“He who looks outside dreams, he who looks inside awakes” – Carl Jung

Authentic changes originate from a deep and abiding place inside of an individual. If you question people who successfully change bad habits, you will find that most of them found their own way. The solutions are usually elegant and simple, and address the person’s real needs.

Authentic change starts from your own needs, values and desires. Changes motivated by something outside of you, wanting to look like a movie star, to attract a mate, or to please anyone aside from yourself will lead you away from yourself. You will begin to feel hollow inside. Changes arising from your own deepest needs do, in fact, make you a more vibrant and attractive person, but these are the fruits of authentic change and not the seed. The seed is something that sprouts from the core of your being, it will feel profound, golden, life-affirming, and in line with your deepest desires for yourself.

This is all important information, but how do you connect deeply with yourself to find your own answers? I have found that certain yoga practices are helpful for a majority of people. Yoga is a method to connect your body with your mind, your breath with movement and your inner self with your outer self. In my classes and workshops, I create an environment and provide you with the tools to begin and support long term, self-authored changes. I will be hosting a week long retreat The Yoga of Change at Sunrise Ranch from March 20th through the 27th along with Michael Gaeta, who will be lecturing on nutrition and his wife Deanna Waldron, a whole foods chef who will be leading cooking classes.

Changing authentically, for the better, can make your daily life a joy and give you the strength and energy to live a fuller life. It is work, and it takes courage at times, but the payoff is so incredibly meaningful, that you would do it all over again. I promise.

If you are intrigued, please join in the conversation, leave comments or ask questions. These ideas can really come alive in dialogue.

Jennifer Hubbard, the daughter of a Yoga teacher, has been practicing yoga for over 30 years. In addition to teaching yoga and running a large yoga center in California, she has worked as a Yoga Therapist in Italy, Mexico, and California. Jennifer provides tools that allow students to approach health and change in profoundly empowering ways. Her techniques are derived from yoga and yoga therapy combined with modern psychological and physiological research. Jennifer has a passion for the process of positive change and loves to help others approach their challenges in new and empowering ways. For more on Jennifer, visit www.self-authoredchange.com.

Share this article: