““Take pride in what you do every day. Give yourself the acknowledgment for how far you have come on this journey of learning and life.””
2020 Vision:
I’d sometimes look at the world around me and wonder how it would come crashing down. Not that I wanted it to come crashing down, but I realized that the way we were living was incredibly unsustainable - from how we consume resources to how we treat one another, nothing was right. Everything was a distraction to make us forget about what was out of alignment.
Cut to 2020- and worriers worldwide said, “See, I told you that the world was dangerous and unpredictable.” However, knowing that the world is “dangerous and unpredictable” does little to empower and motivate people. Thoughts became, “The world is dangerous and unpredictable, so why even try?” It’s too big, and I’m too small.
And the more days passed during the pandemic, the more isolated I felt.
I kept myself safe as best I could. But then I was craving connection. I went to a graduation and came down with Covid. I was one of the first in my family to get sick. There were so many unknowns. The uncertainty was daunting; some experienced mild symptoms, while others faced life-threatening situations.
Having gone through this experience, I felt more fragile than ever. I tend to reflect to make better choices moving forward. But this was so new that it was hard to tell which precautions I should take. I wanted to keep myself healthy but also needed to socialize, and both things were at odds.
Trader Joe’s and TJ Maxx became my go-to places. It was incredibly fun for a while. But then covid cases got so high that socializing became risky again towards the end of the year. So back in I went.
I’d been doing a lot of personal development work this entire time. I invested so much into my well-being, confronted my fears, and kept pushing out of my comfort zone. Why did I still feel like I was back in square 1?
Finding Peace:
Fighting unpleasant thoughts or feelings causes them to become sticky. Picture a car in a mud pit pressing on the gas pedal, hoping to get out. It doesn’t work, as the car inadvertently digs deeper into the mud.
Here are a couple of things I’ve accepted:
I had covid, and I survived
I’m afraid of getting sick again or losing friends and family
And, above all, I am BRAVE. Because despite everything life has thrown at me, I continue to get up every morning and give life another go.
A BRAVE New World:
So, if your life isn’t where you’d like to be, follow these steps:
Acknowledge what you’re feeling and accept it. And remember, what you resist persists.
Validate yourself - what you feel is what you feel. Your feelings aren’t right or wrong - they just are.
Find the treasure in your pain. Where is your resilience? What small brave thing did you do today? What did you accomplish? Make a list of 3-5 things.
Celebrate - with a cup of tea, a song, a purchase…whatever brings you joy.
#3 Digging for Treasure:
Making a list of your daily accomplishments is so important. Especially when you undervalue your contributions to the world like I tend to do.
I started one morning thinking I’d done nothing for the day because nothing significant had happened. I didn’t purchase my own home, manifest $10k, or start a relationship.
So, I made a list of all the small things I’d accomplished in my day:
Made my bed
Organized a messy corner of my room
Did laundry
Meditated
Did breathwork
Had a smoothie
Called a friend
Looking at this list makes me feel happy. So many of my values are tied to these tasks: clarity, organization, health, wellness, and connection. These little things turned out to be more important than I initially thought.
So, if all you did this morning was to get out of bed, that was enough because you chose to face the unpredictability of life. Whether you ran a 10k or walked around the block, whatever you did was more than enough.
If you start from a place of “I’m not enough,” whatever you do won’t feel like enough. All it takes is a change in perspective to find and count your accomplishments for the day.
And, repeat after me: I AM ENOUGH! Because it’s nearly impossible to feel sad when you are full of self-validation, gratitude, and love. Let’s take this opportunity to start over in a deeply gratifying and uplifting way.
Amor y Canela,
Monica
