The Youthful Older Yogi

Unlearning My Way to 2026

MJ Waddell Season 3 Episode 56

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As the year comes to a close, this episode is a reflection on what 2025 offered—through learning, unlearning, healing, and showing up again and again. Endings don’t feel like endings here; they feel like space being made for what’s next.

Unlearning as a Practice
After decades of yoga, unlearning has become just as important as learning. Letting go of absolutes, expectations, and old stories creates room for curiosity, choice, and a more honest practice—on and off the mat.

Healing, Recovery, and Gratitude
This year included profound healing, from living with pain to recovery after two hip replacements. Yoga provided the tools for patience, consistency, and gratitude, and reinforced the truth that every body—and every practice—has its own timeline.

Teaching with Deeper Awareness
Experience has deepened my understanding that every student arrives with a unique physical, emotional, and mental history. Yoga meets us where we are, without judgment or comparison, and invites us into a kinder relationship with our bodies.

The Retreat: A Long-Held Dream Realized
After 15 years of dreaming, I co-led my first retreat on Bald Head Island, NC. The experience reshaped what I thought a retreat “should” be—simple, nourishing, accessible, and deeply human.

Letting Plans Evolve
From sharing weekly mantras to exploring mudras, this year also included learning when to pause or release ideas that no longer felt aligned. Unlearning includes trusting that growth doesn’t always look like sticking to a plan.

Looking Ahead to 2026
As I step into another year of the podcast, I’m continuing to share yoga with curiosity, humility, and openness. If there are topics you’d love to hear more about, I’d truly enjoy hearing from you.

👉 This is the place to click the link to  Whispers of Renewal.

Thank you for listening, sharing, and practicing alongside me. Your presence here matters more than you know.

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