Barbara Schmidt's Blog, page 11

8 Tips for Managing Anxiety

Hi my friends,

In this week’s blog, my desire is to help you to feel less alone and realize that whatever you’re feeling during this time is completely normal. I’ll share some tools to help you cultivate a sense of mental resilience and strength from within, so you feel like you can manage anything that happens externally.

First, I believe that it’s incredibly important that we all let ourselves off the hook of getting through this life perfectly. Perfect doesn’t exist in regular life, and it certainly does not exist in 2022. Let yourself off the hook right now. You do not have to have it all together, but be happy, whole, and safe.

There is no right way to maneuver through turbulent times. We are all experiencing these emotions and circumstances through our very unique lenses. Try to release the need to compare yourself to someone else, and don’t feel like you have to be overly productive or perfect.

Today, I want to walk you through practices that have helped me stay in the present moment, and maintain a sense of peace, power, and control, even when life feels so chaotic and uncertain on the outside.

1. Have an aligned routine in place. I believe routine and aligned structure help to relieve anxiety. Choosing how we want to structure our day and our lives allows us a feeling of control. So ask yourself, “What are some practices of ‘normal’ life that make you feel good? Getting dressed? Making coffee? Going for a walk?” Do these things, even if they aren’t necessary or essential.

2. Create a peaceful space/environment. This might be a tough one, but even the smallest shifts can help alleviate stress and anxiety in our physical spaces. Decluttering, clearing out, and organizing can greatly reduce your sense of anxiety.

3. Establish a self-care routine. Begin to cultivate habits that help you feel good, feel better, and feel more at peace. Studies have shown that practicing mindfulness for at least 1% of your day can drastically change the other 99%. Notice where you can weave in small moment of mindfulness, of being fully present, of consciously breathing, of centering with yourself. I love this motto for my life: Pause, Breathe, Begin again.

4. Become aware of what your mind is saying to you. Start to get really familiar with your mind, it’s patterns, and the thoughts you repeatedly think. You can ask yourself:

What am I thinking moment to moment?What am I saying to myself on a daily basis?Am I quick to react in a situation, or do I pause to skillfully respond?

5. Name your feelings when you’re feeling anxious. Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor says that it takes us 90 seconds for a feeling to fully move through your body and mind. How long it stays with you after that, is up to you, and how you choose to engage with it. It’s important to be cognizant and aware of feelings that arise, and trust that with all things, all feelings will pass, and are never final.

6. Check in with yourself regularly. Often times we do a great job of checking in on our loved ones, but seldom do we turn inward to check in with ourselves. Start a dialogue with yourself where you ask yourself important questions about your feelings, mental state, and mood. Think of this as creating a barometer for yourself. With this data, you can pivot and adjust accordingly to help yourself in any given day.

7. Know your trusted inner circle. It’s a huge sigh of relief when you clearly know the people that you can wholeheartedly rely on and trust (and remember that this is usually maybe one or two people). I often find that when I share too much vulnerable information with too many people, who aren’t necessarily trustworthy, my anxiety spikes. Know and honor the trustworthy ones, and lean on them when you need additional support.

8. Remember you are not alone. While isolation and separation can make us feel alone, know that no matter the distance, we are all connected. Our journeys may look different and feel different, but find comfort in knowing that each of us are here on this earth at this time for a reason and for a purpose, and you’re never alone.

Sending all my love to you as we venture into this new week!

xo, Michelle

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Things to Remember When Practicing Forgiveness

Hi my friends,

This week I want to share some insights and thoughts that I’ve been having lately when it comes to the topic of forgiveness. These past few months have really shined a bright light on the practice of forgiveness for me in my own life, and reinforced for me the value and necessity of it. We innately know that when we forgive, we release an old hurt from the past, so that it no longer harms us in the present. Generally speaking, we think of forgiveness as an act that we do to someone. We forgive a person for a wrongdoing, we forgive family for the unnecessary stress they cause, we forgive friends for disputes.

