Embracing Change
I recently changed my hair from blonde to an auburn tone. And while that might seem like a small thing, it’s actually felt like something much bigger. Like I’ve stepped into a slightly different version of myself. A new energy, a new timeline perhaps. And it got me thinking… how often do we keep ourselves the same, without even realising?
It’s interesting how we begin to identify with certain things. The roles we play, the way we’re seen, the labels we carry.
“I’m this kind of person”
“I’ve always been this way”
“this is what suits me”
Even something as simple as “I’m blonde”.
Over time, these things start to feel like truth. Not just choices, but identity. And there’s comfort in that. There’s safety in knowing who we are, how we’re perceived, how we show up. But sometimes, that same comfort can actually keep us stuck.
Because when we hold too tightly to who we’ve been, it can make it harder to become anything new. Not because we don’t want to, but because it feels unfamiliar. And unfamiliar can feel uncomfortable.
Sometimes these changes can be a shift in perspective, a moment of awareness, or even something as simple as choosing a different hair colour. And what I noticed in making that choice wasn’t just the change itself, it was the thoughts that came with it. The questioning, the hesitation, the small voice wondering, is this really me? And that made me realise how often we limit ourselves based on who we think we’re meant to be.
There’s also this quiet pressure we carry. To be consistent, to make sense, to be understood. To not change too much, to not confuse people, to stay aligned with the version of ourselves that others know. But we’re not meant to stay the same. We’re not here to be fixed. We’re here to move, to evolve, to experience.
And yet, the mind likes certainty. It likes to define things, to label, to categorise, because that feels safe. But growth doesn’t always feel safe. Growth often feels like not knowing, like stepping into something without a clear outcome, like allowing yourself to be seen in a different way, even if it feels a little uncomfortable at first.
And this is where the practice really begins. Not just on the mat, but in everyday life.
In these moments where we notice ourselves holding onto an idea, a belief, an identity, I suggest you ask…
what if I didn’t need to hold onto this?
What if I allowed myself to change?
Since making this small shift, I’ve felt something open up within me. A lightness, a sense of play, a reminder that I don’t need to take myself so seriously. That I’m allowed to try things, to change my mind, to explore different versions of myself. Not because something was wrong before, but because growth is natural, and life is always moving.
And maybe that’s the real invitation here. Not to force change, but to soften into it. To let go of the need to be perfect, or consistent, or clearly defined, and instead, to be open. Open to learning, open to shifting, open to becoming.
Because change doesn’t have to be big. It doesn’t have to be a complete reinvention. It can be quiet. It can be subtle. It can be responding differently than you did before, letting go of a thought that no longer feels true, or allowing yourself to step into something new without needing to justify it.
There’s something really freeing in realising you don’t have to stay the same. You don’t have to hold onto a version of yourself just because it’s familiar. You don’t have to fit into a label just because it once felt true.
You’re allowed to shift. You’re allowed to outgrow things (or people, workplaces, and yes clothing/fashion too… )
And maybe that’s something we can all gently explore, not just on the mat, but in our everyday lives. A little more openness, a little more curiosity, a little less holding on.
Invite that flexibility that you crave so much of when on the mat into your life off the mat.
Thanks for reading and lots of love always,
Kate