As those of you know who have been reading the Wow for a while, I pick a theme for each year.

What is the theme for 2018?

Be flexible about everything but “if”.

What the heck does that mean?

Well, for Ashtanga yoga practitioners the recommendation is to practice 6 days a week (and practice takes about an hour and a half.)

As a 53-year-old lady running my on business, this can be difficult.

When I was younger, I would make myself crazy attempting to fit in a full practice no matter where I was or what was happening in my life (not to mention my body.)

As an older practitioner, I have calmed down a little. (This year I have practiced everywhere from on the deck of a houseboat to on a 4-level shag rug, courtesy of a motel in Ohio.)

What helped me calm down?

Becoming comfortable with the idea that while I might not know when my practice will happen, where my practice will happen or what on earth it will look like when it does happen, there is never a question of IF it will happen.

This year, I’m going to take this idea off the mat.

Why? Because when I get too hung up on when or where something should happen—not to mention how it “should” look when it does occur—I make myself crazy.

And that crazy prevents me from thinking creatively and responding flexibly—not to mention from noticing how what is actually happening might be better than my original idea or plan.

So while I still have all my goals and dreams and to-do lists for the year—there is no question of “if” my kooky self-realization project will be continuing—I am going to attempt to be flexible about how, when, and what it might look like while it occurs.

Because it might be better than my original plan.