So often our forgiveness is outwardly focused, and we completely ignore the fact that it is essential that we also practice self-forgiveness. As human beings, with free will, we are going to make a wrong choice, we are going to have errors in judgment, we are going to go against our own best interest, we are going to mess up. It’s going to be painful and agonizing. Though mistakes, of course will be present, and they may cause lots of difficulty for us, we must remember that mistakes are a necessary part of life. The mistakes we make teach us, the errors provide for a course correction, and going the wrong way, shows us how good life can feel when we go the right way.

I’ve made a handful of pretty hefty mistakes in my life. I’ve gone through the feelings and emotions and consequences of my mistakes. I’ve learned and adjusted my thoughts and behaviors accordingly. Everything that I’ve gone through will be incomplete, if I don’t intend to forgive myself for my actions.

I have to consistently remind myself that my mistakes don’t define me, and that my errors in judgment don’t indicate my worthiness as a person, and it’s in that awareness that I start to heal, grow, and learn from that difficulty.

Holding on with regret and remorse will never change what transpired. It only carries the pain into the present moment. When you forgive yourself, you create the space to choose better, to be a better version of yourself, to use the knowledge gained for good, rather than clinging to the old version of yourself. When you forgive yourself you also empower yourself to be a better you, to make amends, and to feel more in control of your actions, rather than at the mercy of them.

I feel pretty confident in saying that if you are reading this blog today you have a desire to be the best version of yourself. That intention can’t fully come to fruition, if we don’t release ourselves from the agony of old wounds.

You deserve the love and forgiveness that you are so willing to share with others. You deserve to be set free from your past, so that you can live a better present. I wish that for all of you.

xo, Michelle

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5 Things To Remember When Life Isn’t Where You Want It To Be

My dear friends,

All of us have goals, wishes, hopes, and dreams for our lives. We are taught to envision what we want, and always be working towards that vision. It’s a beautiful practice to get clear and act in alignment. Sometimes though, you can feel like you’ve done all the “things”, know what you want, and still haven’t quite found or achieved that “thing” that you’re moving towards. This week, I want to share that it’s normal to feel this way. Life is not about instant gratification, and if someone is selling you that idealized version of life, they may be deceiving you.

I’ve gone through many ups and downs in my viewpoint of the timeline of my life. I can hit acceptance and hopelessness in the same week. The thing I know for certain is that each and every one of us have a unique life timeline. It can not or will not look like anyone else’s. What I also know is that we really have no control on how things will unfold in our lives. Sure, we can influence, but ultimately life is about easing back into a state of active surrender, and continuing to show up, daily.

With all this being said, I know how painful it feels to not be where you “think” you should be in life. It’s an agonizing mental loop that makes us feel like we’re off track, done something wrong, or even worse, that we somehow deserve a life less worthy than others.

Life really is a journey, and the destination is how we show up each and every day. The truth is, every day is a gift, and we are not promised a tomorrow. There will never be a time that we “have it all at once”, so we might as well shift our focus and outlook to embrace whatever it is we have in the now.

I wanted to share some reminders with you all this week for when you start to feel this way. Especially now, in the state of constant social media screen time, and comparison to others at an all-time high, we need these reminders in our back pockets because we most certainly need them in this unpredictable world that we live in.

 

1. Remember, just because you feel stuck now, does not mean you’ll feel this way forever.

It’s really easy to get down on ourselves when we don’t perform or achieve as fast as we think we should. In reality, life doesn’t turn over as fast as we would like for it to. This certainly does not mean that we have failed or are incapable of achieving what we would like to in life. All we have to do is move through the pause, and remember what it is that we truly desire to create in life.

2. Remember, life doesn’t always have to be in the timing and the speed that we think it should be.

Often times I think I’m “stuck” when really I’m just in a slower paced period in my life. There are always so many things happening behind the scenes moving us forward that we can’t see. Things don’t have to happen over night, and life doesn’t always unfold in the timeline that we think it should. This doesn’t mean that we are stuck or lost, it means that we are living life at our own appropriate and aligned pace. One of my favorite affirmations is “trust the timing of your life”, and so if you’re feeling down about the speed or pace of your life, ease back into trusting that you are right on track, exactly where you are suppose to be.

