Kristi Bowman's Blog: Living Well: Simple Tips for Health & Happiness - Posts Tagged "highest"

We are sometimes a teacher, but always a student. These last few years, especially, have made me appreciate how life is so apt to teach us lessons, including lessons on trust. I’ve experienced how trust may not come easily at first (for we seem to crave a sense of control), but the more I have surrendered to it, the more my life has flourished.

In 2010, I had a major shift in my employment, and significant decrease in income, as one form of work ended and I ventured into new territory. I knew it was the right decision for me, I could feel it in my gut, but I couldn’t necessarily see each step that lay before me.

At this time, my loving partner, Tony, and I were still fairly new in our relationship, having been together only a few months. After a little over a year and spending the majority of our nights together, we both felt ready to live together. I moved into his place. I was not only thankful to be in such a loving and satisfying relationship, but I was also relieved to know I’d still have a roof over my head, since my rent money was running out.

However, some months after the move, Tony, too, had a change in employment, with no plan to go back to work until he felt ready, which seemed like it might be a while. I could have freaked out. I could have said, “What do you mean you’re not working? You have to! How are we going to survive? Don’t you know you have me to think about now, too?” I could have gone into panic and scarcity mode, but I didn’t. Even though neither of us now worked full time, the yoga teacher in me supported his decision. He was experiencing neck and back issues, which were directly related to his work, and I was confident with continued yoga he would recover and also increase awareness about his body to prevent injuries in the future. I wanted what was best for him in both the short term and long term. This is not to say there weren’t moments of doubt, fear and frustration. Of course there were! But I embraced the yoga principles, recognized these worries as coming from the chatter-prone mind and not my authentic self, and let the fleeting frustrations roll on by. Though I didn’t exactly know how, I trusted everything would work out.

Sometimes it has been a challenge to simply trust, but over time I have learned that it’s easier to just go with the flow. Not only is it easier, as we align with this natural flow of life, we actually open ourselves up to receiving what is for our highest good.

It’s the kind of trust that involves a surrendering. I often envision it like we’re a swimmer trying to swim up a fast-moving river. We’re working very hard, circling our arms around and kicking our legs with all our might, trying to get where we think we need to go. Water is flowing over the rocks so quickly it’s splashing into our mouth, it’s hard to breathe, and we’re beginning to feel exhausted. Even though there is all this effort, we find we are making very little progress.

Trust becomes that moment when we decide to stop trying so hard, cease the struggle, turn over onto our back, and allow ourselves to be carried with the flow. As we float along with little effort, we wonder why we didn’t surrender sooner.

This river is energy, the same energy that powers you, me, the unfolding of flowers, the growth of massive redwoods, and the radiance of the stars. When we align with that, we are bigger than ourselves and our potential is unlimited. I’m not saying it will turn you into a superhero, but it might…

During this time period of his healing and establishing new healthy habits, which lasted a couple years, we lived on a shoestring budget, but we never went without. We always had money to pay the rent and money to go to dinner when we wanted, or out to the movies. We still shopped at the local markets and picked up our organic fruits and veggies. We did yoga, walked on the beach, and did a lot of hiking on the beautiful local trails. We supported one another, and our love and appreciation for each other deepened. It felt like we were a couple high-school sweethearts thoroughly enjoying summer break. Life was abundant.

Now, stronger, healthier and maintaining a greater level of awareness, Tony is back to work full-time at a job he enjoys. And I am still writing and teaching and doing what I love to do. I’m proud of him for taking the time he needed. Each of us has our own personal process, and we both trusted in the abundant nature of the universe.



As we align with the natural flow of life, the abundance of the universe is accessible to us.


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