Things I Learned in 2020
It’s here. It’s FINALLY here. A new year. A new start. A new beginning. I’ve been waiting for this moment since the very beginning of last year…no joke…and what a year it has been. I don’t know about you but my year has been filled with pain, fear, and stress… the whole time. Pain of extreme loss, fear of sickness and death, stress of all of it. But guys…we made it. As my nine-year-old daughter said in her letter to Santa “It’s been a tough year but we made it through!”. Words from a nine-year-old have never been more true. And so, I’ve taken the last week off of my job as a nurse anesthetist to slow down and enjoy the holidays, albeit different this year than others, and enjoy the slow-paced home life for just a small time. I’ve taken the last few days to really sit and process 2020…what the hell happened?? Why did it happen? How did I get through it? How did we get through it? What did I learn about myself? What do I want to take with me into the next year? What do I want to leave behind? I burned my reflections and releases in the light of the Full Moon the other night…what sweet relief that was…and then I took the time to think about and write about my intentions for 2021. I don’t think we can go forward without reflecting on the past…the good, the bad, the ugly…and so I compiled my top 10 lessons from 2020.
Lesson number 1of 2020: TEARS ARE OKAY. Not only are they okay, they are necessary. It is part of this human experience and this crazy part of life to FEEL. Feel ALL of it. We need the pain in order to fully feel the joy. It is the dichotomy of life. So, next time you go through something painful, instead of ignoring it or numbing yourself through it…lean into it. Feel those feelings. Embrace the pain…Cry, be angry, yell, beat a pillow, dance party with yourself, do it in the shower if you have to but know this...It’s OKAY. Our society has conditioned us to keep these emotions locked away but know you don’t have to. Know it’s okay to FEEL your feelings. It’s only when we open our hearts to ALL the pain that we can process it…and then leave it. So, I give you permission. Think about 2020…and CRY…and then let it the F*CK GO!!!! Here’s to new beginnings for all of us! CHEERS!