3. Remember, there is a difference in being purposefully still and unconsciously stagnant.

There is a time and a place for stillness, introspection, inspiration, and rest. We need these times to recharge, to reflect, and to recalibrate. Sometimes, it can be easy for us to go from this purposeful rest to unconscious inaction. Often times when we feel frustrated, it’s a sign that there’s an action we could be taking (or that our soul is begging us to take), but for some reason we just aren’t. Usually it’s because we are afraid. And that’s okay. It’s okay to feel fearful, but it’s important to recognize that this fear is what is bringing you this feeling of “being stuck.” If this resonates with you, ask yourself what small, gentle action you can take to move yourself forward.

4. Remember, if you keep showing up for life, life will keep showing up for you.

This your reminder not to give up, and don’t quit before everything you’ve been working for, manifests.  Don’t let your frustration that you feel keep you from pushing forward and continuing to make the effort to meet life halfway. I like to think of life as a team effort. I do the work and put in the time, and life helps and guides me to the right places at the right time. Teamwork makes the dream work, literally.

5. Remember, that often times magic happens just after moments of difficulty.

Often times we can feel like nothing’s happening, that our efforts aren’t working, and that it’s all not going to come to form. But usually, there’s a lull that precedes the magic and the desired outcome. Good things do happen, and they will happen for you. Hold faith in these difficult moments of pause, and cultivate peace in the stillness that will lead you to the things you desire.

I sincerely hope these reminders help you out of your sticky moments. I know how difficult it can feel to be there, and so here’s to moving through it with grace, patience, and ease! I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments on the topic, so let’s keep the conversation going in the comments below!

xo,Michelle

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4 Ways to Redefine Purpose in Your Life

Hi dear friends,

The concept of purpose has always been an important part of my life and my evolution. I’ve always put the concept of purpose on a high pedestal, liking it to value, worthiness, and meaning in life.

Over the years I’ve learned, though, that this elevation of the concept of purpose, perpetuated a constant state of disconnection and dissatisfaction. I found that I was chasing a concept, rather than honing a feeling. I was outwardly seeking something that could only be cultivated from the inside out.

Years ago if you had asked me what my purpose was, I would have probably said something to the degree of a writer, teacher, or speaker. But those are just generic, limiting titles, that don’t even begin to tell the story of what I’m meant to bring to the world in my lifetime. Purpose isn’t about limits and being boxed in preconceived notions and titles, but rather, it’s about unique, authentic expression. It’s about presence.

So now, if you were to ask me of my purpose, I would simply say that it’s to show up, as my most authentic self, and live and act from that place, every day.

I’ve found that purpose can show up in the tiniest of moments, like the care that I put into administering twice-daily insulin shots to my diabetic cat, Charlotte, to the largest scale project, like finally getting around to writing my first book.

Here are four ways I’ve redefined purpose in my life:

1. Purpose shows up when I interact with my family and friends and when I strategize new business endeavors.

2. Purpose also shows up in how I engage with the concept of community, but also how I carve out self-care.

3. Purpose is the aligned energy that you bring to your life and an honoring of who you are in each moment.

4. Connecting with a sense of purpose means knowing that your life circumstances and desires will change over time.

When I think about purpose in this way, it fills me up, rather than depletes me. It reminds me that I am already whole and complete and worthy, regardless of external titles and societal roles.

And this beautiful shift has made such a positive impact in my life.

If purpose is a concept that has been a struggle for you, I hope this reframe is purposeful for you (pun intended :)).

Ultimately, I believe that we are all here, at this time, for a reason. And I’m so grateful you all are here with me.

xo, Michelle

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6 Things I’m Not Apologizing for in 2022

My dear friends,

I’m still in my new year mode, and was thinking more about what I’d like to cultivate and what I’d like to release in 2022. If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you might remember that I consider myself to be a recovering people pleaser and extremely empathic. I often find myself bending boundaries to please others, and apologizing for things that don’t necessarily require one. Living this way can feel exhausting and even demoralizing at times.

