Serendipity Brought Us Together
This was a blog post written by yours truly back in 2016. Some of this still resonates and some … well I have grown a ton. But I would hate to edit it out as this was the experience of a 25 year old. Thank you for being here and thank you for allowing me to continue to share my vulnerability.
I was sitting at the dining room table at The Yoga Retreat on my very first day. It was quiet and most people were keeping to themselves. I did not realize that a yoga class was going on because I did not know the schedule yet. All of a sudden a bunch of people were strolling out of the yoga shala. Out of the blue, an extremely beautiful and glowing woman came up and introduced herself to me. She had the same name as my middle name, Elise. My stomach flipped. I knew at that very moment that she was going to be an important part of my trip.
Serendipity. Serendipity. Serendipity.
The act of Serendipity was overwhelming and I knew exactly what was happening. I am all about serendipitous moments and that the universe brings people together when we need to have them in our lives and this moment proved everything I believe in to be true. Elise was going to help me find the person I came to Thailand looking for; she was going to help me discover my true self.
The Yoga Retreat was a whirlwind and when people at home ask me how my trip was there is not one pivotal moment I can recall to explain why it was so amazing. It was not about the things that I did but it was about what happened internally. An amazing woman showed me that when we focus within we actually gain this incredible strength. There is this mental and physical strength that goes beyond the simple energy found within food and water.
⭒ Elise ⭒
When I met this young amazing woman she was going through personal struggles of her own. Elise was faced with an internal conflict where she had to choose to follow a romantic relationship to Australia OR go against all plans to be on her own and take her career into her own hands. I watched her go through the struggle and she inspired me to be brave enough to do the same.
I am so grateful that the universe aligned our paths for a short three weeks before she departed on her own journey towards a very bright and exciting future. Now, here is what lead to our paths crossing.
The moment I discovered the Yoga Retreat on Google, my gut knew right away it was going to be the place where I was supposed to go for an adventure. After booking the retreat, I hit a point in my life where I had completely lost myself in a relationship where my heart was not happy and my confidence had diminished. I felt broken in a way that I had never felt before. My self-image had been shattered. My instincts told me that I was going to meet this woman and be re-inspired….all before I consciously knew I was going to fall apart. Before the trip, the light was taken out of me and I was left in the dark not knowing how to scrape the pieces back together.
Struggle of Looking Inwards
I went to Koh Phangan knowing I needed to work on looking inwards but I had no idea how to do it. From others’ perspectives I was very good at being strong, positive, supportive and a loving friend and girlfriend. However, I continuously was failing at showing that same love to myself. In a few short weeks this woman taught me so many tools through yoga, meditation, self care, and friendship. She helped me along my path to learning to love myself. She was my inspiration.
Leaving my home in Kelowna for 40 days made me realize how much I loved my city and my life that I had created back home. I was also at an interesting point in my life where I came to face two choices.
(1) Follow the PhD plan my academic-self laid out perfectly for me
OR
(2) Say “Fuck the Plan” and do what I believe in my heart to be true, which is to stay in Kelowna and build a life and career focusing on Holistic nutrition and education.
After hearing her story and witnessing the happiness that came from following her passion and saying “Fuck the Plan”, I knew I was making the right decision not going to Grad School. I chose to stay where my heart belonged… in Kelowna.
I could not have asked for a better mentor to show me how to face life-changing decisions with such ease and passion and to be there throughout the emotional struggles I experienced at this retreat. My life has changed for the better. I am so grateful for the warm smiles, shared tears, the necessary hugs, and the kind words I received over the last three weeks.
I will never forget the impact she made in my life.
It is important to be open to learning about every new person that comes into your life. Consciously decide how this person is going to impact your path. Do not dismiss strangers. Do not only focus on those you already know. There is a huge world out there and the universe aligns people together for a reason. It is serendipity that drives our experiences. It helps us move towards our individual paths of personal growth.
So here is a tip. When you meet someone that is brand new in your life ask one question.
“What is your story?”
You may find yourself sitting on a couch until 4 am just talking about life, love, and personal struggle. As a result, someone who was a complete stranger all of a sudden can become an extremely important part of your life. That was never a part of your plan. That was the power of Serendipity.
Sincerely,
Just another Millennial on the search for a happy, healthy, and sustainable lifestyle ♥