Study the past if you would define the future.
Confucius
Happy 2022 family and all the gratitude for entering year 2 with me on this journey to unlearn, heal and relearn. For my sanity and some consistency, I’m moving to monthly newsletters instead of a weekly post. This month I want to start with some reflections on the past year so that we all can be clear on what we want from this new year.
We all know that the beginning of the year is everyone’s favorite time to get back in the gym. Even I plan on waking up in the morning and going for a run; I gotta ease my way back in slowly. Rarely though, do I see people being intentional about their mental gut, or intuition- that connection with self. I want to offer 3 areas of life to consider, I’d even say journal about, to ensure that 2022 is our best year yet.
Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient.
Steve Maraboli
I know these last 2 years have been a cluster fuck of all the things, and that from the way things are looking this year is shaping up to be similar. I believe that if we focus on 3 things- direction, gratitude, and lessons, we will potentially avoid the headache of coping and disassociating to survive. Last year I unintentionally tested these out and unintentionally did more towards my goals than I believed was possible while I was doing it. I overrode my mental state and moved and am closer to my dreams because of it.
When I say direction, I don’t mean having life all planned out, turn by turn. If 2020-1 taught us anything it was that shit could pop off at any time that completely throws the world into chaos. There is no way of knowing how much time you truly have left to do what you came here for. So when I say direction I mean do you know what you came here for? Where are you trying to go? What outcome do you want from this life? If you know this, then your day-to-day becomes less worrying about the future and more moving towards it. It gets easier to move when you know where you are going- the turns make themselves. As long as you are aware and intentional about the direction you’re headed, you can always get there.
Sometimes life knocks you on your ass… get up, get up, get up!!! Happiness is not the absence of problems, it’s the ability to deal with them.
Steve Maraboli
You’d think I read a book by this Steve guy, but I have to give thanks for Good Reads for always coming through with the quotes. In times of uncertainty, which was most of 2020-1 for me, I’m grateful to say that I’ve always found a way. I know this because I am still here. I realized recently that I’ve blocked out a lot of my memories, but what I can’t just erase are feelings. I remember feeling afraid, uncertain, confused, and did I say afraid? Knowing this and still being here today to tell you lets me know that somehow, someway I found support. When I thought I had nothing left to give, something or someone came through and I am still here today. Another feeling that I remember and want to bring into this new year is gratitude. I remember gratitude because I had to fake it so much I began to really feel it. I can remember journaling and starting every entry with what I’m grateful for. As I went throughout the day during hard moments I would immediately fake gratitude to try to bring myself back to center. The shit actually worked. It moved me mentally so I could be moved spiritually. It gave me a destination to reach so I was forced to leave the idea of hard behind. For us to ensure this year isn’t 2020-2 gratitude has to be the starting point. From there we can go anywhere.
The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over, you cannot move forward.
Steve Maraboli
Shout out to Steve again, for the quote support. He understands the truth about life. The ugly truth is that life is just lessons and tests. Now, as a former teacher, I hate to say this. It makes me feel like I’m reinforcing the bullshit school system that’s survived off of the banking method for too many generations. But it’s the ugly truth. 2020-1 clearly was a “yall didn’t get it the first time?” kinda year. It showed up at work, in relationships whether platonic, familial or otherwise, in our passions. Did you learn your lesson the first time, or are we gonna have to do this again? For many of us, we were reliving and making the same choices- because we can no longer say mistakes. Maybe we didn’t recognize the tests to solidify the lessons. All I know is that I have a pretty good feeling they are coming back around. 2022 is our chance to avoid 2020-2 and do the right thing. For ourselves, because in reality, no one else should matter more.
I challenge but really encourage you to meditate on these ideas in your life. What direction were you heading in 2020-1? Was it taking you where you want to go or an unfortunate final destination? Did you lead with fear? Did you wallow in uncertainty? Or were you grateful for each day and each opportunity to live it? Did you notice any deja vu situations? Same shit, different day every day? Or were you learning from your experiences and making better choices?
To be honest, I was so tired in 2020-1 I don’t blame you if you just slept it away. I wouldn’t be mad if you just said “not today Satan” to the whole year and simply survived. I’m proud of you. That tells me you love yourself enough to know when enough is enough. But, I can’t let you sleep through another year of your beautiful life. We can’t afford that. With the way the government is putting capital over our lives, this might be it for us all. Live your life! Move every day closer to where you want to go. Be grateful for each chance you get to take a chance. Learn from the past so you can better move in the future. We got this. You got this! 2022 will not be 2020-2 unless you want it to. The choice is entirely up to you!
Give yourself a gut check and a hug from me for rocking with me into 2022. I look forward to learning and going together this year. Stay safe and with all my love,
B 💚❤🖤✊🏾