One thing I am definitely working on in 2022 is to live my life confidently and authentically from the inside out, without apology. Which means, saying no without making excuses, setting boundaries when called for, and releasing the need to apologize in situations, just for the sake of keeping the peace.

This all goes without saying, but of course, I wholeheartedly believe in the power of apology and taking responsibility, when required. I’ve learned lately, though, that saying sorry in times when it is not needed, tends to dilute the power of an apology in times required. So my friends,  below are six things that I am not apologizing for in 2022. I offer this to you with the hope that it helps you to recognize that you can life your life freely, boldly, and confidently; without apology.

Not living up to other people’s expectations of me. I used to strive really hard to make everyone around me happy, and to be the person everyone else wanted me to be. It’s exhausting and confusing. In 2022, I set the intention to be myself, fully and unapologetically.Changing my mind or forming a new opinion when given new information. Life is fluid and constantly changing. We cannot expect ourselves to stay the same as the world around us changes. You’re allowed to change your mind when presented with new information.Being passionate about the things that matter to me. I used to feel sheepish about being passionate about causes I care about. We live in incredibly polarizing times and sometimes it even felt like a burden to care so much about so many things. Now, I fully embrace what matters to me, knowing that the things that I care about are part of me and my path for a reason.Setting healthy boundaries as a form of self-care. Like I said above, I consider myself to be a recovering people pleaser, which means that setting boundaries or even saying no to people has always been extremely challenging. I know, from experience, that I cannot say yes to everyone, and more importantly, I cannot say no to people and feel “guilty” about it. Instead, I choose to honor myself, my time, and my needs, and trust that the right people will always understand, and show me grace when needed.Speaking up for myself and my needs, even if it’s uncomfortable or an inconvenience to others. We all are living incredibly unique lives with unique paths. What works for me might not work for you, and that’s okay. In the past I would apologize or bend my standards to make something okay or more convenient for them. Sometimes you have to be the villain in someone else’s story to be the hero of your own.Living life on my own timeline. I often feel pressure to live up to the timeline that society places upon us. It’s so easy to fall into the expectations that life has for us, without even tapping into our own personal wants, desires, and goals. This year, I really wish to own my life and my timeline, unapologetically, even if it doesn’t make sense to others.

What are some things you’re not apologizing for in 2022? I’d love to hear in the comments!

xo, Michelle

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5 Affirmations for Reinforcing Self-Love

Hello friends,

Whenever I begin to write my blogs, I silently ask myself what would be the most useful and helpful for the people who will read it. I then think about my life: the main themes, challenges, and lessons that have been popping up. Of course, current events also undoubtedly influences our lives day in and day out. With that being said, this week I got the hit that we could all use a self-love boost.

I always feel that the beginning of a new year is such a rush, and towards the end of January we start to settle in, and uncomfortable feelings creep up. For me lately, there’s been a lot of comparing, judgmental, and anxious thinking. All of it stems from a need to practice more self-love.

I think we all can agree that love is the root and foundation of everything in our lives. Love fuels our relationships, passions, purpose, and drive. But so often, we are too eager to share the love for everyone and everything else, but fall short when it comes to ourselves. So many of us have it deeply engrained that self-love is selfish, or even egocentric, but real, authentic, self-love is the most precious act of care you and participate in.

For me, authentic self-love means being present to yourself, honoring your feelings, trusting your intuition, caring for yourself in ways that feel good for you, and honing in on what is and is not in your best interest.

You are worthy of the love that you so freely share with others. Now more than ever, we need to focus on love, starting from within and emanating out to everyone else in the world. We must do the work on ourselves to bring about the kind of world we wish to create and live in.

When we begin to truly love ourselves everything changes. Make the decision today to love yourself, and never let it be open for discussion again. The love that you cultivate for yourself will be the foundation for everything else you desire in life.

