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Lessons present themselves in our lives to be learned, but we must choose to learn the lesson offered in order for them not to return and 'quiz' us again. On the flipside, when we do learn the lesson we need to absorb in order to live our most fulfilling life, that is the moment the teacher often steps out of our life, leaving us on our own to step into the next chapter. 

Often, we don't want this person, culture or experience to conclude because if it is a lesson that awakens us, we are stepping ever closer to true contentment, and as we do that, we are even more aware and appreciative of how such a situation or person played an integral role in our awakening and we may want them to continue to be a part of our lives. 

Case in point. In my own life, during the first six months of arriving in Bend in 2015, I began taking yoga classes at a studio here in town, and as I wrote about in my new book, including a handful of anecdotes, this studio and most importantly, its instructors, deepened my understanding and confidence of not only yoga, but the purpose for practicing yoga. 

Fast forward to today, December 31st. Today is the final day of the studio holding classes as its doors will close with the new year, dispersing many students of all ages and abilities and yes, its instructors as well. When the news was announced just before Thanksgiving, many of us were heartbroken as a community had been created and deep trust forged both with our chosen instructors and fellow classmates, or yogis, who came regularly, held the poses, became bathed in sweat and savored the sweet conclusion of the final pose, savasana. But the studio would be closing, and in many ways it was a test to see if we had learned what had been taught and practiced for more than seven years. 

As I expressed to a beloved instructor Sabine who I shared in my book was both comforting, supportive, instructive and confident in my abilities during difficult and celebratory times that occurred in class, she was one of the most powerful catalysts for my deepening appreciation for yoga, and one of the reasons I continued to show up each week even when I was exhausted from a full week of teaching, but knew this practice was beneficial beyond the physical exertion. However, as I grieved in my own way during my final class at the studio earlier this week of which she was the instructor, I knew in my heart the lessons I needed to learn from her and this space had been finally absorbed, and that realization was confidence building. 

People, careers, relationships, experiences, all will pass and/or conclude at some point or another, and we can either cling and refuse to move forward, or we can look for the gift of the lesson we had the opportunity to learn and carry that wisdom forward with us so that our time with them, engaged in that experience, is never disregarded, forgotten or wasted. We are being given an awesome gift of becoming more in tune with our true self and capabilities, and for that, we extend gratitude and forever carry them with us.

However 2022 treated you, whatever it gave to you or challenged you with, find the lesson that deepens your awareness and strengthens the quality of your life. It's there. Of that I am confident. Some of us may have to look very closely, but I assure you, there is a lesson or two (maybe more) that this past year presented you with. Will you apply the wisdom in the new year? If you do, I promise you that you won't have to learn that lesson again, and while yes, new lessons will present themselves, with the gained wisdom you have gathered all of which develops a more grounding sense of contentment, you will be able to navigate whatever comes your way more easily than your younger, less sagacious self, would have thought possible.

As the new year begins on the blog, with Monday's Motivational post on January 2nd, look for further exploration into how to approach the new year so that it indeed is a year to savor. Wishing you a wonderful final day of 2022 and an auspicious start with the commencement of 2023 tomorrow. 

Below in this month's newsletter, you have oodles of content to explore, and in December, not only do I include the regular weekly posts, but also, the round-up of TOP posts in eight different categories. Discover below which posts were readers' favorites and explore or return to posts you most enjoy as you have a moment or two extra to savor during this 'time-between-the-years'. 

Thank you for choosing to subscribe to the monthly newsletter. Wishing you a most wonderful holiday weekend, and until Tuesday January 31st, I will see you on the blog.

—Shannon

~To explore every post you wish to read, be sure to become a member to one of the two tiers - BASIC or TOP as non-members can only read five posts a month (it will reset on the first of each month - tomorrow!). Please note that prices for all membership will increase on January 1st 2023. If you purchase your Membership before 2022 becomes 2023, your price will remain the same so long as you keep your Membership Active (this includes Pauses).