Practicing non-attachment
Happy Friday!
🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷
We. Made. It. 😮💨
This week was a bit of a doozy for me. I’ll be real with ya.
Life has a funny way of forcing us into situations we never saw coming. This past week, I experienced a major life change that left me feeling overwhelmed, upset, and completely out of control. While I won’t go into the details, I can say it shook me to my core. I wasn’t ready for it, and my initial reaction was panic, anxiety, and a desperate attempt to hold on to how I thought things should go.
You see, I had this vision of how a certain moment in my life was supposed to unfold. I imagined it being a time filled with joy, celebration, and careful planning. But instead, life threw me into it unexpectedly, and it felt chaotic and unfair.
I spent the first few days spiraling. I couldn’t stop obsessing over how this wasn’t the way it was supposed to happen. My need to control the situation - to make things fit my idea of “perfect” - left me feeling even more anxious and powerless.
That’s when I realized: this is where non-attachment comes in.
If you remember the last newsletter was about practicing non-attachment and that dang parking space debacle. Is the timing of this unfolding in real time not hilarious?! 😂
Non-attachment, or Aparigraha, is the practice of letting go - of releasing the need to cling to certain outcomes, ideas, or even places. And while I’ve practiced this on the yoga mat, I now find myself living it in real life, in real time.
I’ve had to let go of:
The idea of control: Life will never go exactly as planned, no matter how much I prepare or hope for certain outcomes. It’s scary to surrender, but holding onto control has only amplified my stress.
My attachment to my home: The place I’ve called home has been a sanctuary for me, and the thought of leaving it so abruptly filled me with grief. But I’m realizing that home isn’t just a place - it’s a feeling, and I can create that feeling wherever I go.
Expectations of how life should be: I wanted this transition to be a joyful, celebratory moment that I could plan for. But by clinging to this expectation, I missed the opportunity to embrace the new reality for what it is - a chance for growth, even if it doesn’t look how I thought it would.
This week has been a rollercoaster of emotions. At first, I fought against the change. I felt betrayed by the suddenness of it all, and I longed for the situation I had envisioned. But slowly, I’m learning that by holding onto these expectations, I’m only causing myself more harm.
Letting go isn’t about giving up - it’s about accepting what is, and trusting that even in the chaos, something beautiful can emerge.
So, here I am, practicing non-attachment in a very real and personal way. I’m working through my emotions, embracing the unknown, and trying to open myself up to the possibility that this change might bring unexpected joy, even if it didn’t arrive the way I had hoped.
My challenge to you: Is there something in your life you’ve been holding onto too tightly? Maybe it’s an idea of how things should be, or a need to control a situation that feels out of your hands. I encourage you to take a moment and reflect on what you can release - what expectations, fears, or attachments might be holding you back from embracing the present moment.
I’m still in the process of letting go, but I’m taking it one breath at a time. I hope that by sharing this, it helps remind you (and me!) that sometimes, it’s okay to surrender and trust the flow of life.
Thank you for being here with me on this journey.
<3
Taylor