As we know, our thoughts are very powerful and can create the change we wish to see, so what better way to kick start our self-love journey than with some powerful affirmations to bring you into that loving place.

These five affirmations are powerful, meaningful, and effective. They have served me and continue to benefit me on my journey to fully loving myself.

I love myself fully and completely.It is safe for me to trust my thoughts, beliefs, and desires.I honor who I am in every moment.My body is my home, I am grateful for it every day.I am worthy of love, happiness, and peace of mind.

I hope you take these affirmations, tweak them so that they suit you, help you feel aligned, and use them often on your journey.

My desire is that these will help you shift any negative thoughts about yourself back to love and help you to feel more at ease, content, and at peace. Remember, loving yourself is not selfish, it is required. Just as you absolutely benefit greatly by cultivating self-love, so does our world. It starts with us!

Let me know what other affirmations you have been using,

xo, Michelle

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5 Reminders to Not Take Things Personally

Hi my friends,

One of the biggest lessons that life seems to present to me, quite often, is the power of not taking things personally. I’ve found that as much as we put in the effort to heal and to shift perspectives, sometimes old habits and difficult thought patterns creep back in, especially during challenging times. It’s always been difficult for me to remember not to take the words, actions, and energy of other people personally. For whatever reason, it’s my nature to immediately internalize it and make it my own, which always leaves me feeling shaken, unclear, and disappointed.

I know that we all have experienced great difficulty over these past couple of years, of life feeling upside down, and of tensions running high, so it’s easy to internalize the state of the world.

It feels timely to remind us all that nothing, that anyone else says or does, is a reflection of who you are and your ability to be loved and respected. The actions of others says everything about them, and how you react and respond is what says everything about you.

I will admit that not taking things personally is definitely an easier said than done sort of deal, but I am here for you to help you, and hopefully walk you through some steps you can take to start to find this relief in your relationships with others and with yourself.

1. Cultivate awareness. I believe awareness is always the most important step towards any sort of growth or change; however, in this practice it’s the most paramount. Without awareness, the mind will always go into the habitual practice of taking the actions of others, personally. It’s just how it will work. But, in recognizing that we would like to change this behavior, and reminding ourselves regularly of this intention, we can start to make that positive shift, and ultimately begin to break the habit.

2. Remember that we are all living life through our own unique filter. This one was a big one for me in my own journey. So often I would assume that other people were seeing situations or experiences exactly as I was, which, of course, is never the case. We are all unique! With different paths, beliefs, views, and experiences. It’s likely that we will never see a situation or circumstance 100% the same as someone else, so just remember this when starting to take someone else’s opinions, actions, or views personally. Others have a perception of what’s happening and so do you.

3. Strengthen your discernment muscle. It is so beneficial to our own mental health and to our relationships to be able to discern what situations require action and attention and which ones simply do not. I’d like to think of this step as a “pick your battles” suggestion, because as human beings, we could take everything personally and go to battle about every single one of those things. And we would be fighting about it all until the end of time. This is a step in learning about yourself, what matters to you, and what you wish to go to bat for. So start to take notice of what things you can let go, and what things you need to stand up for.

4. Speak your truth when necessary. From our own discernment, we can determine if a situation requires further action. Grounded in your own sense of self and confidence, you can speak up and speak out if a circumstance truly requires a conversation. Know that just because you’re not taking something personally, you can still speak up about something if it doesn’t feel aligned or appropriate for you.

5. Forgive, release, move forward. Usually when I’ve taken something too much to heart I hold a feeling of resentment or anger towards that person. For example if a friend cancels dinner plans abruptly, I may immediately take it personally thinking maybe I did something wrong for her to cancel, or maybe I might think, “Wow! That’s rude for her to cancel last minute.” When in reality maybe she was just having a really bad day, and needed space. The point here is that the mind immediately begins writing stories about what’s happening and we have absolutely no idea. It’s important to recognize this so that you can forgive and release those attachments to a situation that never had anything to do with you in the first place.

