today is my final day of internship in amtrak’s employee assistance program. i am tying a bow around this amazing learning experience by saying goodbye to many clients {sigh} and putting my stamp on oodles of macro projects. 

yesterday my two supervisors and fellow intern treated me to tasty korean bbq (tofu, of course) at union market, a vanilla bean cupcake, thoughtful gifts, and a stroll through the franciscan monastery where i snapped some of the above pics. my experience at this internship has been truly heavenly and yesterday was the most perfect au revoir possible.

while i have worked with mentoring clients for years, having the opportunity to serve diverse clients with assorted struggles has been a true gift. since junior high i’d planned on being a therapist. in my early days of teaching yoga i saw the classes as a modified form of group therapy. then in may 2009, i decided it was time to pursue the practice further. 

although there were many late night scholarly papers {including one due tomorrow}, last minute research done while leading retreats abroad, and over 1000 hours of internship at amtrak and n street village, i have grown in so many ways. for example, having a supervisor and not being in charge after many years of self-employment took some getting used to. working on a PC was an embarrassing struggle at times. creating my very first powerpoint presentation and hosting my first webinar left me a bit anxious. thank god for yoga. sitting down with my first client as their counselor was unnerving. learning organizational culture took some adjustment {you sure i can’t wear peep toe wedges?} yep, only closed toe shoes in amtrak’s safety sensitive environment.

one thing i’ve observed during this process is that ongoing evolution is therapeutic. incorporating tools and learning new skills feels good. the continual pushing of edges that we teach at tranquil space on the mat translates beautifully into everyday life.

the next six months will be filled with more evolution. learning additional skills while living and writing in france for six weeks {parlez-vous anglais?}, turning 40, traveling across north america in a vintage RV, taking online classes {just signed up for two through coursera}, playing host through air bnb, and more. although evolution is scary, it helps me feel alive. when done in baby steps, that is.

where do you feel a longing for evolution? are you interested in learning a new skill? exploring a new part of the city? doing a juice cleanse? learning a new language? try pushing your edges on a daily basis ever so slightly. nonjugdmentally observe what unfolds. sometimes we push too far, sometimes we explore too little. find the sweet spot in your evolution process. after all, you are perfect as you are. sometimes we simply need–and crave–a little creative enhancement. speaking of which, hope you like this blog’s creative updo. all things are works in progress. bisous. x