I recently read the "Mel Robbins' book, 'Let Them,' and it has profoundly impacted my life; transforming my relationships with myself, family members, friends, and students. The core principle of 'Let Them' is about releasing the need to control others, allowing us to redirect our energy inward. This mindset aligns so well with my beliefs as a yoga teacher to let go of what you can not control and focus on what you can influence. In this way, we promote emotional and mental well-being by accepting situations and others as they are.

Key themes of 'Let Them' include:

Relinquishing Control:

A central concept of Let Them is accepting the idea that it is NOT our job to micromanage or change adults. This has been particularly helpful when dealing with my grown children. When my kids were young, I absolutely had a say in where they went and what they did. However, as they grew older, I learned to let them deal with the consequences of their choices (unless it was a safety issue). For example, if they forgot to bring their homework, or they left their lunch at home, I let them figure it out. Now that they are grown adults, I really don’t have any say in their choices. Sometimes I mess up and give my unsolicited opinion. If. they get. upset, I take responsibility for my mistake and apologize.

Setting Healthy Boundaries:

'Let Them' emphasizes establishing and maintaining personal boundaries to safeguard emotional well-being. I've found this especially useful in navigating political differences with friends and loved ones. Like so many people, I have close relationships with people whose political beliefs diverge sharply from my own. By applying the 'Let Them' principle, I've learned to accept their choices, provided they also respect mine. We've established a boundary of mutual respect, avoiding political discussions and promptly apologizing if we inadvertently cross that line. However, for those who can not respect my boundaries, and try to impose their beliefs onto me, I have limited the time that I spend with those people in order to protect myself.

Self-Empowerment:

Focusing on what we can control—our thoughts, actions, and emotional responses—empowers us. 'Let Them' played a crucial role in my decision to create my own yoga community, Yoga Gal. Initially, I believed that true yoga teaching meant working for a large corporation, like Crunch. I pursued this path, secured a position, and was initially thrilled that I was now a ‘valid ‘yoga teacher. However, I soon realized our priorities were misaligned. Crunch, as a corporation, prioritized profit where as I wanted personalization and a small community. So, I left, empowered to pursue my vision.

Emotional Detachment:

'Let Them' encourages emotional detachment from stressful situations and people. I now apply this technique while driving, particularly when someone tailgates me. Instead of getting worked up, I detach from their aggressive energy and with a mantra “Go on then.” A fundamental aspect of 'Let Them' is controlling our responses to external stimuli rather than attempting to control the stimuli itself. In order to remain calm, I wake up every morning and do a pranayama or breathe work practice.

Authenticity:

Let Them champions the importance of authenticity, both in ourselves and others. If you grew up in a household where holding opposing views was not encouraged, you may be a people-pleaser; swallowing your own needs to accommodate others. As a people pleaser myself, I have used the Let Them theory to help me find my voice. as a yoga teacher.

When I got my 200 hour yoga certification in 2012, I was taught that I had to mirror my students while teaching. I was failry overwhelmed as a new teacher and as someone with some level of dyslexia, I knew that mirroring was not an option. Then I found my 300 hour yoga teacher, Jason Crandell. Jason is a highly successful, world renowned yoga teacher and he never mirrors. He gave me the courage to succeed. I also realized that my super power is creating and environment of inclusion and accessibility for all. So my imperfection is actually a gift..