Hello January,

Every new year gifts us a chance to start afresh. We often mark this opportunity with resolutions: shedding weight, maintaining regular workouts, managing finances, or committing to more frequent yoga sessions. Resolutions typically aim to alter aspects of our lives we feel need change, which is commendable. However, we soon lose sight of these resolutions once we prove we can achieve them.

This year, consider selecting a theme. I've embraced this approach for years, and even friends have adopted it. A theme—be it adventure, transformation, love, or embracing—serves as a reminder of what truly matters in your life, rather than solely focusing on what needs changing. Consequently, it influences your perspective on life, impacting not just yourself but also those around you.

Being mindful of your perspective aligns with the social and individual principles of yoga known as the yamas and niyamas, representing ethical codes. In my recent mindfulness teachings at schools, I've noticed that young people associate yoga with mats, outfits, and physical flexibility; they don’t know about the essential aspect—the yoga mindset. Yet, this mindset forms the cornerstone of yoga practice, encompassing the initial two limbs of Patanjali's eight-fold path.

I look forward to exploring these attitudes with you all in the coming year and hope you discover an elevating theme for this new year.