NOTE FROM MINDRISE FOUNDER, BAILEY FRUMEN, MSW, LCSW
Enjoy,
B.
Looking Back to Propel Forward
Danielle Ford, Mindrise Coach
Well, this is it! The home stretch of 2020 – which for many, felt more like a decade than just a year. We’re just days away from a new year, a fresh start to be filled with new goals, hopes & dreams, or maybe a rewrite of or the next chapter for some of your existing goals, hopes & dreams.
For me, moving into the new year would feel incomplete without reflecting on the one that’s (almost) in the rearview. To sum it up in one word, what 2020 gave me is perspective. I probably could’ve used a thousand other words, as 2020 took the world on quite a rollercoaster ride. While the year brought its fair share of pain & suffering, coupled alongside that was a truly remarkable outpouring of love, kindness and oneness. Reviewing my 2020 experience revealed a few major shifts in my perspective – on gratitude, love and self-care.
1. Gratitude.
Before 2020: a word
Thanks to 2020: a practice, a perspective, a choice
Living with an attitude of gratitude truly takes practice, but the shift for me began by simply writing down 3 things I’m thankful for each day, ranging from waking up that morning, to having a challenging conversation with a friend or an act of kindness from a stranger. Even in the tough times, we can choose to be grateful for the experience and the lesson that it taught us.
2. Love.
Before 2020: reserved for close family & friends
Thanks to 2020: is limitless, boundless, connects all of creation & is always worth it
Prior to this year, I believed I was acting from a place of love, but mainly this was reserved for the people closest to me (and excluding myself). Rather than living from the heart, I was often living from the head – caught up in my thoughts and acting out of fears or long standing disempowering beliefs. Facing those fears, shifting those beliefs and consciously acting from the heart, rather than the head has led to an immeasurable amount of love in my life – love for myself, love for all creatures and nature and love for people everywhere.
Remember – where the head brings about worry & fear, the heart brings creativity, peace, joy, freedom, growth and endless possibilities.
3. Self-care.
Before 2020: a foreign concept thought of as an occasional massage, putting others first, a glass (or 2) of wine, indulging
Thanks to 2020: is NOT selfish, looks like – daily meditation, healthy eating, exercise, reflection and extra extra extra love
As it turns out, it took a lot of solo time, reflection and lifestyle changes to realize that putting myself first isn’t actually selfish. In fact, when I’m at my best, I’m better equipped to serve others and have experienced major improvements in every facet of my life. If you’re still putting others first, I’d urge you to make understanding and employing self-care your number one priority – there’s only one of you and this life only happens once – so choose you.
Though there were times throughout 2020 that I felt deep grief for the pain and suffering, I was nourished ten-fold by the abundance of love I witnessed – in complete “strangers” supporting one another worldwide; in communities coming together to thank healthcare workers or help those in need; in countless acts of kindness and creative solutions to connect.
The lessons 2020 taught me are profound and they’re tied together with a simple, yet beautiful bow – perspective. Although we can’t always control our circumstances, we do have the power to choose how we respond to them. How we choose to show up for ourselves and for others is ultimately up to us. Even though we can’t physically be with all of our loved ones this holiday season, hold them even closer in your heart. Sending you all so much light and love as we move into this next new year.
Before jumping into next year, consider taking a few minutes to reflect on 2020:
- What lessons did I learn this year?
- What am I thankful for?
- What was my biggest accomplishment or proudest moment?
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