Diving In: On Learning, Letting Go & New Beginnings

Embracing Discomfort and Transformation

Hello Beautiful You.

How the heck are you? It feels like it’s been awhile— I’ve missed you.

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to dive in—to step into something new, even when it feels uncomfortable or uncertain.

Whether it’s learning how to teach yoga, braving the cold ocean in the depths of winter, or welcoming a brand-new soul into the world, each experience has reminded me that beginnings are rarely graceful—but always transformative.

This past month has been full of lessons in learning, letting go, and embracing new beginnings. Here’s what’s been happening in my little corner of the world…

Yoga Teacher Training: Humbling and Hard

I’ve been immersed and focussed on my yoga teacher training this past month preparing for my Level 1 assessment.¹ Being back in ‘learning’ mode after so long has definitely stretched my brain (in a good way.)

Part of the assessment involved filming myself teaching, cueing, meditating, and practicing yoga. Let me tell you—seeing and hearing yourself on camera is humbling!

There’s a real art to teaching, and right now, I feel like a clunky beginner. But hey, nowhere to go but up, right?

Before submitting our videos, we were reminded: This is Level 1. It’s not supposed to be perfect. But for a perfectionist like me, accepting that “OK is good enough” was tough. I had to keep repeating to myself:

"It’s just the beginning. It can’t be perfect."

Still, the videos are done, submitted, and I’m celebrating that small victory before moving on to Level 2.

Channeling My Scandinavian Roots: Winter Dips

A cold front hit the west coast this week, and my daily ocean dips have become a whole new level of mind-bending. It’s one thing to wade in on a mild winter day, but snow and -5°C (23°F for my American friends)? That’s a mental game all its own.

There’s something deeply primal about immersing yourself in icy water. The initial shock, the sharp inhale, the way every nerve ending lights up—it demands presence.

No room for overthinking, just breathing (slowly!) and being. It’s uncomfortable, yes, but it’s also exhilarating. A reminder that our bodies, our minds, are capable of so much more than we give them credit for.

Maybe it’s my Scandinavian roots calling me back to the traditions of cold therapy, or maybe it’s just the way the ocean keeps teaching me resilience, but this practice has become more than just a physical challenge.

It’s a daily lesson in leaning into discomfort, trusting the process, and emerging stronger.

If you’ve ever been curious about cold water immersion, I urge you to try it—safely, of course. There’s a kind of therapy in it that money can’t buy. Here’s a post I wrote last year about the practice if you’d like to explore it more.

Photo by Mika Ruusunen on Unsplash

Welcoming Baby: Love Multiplied

I’m a Grandma again! My newest grandson was born on January 19, 2025, making me a grandmother to four beautiful grandsons. I’m completely in love with each and every one of them.

There’s nothing quite like a newborn baby to bring much-needed perspective, light, and joy into life. I wish this for you, too—wherever you find your source of light.

Life has a way of nudging (or shoving) us into the unknown. Whether it’s stepping into a new role, braving the cold, or welcoming a fresh chapter, there’s always some discomfort in transformation.

But maybe that’s where the beauty is—in learning to be OK with not being perfect, in choosing to wade in anyway, in allowing ourselves to be shaped by what comes next.

A Guided Meditation for You

As I reflect on all these lessons—of learning, letting go, and stepping into the unknown—I wanted to offer you a moment of stillness. Here’s a short guided meditation for you. A pause, a breath, a thank-you moment just for you.

What say you? I’d love to hear from you:

1. What’s something new you’ve learned lately, even if it’s outside your comfort zone?

2. What gives you perspective when you need it—things you do or people you turn to?

3. Where is life nudging you right now?

1. I’ve been practising online through Do Yoga With Me since 2018. They offer free online yoga, meditation and health and wellness videos. There are an array of talented teachers and yoga practices for various levels from beginner, intermediate to advanced. I love it and it’s my “go to” for when I can’t get to an in person class.