How my new bike taught me 3 life lessons 🚴‍♀️

A week and a half ago, I was talking to a friend.
She was scared — but lit up — about joining an intensive adult theatre program.

120 hours. One month.
She said, “What if I fail?”

I saw how alive she looked just thinking about it.
I told her, “That fear is a sign — go for it.”

Then she turned it around on me:
“You’re telling me to leap… but you’re not leaping in your own life.”

Oof. Truth bomb.

I’d been dreaming about getting a bike.
To explore Montreal. To feel free.
But I kept postponing it.

So I bought one. Two days later. Impulsively.

First couple rides?
Fun — but something felt off.
It was my first road bike (after years of mountain bikes).
Then someone told me: “It's not great. Fine for city rides, but not more.”

And I spiraled.
Comparing my bike. My speed. My decisions.
My joy got replaced by judgment.

Until yesterday…
I got on that same bike — no plans, no pressure.

The breeze hit my face.
The sun warmed my skin.
I noticed the lilacs, the freshly cut grass, people smiling.

I was finally there.

🌿 Here are 3 lessons that landed hard for me:

1. Joy doesn’t always look perfect.
   You won’t feel it fully the first time you try. Give it space to grow.

2. Comparison kills presence.
   The more I measured, the less I felt. Drop the mental scoreboard.

3. The thing you’re craving? It won’t wait forever.
   Want peace? Movement? Play? Start now. Let it be imperfect.

🧠 Your turn:
What’s one soul-nourishing activity you’ve been postponing?
Reply and tell me. Let’s bring it to life — together.

If you want a safe space to stay anchored in joy and mindfulness…
I’ve got you.

Inside my new community, we have a daily Accountability Chat.
We share what we’re doing for our mindfulness practice — journaling, breathwork, meditation, a mindful walk.

It’s your daily nudge to pause and come back to yourself.
We’re doing it together. We hold each other.

→ Join the Aly Breathe Collective + hop into the chat

🌀 P.S. Joy is a muscle. And you don’t have to train alone.