The seasons have a way of nudging us out of our comfort zones. Nature doesn’t resist it, and maybe we don’t need to either.

The Yoga Sutras talk a lot about this idea of living with awareness. In Sutra II.1, Patanjali tells us that yoga in action (kriya yoga) is really about three things: discipline (tapah), self-study (svadhyaya), and surrender (ishvarapranidhana). In other words: show up, keep learning about yourself, and remember that you’re not in control of everything. It’s simple, but not always easy—and it’s exactly what helps us break out of old loops and move forward.

This sutra is close to my heart because it’s the one that carried me through quitting drinking almost four years ago. For over 15 years, I lived in the same loop: drinking, anxiety, depression, consequences, repeat. I honestly couldn’t imagine being sober—I used to say I didn’t understand how anyone got through life without alcohol. Looking back, I can see how much pain and harm that caused, not just for me but for people around me too.

What started to change things wasn’t one big decision, but lots of little ones. I committed to moving my body every day, even when it felt hard (tapah). I journaled, I read, I started paying attention to myself in ways I hadn’t before (svadhyaya). And slowly, I reconnected with something bigger than me (ishvarapranidhana). None of it was fast or neat or easy, but over time, I felt myself getting stronger and clearer. One day, I realized I’d stepped out of the loop and I wouldn't look back.

That’s what this sutra reminds me of: change doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when we’re willing to shake things up and open ourselves to something new.

On the mat, that might look like picking up a strap you don’t normally use, trying a new variation, or even just slowing down transitions instead of rushing through them. Off the mat, it might mean saying yes when you’d normally say no—or no when you’d normally say yes. It doesn’t have to be big to matter. Small shifts can open big doors.

✨ In practice, this looks like:
🍂 Showing up even when it’s not easy
🍂 Breaking out of auto-pilot by moving differently or trying something new
🍂 Taking time to reflect instead of just going through the motions
🍂 Trusting the process instead of trying to control every outcome

✨ Off the mat, the invitation is:
🍂 Switch things up—sometimes even a tiny change brings fresh energy
🍂 Notice where you’re holding on too tight and practice softening
🍂 Remember that expansion often comes when we let go, not when we cling

At Nourished Roots Yoga, October is an invitation to:
🌿 Discipline: show up with intention
🌿 Self-study: get curious about your patterns
🌿 Surrender: soften into change instead of fighting it
🌿 Expansion: lean into the new and let it grow you

This month, try journaling with these questions:
📝 Where am I moving through life on autopilot, and what small shift could bring me back into presence?
📝 What routines feel nourishing, and which ones feel more like they’re keeping me stuck?
📝 How might letting go of control actually create more space for me to grow?

The leaves are changing, and so are we. May you have the courage to "spice" things up this season and trust that change doesn’t mean losing yourself—it’s an invitation to expand into who you’re becoming.