I know we’re not there yet, but I won’t be talking to you before 2022. I’m not making New Year’s Resolutions this year. It’s kind of like Lent for me; I only do it when I feel called to do it. This year I invite you to consider simply doing a review of 2021; where you were last year and where you are now. I’m doing this because I was thinking that my life seems a little boring. Then I started to put it all together, and wow, this is what I have (in random stream-of-consciousness thinking – not in any particular order):
- BIG time fences were mended with family members. The kind where you don’t ever think things will be the same again. And they’re not, because these relationships are so damn good that I cry almost every day with happy tears of gratitude and love.
- My son and daughter-in-law brought a beautiful baby girl into this world and into our lives. She is, of course, brilliant and advanced for her age. Seriously, she is only 5 months old; already crawling and saying her first words! Who does that? Please don’t tell me every baby, I don’t want to hear that nonsense! LOL. Her big sister is 3 and is equally brilliant and we think she’s on the path to either become a doctor or a world-class chef. These little people, along with their parents, are the light of my life. Again, with the crying happy tears almost daily.
- My relationships with my “people” have grown so much and have reminded me that the roles we accept and assign to each other are fluid and meant to change. This year has taught me that we can ebb and flow out of these roles. I am happy to be there to celebrate as well as sort through the pieces as they fall, and tomorrow you will do the same for me.
- I gained a bunch of weight during the first year+ of the pandemic. As a health coach, this is not at all embarrassing (!!!). In April, I began to re-evaluate my relationship with food, weight and my worth as it relates to both. I am still working through this, but the insights that have been gained, oh my! Ultimately, I have put my emotional health first, and the physical changes have been following slowly, according to my body’s own wisdom.
- Continuing to navigate COVID along with the vaccine and all the hoopla around it all. I think we all deserve an award just for showing up every day.
- I began walking daily. I have taken the most amazing photos that I would never have seen if I hadn’t been out and about. For example, see the above rocket launch photo from September, which was one of the most surreal and surprise experiences I have had. Just poof, there it was! I could have been home watching Jeopardy, but instead I was out experiencing the beauty and surprise that life has to offer in a 45-minute walk.
- I have a short jaunt working outside the home, and realize that I really like working from home. During the height of the pandemic, I kind of hated it, mostly because I was thrust into it. This time I had the opportunity to think about how I wanted my space to be, as well as my mentality. My home is my little sanctuary as well as my control center, and I am grateful it can be so multi-purposeful.
- Overall, once I looked at it from the lens of gratitude, my “boring” year has been nothing short of amazing. I will go into this coming year with no expectations, only openness for what the Universe will provide and a request for grace when I and others fall short of our best.