I hope these simple, powerful, and not always easy steps are helpful for you in your journey to not taking the actions of others personally!

Xo, Michelle

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5 Habits I’m Releasing in 2022

My dear friends,

At the start of any new year there’s always chatter about what we want to achieve, cultivate, and bring forth in our lives. It’s an amazing and beneficial practice to get clear on your wants and desires, so you can know what you need to do to achieve them.

On the flip side, it’s also so important to recognize the patterns or habits that might be getting in the way of these wants and desires. Consciously or not, we engage in certain behaviors that can make us feel stuck and worse than we need to.

This past week I’ve been reflecting on the behaviors I’ve noticed in my own life that I know fall into this category, and shining a light on them, so I can conscientiously make an effort to do better or change course.

What I noticed most about the habits that I want to shift this year, is just how much time and mental energy they take from me. When I think about what I want to create and who I want to be, I know that I can’t do and be that person, as efficiently and as peacefully as I’d like to, if I’m consistently engaging in behaviors that are not helpful. Just like with anything else, awareness is the biggest key to creating change. When I know better, I can then do better.

Below are five habits I’m looking to release this year:

Comparing my timeline to someone else’s. Every single person has a unique life path, no two will look the same. Comparing yourself with someone else is quite simply a waste of your precious energy. Hone in on your path, your desires, and what you can do every day to make it happen in your timing.Ruminating and feeling regretful of things in the past. We all have flashbacks to cringe behaviors and choices, because we’ve all done and said things we’ve regretted. Beating ourselves up over things that have happened won’t make us better people in the present and future. You can acknowledge, learn, and do better, and save your mental energy on what you can cultivate, not what you regret. Being quick to judge and write stories about another person’s behavior. It’s easy to get triggered by someone’s else’s behavior, but there is so much peace that can be found in not taking on another’s actions or behaviors, and not falling into the trap of writing stories about it. Choose how you want to engage and create the boundary on how you want to proceed. Being overly judgmental about myself and my appearance. I think that most people feel the pressure to look and appear a certain way at some point in their lives, and I’ve noticed, especially during these months of pandemic living, that I’ve fallen back into the trap of being a little too obsessive with body image, weight, and appearance. My body is my one, precious home, and rather than nitpicking or looking for faults, I wish to honor it for all that it does for me, every day.Too much screen time. Again, over the course of the pandemic, my screen time has sky rocketed. I can, without a doubt, correlate dips in my mental health to the days where I’m on my devices for long periods at a time. So much of life happens outside of these tiny screens that we carry around in our pockets. There is so much joy and peace that can be found if we are just present to it.

What do you wish to lovingly release this year? If you feel called, let me know in the comments!

xo, Michelle

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How I Set My New Year Intention

Hi my friends,

Wishing you all a happy and healthy new year!

I hope these first few days of 2022 have provided you with feelings of optimism and hope for the future. I know we all faced varying degrees of struggle, difficulty, and uncertainty in 2021, and it feels so good to begin again in this new chapter of life.

If you’ve been reading the blog for some time now, you know that one of my favorite practices to ring in a new year is to choose an intentional word that serves as a guide, an aim, and an overarching theme for my year. I tend to shy away from setting resolutions, as I find they often lead to unhealthy habits and negative self-talk, but I do love setting a solid, aligned intention.

If you’ve never taken part in this practice, the beautiful thing is, it’s incredibly easy:

Sit in a quiet space and close your eyes.Take a few deep, cleansing breaths to get connected to your body and your intuition.In this space, ask yourself, “What is my desire, my intention for this new year? How do I want to feel in 2022?”

Notice the very first answer that pops into your mind. See how that feels, if it fits. Avoid overanalyzing, or trying to force the “right” answer. There might be a few words that come to mind, but I find it best to hone in on one that feels the most aligned with your heart for you. When you’ve made a choice, sit with the word and that intention.

What does your life look like with this intention at play? How do you feel with it as a part of your life? Allow your mind to get imaginative and visualize this year under your aligned intention. Take a moment to let your intention truly sink in your psyche. When you’re ready, you can open your eyes.

