Share with Integrity

I am sorry I haven't written in so long. I didn't know what to write, or who to be. I read so many articles about creating a personal brand or catering to a niche that I didn't know who I was anymore. I felt like I had no authenticity or integrity in what I wrote if I was coming to you as the 'brand' Rosie Peacock. The reason I wanted to create this blog in the first place was a place to reflect and grow. That is not possible when all I show is a heavily manicured version of me. So I will begin today with just me, my honesty and my truth.  

This morning I woke up and came to my mat for my own personal yoga practice. I am quite embarrassed that this is a rare thing, and 90% of my yoga practice is guided in a class or by a youtube video, or even (my favourite) shared with my Mum wearing our PJs before work. I very rarely have my own personal practice, just me and my mat. Not because I don't know how to, but because I like to share the energy of the practice with others. I like to learn from guidance and wisdom, and I like it when someone else keeps the pace for me. 

I guess I find myself a bit erratic, in so many ways. How you are on your yoga mat, is usually a reflection of how you are in your life. I find it so hard to predict myself, which makes for difficult long-term planning, but a really interesting journey.

If you told me one year ago I would be sat in India, single and loving myself more than I could have imagined possible, writing a blog post, having just finished my yoga teacher training, with an online teaching job, a digital nomad, working for myself and about to start a Masters in Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology, I am not sure I would have believed you. Although, I am full of surprises, so maybe I would.

This morning after yoga, I meditated on my Sankalpa and an idea came to me that I should use my blog to track my journey over the next year. I have changed so much in the past year and I would love to be able to look back at each positive action I took to get to where I am now. 

One year ago, I stopped drinking, smoking and consuming all things detrimental to my liver (apart from coffee... I'm not there yet!). In the time since that happened, I have made so many changes. This time last year I was preparing to start my new job as an Academic Mentor in a secondary school, I was living with my parents, in a relationship with my best friend, which feels like a lifetime ago. 

Since then I worked as a secondary school English teacher, moved out into my own place, set up home and tried proper adulting. I let friendships fizzle out that would have brought me further away from the person I wanted to become, which was really hard, I love those people so much. Not every relationship and friendship you have will nurture your soul, but when you are trying hard to figure out who you need to be, sometimes you have to see people less and become more familiar with being alone.

I became obsessed with self-development, read every book I could get my hands on about positive psychology, or personal growth. I went to yoga regularly, did 2 x 8-week mindfulness courses (MBCT and mindfulness-based self-compassion) and started to really understand and accept myself and heal from the years of not being able to do that. 

I wanted to share this incredible journey with everyone I met and help them to realise that they have so much to give, so much to love within themselves. I ran after-school courses in Creative Writing for Wellbeing, Yoga, and Mindfulness. I trained to teach Yoga and Mindfulness to Teens and realised my life's Dharma was not just being a school teacher. I signed up for a Masters, started working part-time online around my job as a secondary school teacher. I created a blog and trained to teach yoga to adults this summer. 

I feel like I have come so far and I am really proud of myself. Having said that, I know that I couldn't have done it without the love and support of my amazing Mum and Dad, my incredibly supportive and inspiring friends (especially Liv and Laura) and Will, my best friend, the one who helped me heal with his love and let me go with such grace when I needed to grow alone. I owe the person I am today, to each and every one of you.

And so as I feel the beginning of a new chapter, I want to track the next 365 days of my personal development. A project I want to call A Year of Personal Development (#AYOPD) as this next year unfolds. And so here begins the next leg of my wonderful life journey, thank you for reading and letting me share it with you.

May I find courage to act with integrity.

May I be true to myself and to be true to my path.

May I share my life with others in a way that we may learn and grow,

May I remain humble, honest and true in all I do and show and ask.

ૐ Shanti Shanti Shanti

Day 1/365 days of personal development

ॐ Shanti x