Knowing when to quit
letting go to make space for something new...
Hello, I’m Jodie. A Yoga teacher & wellbeing creator/ writer. I write about life post burnout with themes of rest, living slower, healing, self discovery, Yoga & more. Please subscribe to support my work & to read more. You can join my monthly journaling club and also find me on Instagram.
Hello friends,
It’s been a while, I’ve missed you and this space!
Firstly, I went on a little holiday to Ibiza (it was gorgeous, let me know if you’d like a separate post on this?), secondly, I just needed some space. Since going self employed 18 months ago I’ve slowly added more things into my life, things that are beautiful and brilliant, but, I haven’t been taking anything away to make room for them.
I was feeling squished with no time for rest, play, be creative - basically nothing left to fill up my own cup.
I’d spread myself too thin. It was on a Tuesday morning a few weeks back when it came to a head. I had nothing left to give. I wrote down everything I was trying to do and realised I really needed to draw a line through some of them to continue to show up in the best way.
So, over the course of a week I decided to pause my in-person Yoga classes, stop uploading to YouTube weekly, and cut down on some marketing work for freelance clients, and let me tell you, the resistance to letting go of these things was strong. It felt so difficult in that moment, but I also knew it needed to be done.
Over the past few months there’s been some gentle nudges towards this change, but I continued to ignore them for the sake of comfort and familiarity. For the sake of not wanting to let others down. For the sake of the unknown and where it might leave me to quit and let these things go.
It reminded me of jobs I’d stayed in for too long, times in my early 20’s I’d say yes to things I didn’t actually want to do. I’d forgot that I had a choice. I felt obligated to these commitments that felt aligned at one time but had started to shift as I changed.
If you can relate to this feeling, a question I found helpful journaling on is…
“what am I choosing to ignore, what is my fear around this?”
We’re constantly changing and evolving, so it’s likely that how we want to live our lives and how we spend our time will change with that too.
affirmation: It’s safe and welcomed for me to let go of things and change my mind
What I’m welcoming in…
With more time and space comes more opportunity. Now I’m on the other side this feels exciting and expansive. I also love that it’s aligned with spring and this feeling of clarity around what I actually want (and honouring it!) so I wanted to share what I’m welcoming in and what you can expect from me over the coming months.
The Story Social. Ahhh guys, this is a biggie. Over the past few months I’ve been working away alongside a good friend to create the online book club and community Story Social. You all know I’m big on connection and offering a space for us to do that, and I’m also a huge fan of reading fiction as a slower more mindful activity, it’s something that’s enriched my life in the biggest way. Having more time to dedicate to this feels like a blessing and I’d love for you to come along for the ride.
Movement. I’ve been missing the endorphins! I’m one of those people that instantly notices the shift after exercising. It’s like I can feel the chemicals seeping into my brain and calming any whirling thoughts. For a while now my intention has been to move more, but I just wasn’t giving myself the time or space to do it in a way I could keep up with consistently. I’m excited to get back on the horse so to speak, feel stronger in my body and dedicate more to it.
Deeper connection to Self. I’ll be continuing to share my monthly workshops, but outside of this my main focus with Yoga and spirituality is to actually go back and have more time to go inwards. I started off sharing Yoga because of my love of the practice, so it’s time to reconnect with that for myself.
As you can imagine it’s going to take a few weeks for these changes to happen, but honestly it feels like a weight lifted. A much needed reminder of how good quitting can be!
I’d love to know if there’s anything you’ve quit recently and feel better for?
Until next time,
Jodie x
If you found this post useful or enjoyed it I would be so grateful if you shared it or restacked it. It helps more people find the Slower Space community… Thank you x
Thank you ❤️Yes, a lot of this post resonates.....i definitely forgot I had a choice and felt like I would be letting people down...turned out to be in my head, people were delighted for me when I finally decided to leave my job!
I was let go from my job last month and I immediately felt 100 lbs lighter. A huge weight was lifted off my shoulders that I no longer needed to wake up to stress and anxiety everyday. I was kinda forced into this situation, but now looking back I realized I should have left a long time ago especially since I was so unhappy. I feel free and able to do what I am truly passionate about now. I don’t know what is next for me, but I feel so much hope for the future!