The Habit That Changed My Mindset
Sunday Check-In | October 4, 2026
Happy Sunday! I hope this check-in finds you well. š
I have been in a really good place lately, and I wanted to share what I've been doing differently. As many of you know, the beginning of the year was a bit of an emotional roller coaster for me.
I tried all kinds of things to improve my outlook, but one thing in particular has made a real difference: journaling my random thoughts.
I've been very consistent about dream journaling every morning, but what has really helped is taking a few extra minutes after recording my dream to journal to my higher power.
I don't censor anything.
Sometimes I write about what I think my dream is trying to tell me. Other times I write about my frustrations, my goals, or something that's been weighing on my mind. I always make sure to include a little gratitude for the amazing life I have.
This simple routine has helped me feel less lonely, less overwhelmed, and less like I'm carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. It reminds me first thing in the morning that all is well.
I set my intentions for the day. What would I like to accomplish? What absolutely needs to get done? How am I feeling? What are my long-term goals, and can I do anything to work toward those?
It's been a complete game changer for me.
Do you journal? Have you ever tried? What stood in the way?
I've never been much of a journaler before. It always felt like, "Dear diary... who am I even writing this for?"
Having the conversation directed toward my higher power, while also imagining that I'm talking to my very best friend, seems to be the key for me. Suddenly I have something meaningful to say.
So if you've been feeling depressed, lonely, stressed, or overwhelmed, give it a try.
Just let it all out.
Write down what you're carrying. Write down a few things you're grateful for. Then turn over whatever is troubling you to your higher power.
I've often heard it said in yoga that if you offer your efforts to God, all will be well.
The more we chase and cling to something, the faster it seems to run away or disappear. Yet when we relax our grip and continue showing up, things often unfold naturally.
I have never been very good at surrendering my efforts, but this new habit seems to help me remember to let go of the outcome.
Have you ever noticed that when you want something desperately, it always seems just out of reach?
Have you ever put someone on a pedestal, only to find they don't return the affection or validation you hoped for?
How do you balance action and acceptance?
What are you chasing instead of allowing into your life?
Weekly Plans
Patreon
This week on Patreon:
A new yoga class: Steady & Strong. I've received several requests for more strength-focused flows, so that's what we'll be working on.
More foot mobility classes.
A fresh Dream Talk and practice exercise to help you continue developing your dream interpretation skills and integrate dream wisdom into waking life.
YouTube
Yoga for Strength & Flexibility | Slow and Steady to Deepen Your Practice
Student Questions
1. Do you think the emotion you wake up with is sometimes more important than the actual story of the dream?
Possibly.
When a dream carries a particularly strong emotional charge or vivid quality, I tend to view that as a sign that something important is trying to come through.
The emotional state within the dream is always something I consider when trying to understand its meaning. Sometimes that emotion is intense fear. Other times it's surprisingly neutral.
For example, I recently had a dream where I witnessed people doing illegal things. They were trying to kill me so I couldn't expose them. Probably too many crime shows!
The strongest emotions in the dream weren't actually about me. They came when my partner tried to defend me and was attacked. The dream became so vivid that I woke up from it and was still thinking about it when I drifted back to sleep.
Clearly, there's something there worth exploring. Maybe it's a fear of losing someone I love. Maybe it's a fear connected to the past, since the setting and circumstances were tied to an earlier period of my life.
I'm still marinating on that one.
Then there are dreams where the emotions don't seem to match the story at all.
Last night I dreamed I had gotten a job at a convenience store. During training, I realized I was completely naked. Naturally, I was concerned about getting in trouble or offending people.
The strange part? Nobody cared.
The customers were friendly. My coworkers were kind. Everyone seemed completely accepting, in almost a weird way.
I felt mildly uncomfortable, but nowhere near the level of embarrassment I would experience in waking life.
That lack of emotional intensity or embarrasment helps me understand the dream. Perhaps it reflects a growing belief that people accept me as I am, and that I don't need to hide parts of myself.
A much lighter dream then the first, and honestly kind of funny.
So yes, emotions can be a major key to understanding a dream.
2. If a frightening character appears repeatedly in your dreams, how would you approach that character?
One interesting way to think about dream characters is to assume that every person or creature in the dream represents some aspect of yourself.
If the monster is you, what does it want?
Instead of running from it, try setting the intention to turn around and confront it.
Ask questions.
What are you doing here?
What do you want?
Why are you chasing me?
Often these frightening figures represent something that has been pushed into the shadows: a fear, a memory, an addiction, an emotional wound, grief, or something we've been avoiding in waking life.
The more we run, the harder they tend to chase.
If there's something we're unwilling to face during the day, our dreams will often find a way to bring it to our attention at night.
The good news is that once we confront the issue and begin working with it, those recurring dreams frequently lose their intensity or disappear altogether.
3. Which five poses best represent your yoga practice?
What a challenging question!
If I could only choose five, they would be:
Downward Dog
Warrior I
Anjaneyasana
Supine Twist
Savasana
Downward Dog gives us a wonderful full-body stretch and mild inversion.
Warrior I offers strength, stability, balance, and length.
Anjaneyasana provides a deep hip flexor stretch while opening the front body.
Supine Twist gives us a gentle spinal twist.
And finally,
Savasana reminds us that deep relaxation is just as important as effort.
Thankfully, I don't actually have to limit myself to only five poses because there are so many incredible postures with unique benefits!
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