There’s a phrase I’ve been quietly living with since the accident last fall:
This current version of me.
It came to me as a way of acknowledging what is… without judgment, comparison, or needing to be anything other than who I am right now. The version of me that tires more easily, who sometimes loses her words mid-thought, who has had to slow down and relearn how to move through space and time with care. It has helped me feel less fragmented and more whole.
Recognizing the Version You're In
The truth is, we’re always moving through versions of ourselves.
Some come with great milestones like marriage, parenthood, divorce, career shifts, pandemics, or awakenings. Others arrive more quietly through grief, healing, injuries, rest, or even joyful surprises. Some versions stay with us for years, and others are like temporary downloads, needed for a time before they naturally dissolve.
We might think of ourselves as Version 2.0, 5.3, or 11.1, evolving over time just as our devices do. Each version is built on what came before, and each one is necessary. Each version has its own beauty, purpose, and season.
None of your previous versions were wrong. None of them were failures. They were simply... you, at that moment in time. You did the best you could with the tools you had. You learned, endured, loved, and grew.
Letting Past Versions Rest
This post is an invitation to honor your current version.
To recognize who you are today, not in spite of what came before, but because of it. To bless the earlier versions of yourself that brought you here. Let them rest. Let them be loved for what they gave you.
The Sadness in Letting Go
It’s okay if part of you feels sadness in letting them go.
Some versions are hard to release. Not because they were perfect, but because they were familiar, fulfilling, or full of dreams not yet lived. Grief is a natural part of honoring what once was.
A Note from My Journey
For a long time after the accident, I found myself waiting… quietly wondering when I’d be able to return to teaching live virtual classes and offering Ayurveda consultations again. It felt as if my sense of being whole, of feeling complete, had been put on pause until I could return to my previous abilities.
But something shifted when I finally allowed myself to see that version of me as just that, a previous version. I had been many versions before her, and I would be many more in time.
There was peace in honoring the version I am now, not as a lesser self, but as a true one. And with that came trust that the next version of me was already unfolding, even if I couldn’t yet see her shape.
Becoming Who You're Meant to Be Next
More versions will come. You don't need to rush toward them or fear them. This version is not final. But it is whole.
Honor where you are. There’s a reason you're here. And who you are today is exactly who you're meant to be right now.
You are not behind. You are living, breathing, becoming.
🔊 Guided Visualization
Let your breath guide you into a moment of stillness as you honor your current self, bless the versions you've been, and welcome what’s to come.
Guided by Denise - Background sound produced at Balance & Bliss© with music by Piotr Witowski from Pixabay
NOTE: Paid subscribers receive an audio recording post from me every week. 😊
A Blessing to Carry with You
I bless all the versions of me that brought me here.
I honor the version I am today.
I welcome, with trust, the versions still to come.
A Quiet Invitation
Take a moment to reflect:
What version of you are you living right now?
What would it mean to honor this version fully?
If you feel called, I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
Or simply hold your reflection close, as a private offering to yourself.
May you rest in the wisdom of where you are,
Denise
Denise, I am so happy to receive your email and find you here on Substack ! 🥰
In 2019, and I had to shut down my Ayurvedic business in Sarasota. I had to heal from so much. And as I was getting back on my feet, more happened to me. And it’s been challenging to keep shedding the old versions of me. But the phoenix keeps rising again, and again.
I have had spinal and brain injuries. And so much more happened to me.
This writing touched me so deeply. I cried and I cry typing this message.
Thank you so much for sharing. Sending you sweet blessings to my Ayurvedic teacher who taught me the best parts of Ayurveda.
When I get back to work, I will be happy to support you here. I just can’t right now. It’s been rough in many ways. 🫶🏼🌼
So much love to you! And Kevin! ☺️
You spoke right to my heart with this one! Since reading it, I have felt so much peace. I realized I’ve been trying to get back to a version of myself that may no longer exist. This current version of me likes to rest more, read more novels, watch more movies and connect more with family and friends. I move a little slower and gentler, even on my daily tasks of washing dishes, folding laundry and preparing for the day. Thank you for this teaching. It will continue to serve me through all the versions to come.