Lately, I’ve been having this conversation with myself. It starts with the question, “Does this (whatever is in front of me) make The COVID Cut?” While it started simply with items in closets and drawers it has evolved into much more, including how I handle situations. As a yogi, I was already living life pretty cleanly, but as the pandemic dredged on, I found this concept moving more and more into various areas of my life.
It showed up with friends. Who was, and was not, showing up during this challenging time? How hard was I willing to work to maintain vintage relationships? What had I, or we, outgrown? What required repair? What required letting go? Like the first layer of items in the house, what no longer fit was becoming clear. Interestingly, the friends who were showing up shared the same experiences within their circles too. It was also widely documented in families – often related to differing political views during the election and with social justice. It was painful and led to a lot of grieving – after the arguing – resulting in more COVID losses.
Instead of resisting it, I began to embrace the idea of “What makes The COVID Cut?” in everything. Food. Drink. Conversations. Complaints. Ways of being. What is no longer serving me? What do I want to leave behind by choice? This is an ongoing process that I am curious about and it’s improving the way I overcome challenges. It’s the deepest Spring Cleaning I can do – within myself.
Yoga will always make the cut for me. The practice on the mat reveals the physical, mental, and emotional cleaning of my own thoughts, feelings and actions off the mat. For that, I’m forever grateful. This practice makes life better. I’m not always feeling happy and free, but the more I practice, the closer I get.
I’d love to hear what does or does not make The COVID Cut in your life.
