remember what inspired you? Was it a piece of art? An idea while out on a hike? Or perhaps you saw someone else’s creation and thought, hey, I can do that too!

Lately I have been deeply inspired to simply create. Not for any desired outcome but to simply tap into what I feel drawn to and give it a shot! And what has been even more inspiring is the sense of ease that comes along with detachment. It has been absolutely beautiful to laugh, experiment, and learn along the way!

My next new creative hobby will be jumping into the world of ceramics & pottery. I can’t wait to get my hands on clay and see what happens ?

Ok, so what if you haven’t felt inspired in a while? Or, how do you get out of your own way so that creating can become fun again? I’ve listed a few simple hacks that have never failed me and thought I would share them here.

Go on vacation
- Yes, it’s as simple as that. Sometimes you need to take your mind OFF of the usual 5 repeated thoughts to leave space for new ones, and vacations can often help. When you’re in a new environment you become hyper aware and sensitive to what is going on NOW and that could mean trying new foods you’ve never had before, walking down a beautiful street, or meeting new people, all of which can help spark new ideas.
Do something new
- This is similar to the first one but try something new! Whether it’s simply trying out the new Ethiopian restaurant that just opened up in your neighborhood, checking out bootcamp if you’re only used to Pilates, or attending a new meetup in a completely different genre, trying something new can switch up the senses and jolt the system.
Create or try a new recipe
- I find cooking to be a way to meditate. Whether you’re avid cook or not, try a recipe that is a little more complicated or a cuisine you haven’t ventured into yet. Oftentimes this will get you exposed to new ingredients or methods of cooking and can serve as the mental break you need to feel refreshed again. Plus, it feels good to serve other people after you created something delicious!
Be unattached to the outcome
- This is probably the most important. Don’t worry about the outcome! Whether you find out cooking isn’t your thing, or watercolor isn’t what you thought it would be, that’s ok! The beauty is in the journey, the laughs along the way, the moments when you felt a rush of inspiration or new ideas, and even better? the people you meet along the way. When you become unattached to the outcome you open yourself up to other possibilities, and if you give yourself a bit of grace those new outcomes can blow your mind.

Hopefully this inspires you to other new ideas on how to get creative. I’ve been feeling even more creative since returning from New York and wanted to share my own bit of inspiration with you all.

Here’s to switching it up and new summer hobbies!

Namaste.

Watch It Come And Go

No matter the situation, no matter the emotion, no matter the thought – just remember watch it come and go.

Accept the resistance.

Accept the discomfort.

Accept the need to escape.

Accept the subtle need to want things to change.

Watch it come and go.

Love where you are.

Love yourself.

Love every emotion and thought that comes by.

Love the tiny awakening inside you.

Love the fact that you are OK right here, right now.

Watch it come and go.

This is the practice…

Letting Go of Your Future Plans

I remember a time not too long ago, when at the close of 2014, I had immensely ambitious goals of what I would like to conquer in the next year. At the time it was all about health and fitness. How I could really take my strength, speed, and admittedly vanity to the next level.

Then BAM. Not a few days into January a mundane event caused a sudden panic attack and my world went spiraling.

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