I’ve just moved over to the U.S. and changed my surroundings completely. I say ‘just’, but I’ve actually been here over 3 weeks, and I still haven’t posted anything…

I was so caught up in throwing a party, saying goodbye, passing on my classes and clients, also packing, which turned to into me giving away all of my stuff. Now I need to frequent goodwill because it turns out you need clothes in the U.S.A too. My life was going at a million miles a minute, and now its suddenly slowed down and I’m presented with all this time and space.

All this time has got me thinking about the differences between the U.K. and the U.S. and the differences in people and in myself. There are a lot of superficial differences between the U.S. and the U.K. such as the weather. The weather is actually extreme in the U.S. I went from -22 degrees, yes, -22 in Louisville, KY, where we first visited. Then came on over to 30 degrees in St Petersburg, FL, where we’re staying at the moment.

Another difference I’ve become aware of is how friendly people are, people will talk to you everywhere in the U.S. and seem to present who they are, loudly. In the U.K. you walk around not making eye contact with passers by, or god forbid talking to anyone you don’t know on the tube. They also call it the subway, not the tube, another great difference, the American language. I think I overly emphasis my British accent over here, to hold on to my roots even more.

The other noticeable difference, which pertains to my life, is Yoga, there’s a huge Yoga culture here, everyone and your grandma does Yoga over here. Which is of course great for me but also makes it intimidatingly normal, overprescribed and Americanised. At the moment I have the opportunity to be authentic with my own practice and get back to it rather then filling every moment teaching. Something I should be grabbing hold of, but instead I found it a burden to begin with. It’s scary to just be with your practice once you’ve gotten so used to sharing it.

We Brits are unbelievably repressed when showing emotions, but over here it seems people are overly eager to force their emotions on you. I want to strike a balance with my withholding British roots, and the welcoming American land I find myself living in. There’s so much to get used to, I feel as though I’m acclimatising physically, but mentally and spiritually as well. I want to hold on to what Yoga is for me, what the word tube means, and what it means to be genuinely happy to talk to someone.

I’m adjusting, I’m spending a lot of time just observing and giving myself the time. I need time to be true to who I am, to recognise authenticity in my surroundings and shrug off any insincerity with a smile.

I’ve now taken to practising Yoga facing the bay a few minutes walk from my house, and I’m easing into my new slower more considered life!

Are you easing into a new pace of life this year? Are you trying to fit more in, or give yourself some time off?

Namaste,

Helen