This has been one hell of a year, to say the least! As we move through the last month of 2020, I find myself thinking back on the myriad of emotions and experiences people have shared with me.
The hurts they have felt from others. The gratitude embraced when an unexpected helping hand showed up for them. The loss of loved ones that brought them to their knees. The solitude that brought them a deeper awareness that they were too busy to notice before. The inner strength they discovered and nurtured.
I thought about my own experiences that had me feeling angry at times, hopeful and relieved at others, and doing everything in my power to stay in a state of grace and trust every single day.
Full disclosure – Every. Single. Day. did not happen!
No matter what this year has brought you, if you’re reading this, then you’ve survived 335 plus days and counting! Your heart has been witness to so much this year – your own and others.
Your Choices
Choices were made, whether you realize it or not. To keep rising. To keep putting one foot in front of the other. Finding ways to help another. Finding humor in the darker moments. Forgiving when forgiveness was needed.
You may think those weren’t actual choices. You may say to yourself, “I just did what I had to do. I didn’t have a choice.”
I beg to differ. Make no mistake about it, those were all choices because you could have gone in another direction with any one of them. You could have kept sitting. You could have stubbornly planted your feet. You could have helped no one. You could have never had a moment of laughter. You could have never forgiven – even if your forgiving was out of love for yourself for the time being – that is part of forgiving.
So for each choice that got you through all the difficult days and to this present moment, you deserve to honor yourself. To honor your strength, resilience and vulnerability. There has always been a portal available for you to walk through when you were ready. A portal containing great love and strength guiding you to the choices that served you best at any given moment. And that portal continues to be available to you as you take on the upcoming holidays and what that might look like for you. Step into it, let it lead you to a place of inner peace.
It’s Not Magic
As we come to the end of this very tumultuous and for many, heartbreaking year, I remind myself that 2021 is not some magical number that makes everything better with the flip of a calendar year. There’s still a necessary undoing and renewal process taking place. It will continue to require our support, speaking up, standing up, self-reflection, patience, fluidity, trust, open heart and so many more attributes to help with the healing of ourselves and ultimately, the world.
As you continue moving forward, may you allow anything that no longer serves you emotionally, spiritually and physically to be swept away by the wind.
And anything that fills you with peace and love, may you carve it in stone.
Sending you many blessings this holiday season and continuing into 2021.