If you feel called, you can take out a journal and free write a bit about your intention, asking yourself, Why does this word resonate with me for this particular year? Feel free to jot down some of the details of the life you envisioned with this intention at play. Remember, when we desire something, and we take aligned action, our intentions come to life. They happen for us in the ordinary moments of the day,  creating the extraordinary life we wish to live.

This year, I have chosen the word ‘believe’ as my 2022 guide. These past two years have been quite challenging for me personally, and the word ‘believe’ feels so aligned in remembering that good things are always on the horizon, and the “life of my dreams” is real and here for me.

If you feel called to share, I’d love to hear your 2022 intention words, let me know in the comments below. I can’t wait to hear what you choose!

Wishing you all the most abundant, prosperous, healthy, and happy year to date.

xo, Michelle

 

 

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My 3-Part Year End Ritual

Hello my friends,

I can hardly believe we are now in the last week of 2021. What a year it has been! Even though there will never be anything like what transpired in 2020, I think many of us found the ups and downs of 2021 to be a uniquely challenging and disorienting year.  As we know life is never predictable, and things are always changing, but what remains constant (for me) is my infinite gratitude for you and for this community. While so much is uncertain and unstable, I find great comfort and joy in this little corner of the internet, our community.

As we are now in the awkward week between Christmas and New Years Eve, I wanted to share with you my little end of the year process. While we cannot change what has happened in the past, we can honor it, learn from it, and influence our future with purpose and hope.

I really, really love to take the last week of the year to reflect and honor the time that has passed, and clear the slate for a new chapter to begin. This year, it feels especially meaningful for me to do so.

In this little ritual, I honor the good, the bad, and everything in between. I encourage you to try this, feel what resonates for you, and use this as inspiration for your own year-end ritual. I prefer to use my journal for this exercise, but feel free to approach this in whatever way feels meaningful for you.

Part One: Take an inventory of the highs. In this first section, call to mind everything and anything that went well for you this year. Ask yourself these questions:

What did I accomplish?  Where did I grow, personally?  How were my relationships? In what ways did I take care of myself and my boundaries?

Sit with yourself as you ask these questions and begin to notice what comes up for you.  It’s easy to think that this year was filled with everything wrong and in chaos, but when you take this moment of pause, you can start to notice the small moments of happiness, joy, and growth. Even though this year was incredibly difficult in many ways, when you dig a little deeper, you can find these silver linings. Notice how you feel when you recall and honor your successes.

Part Two: Remember the lessons learned. This year was filled with unexpected challenges, pivots, and collective trauma. I encourage you to honor yourself for your perseverance and resiliency in this section. Ask yourself these questions:

What did I learn from this unparalleled year? What makes me stronger? What changes will I make in the year ahead?

We know that 2021 was not easy, but in difficulty lies strength and fortitude. Take heart in knowing that you will leave this year behind wiser, stronger, and with a deep will to persevere regardless of what happens in the external world.

Part Three: What do you wish to cultivate? In this section, allow yourself to tap into your desires, hopes, dreams and creativity. Ask yourself these questions:

How can I build from my successes of this past year? How will I use the lessons learned to propel me further towards my dreams? What pivots will I make as a result of all that has transpired in 2021, so that I can make 2022 more aligned, purposeful and joyful?

Start leaning in to what you would like this new year to look like, feel your feelings deeply, and allow yourself to experience the optimism and hope, in this very moment.

My deep desire and hope is that this process will be helpful and meaningful for you. I hope that you can shine light on the happy moments that you might have forgotten about, gain strength from the challenges, and remember that each new day is a chance to begin again. You always have a choice, and this is your power.

Again, with my whole heart, I want to thank you for being a part of this community during these wild and unprecedented times, and thank you for your continued support of me and for Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life. Now more than ever, it’s important to honor the spaces where you feel loved, seen, and heard, and I thank you so much for allowing me to have this space to do so.

Here’s to a healthy, happy, and meaningful 2022,

Michelle

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