Reflections.

That’s 2020 in a nutshell. A year of deep reflection. Of course I didn’t know this at the start of the year, as they say hindsight is 20/20.

When I reflect back, 2020 has been one colorful year. I experienced moments of blissed out joy, deep love, amazing appreciation, child like fun, gut wrenching pain, immeasurable grief, and above all else radical grace.

This year has offered so much contrast to all of our lives from social connection to social isolation. As one of my favorite philosophers, Alan Watts says: “You can’t have one without the other”.

Through contrast comes clarity.

If you’re inbox is anything like mine as of late it’s probably overflowing with emails reminding you to set new year’s resolutions, say good riddens to a “crappy” 2020, and step into a “new year, new you”.

While I may have once jumped on board with these same sentiments, eager to leave behind the old and leap into the new, this year I’m slowing down and savoring the moment. 

How do I let go of a colorful year like this one? Better question… Why would I even want to? 

I’m realizing letting go is really about letting in. Letting in the lessons. Letting in the pain. Letting in the joy. Letting in the darkness. Letting in the light. Letting it all in to you and through you to alchemize into the new you.

If anything this year forced us to slow down, eliminated distractions, put us in close quarters with our loved ones, and challenged our ability to “suppress” our inner demons. Well designed, albeit “unhealthy”, coping mechanisms crumbled under the stress.

Something needed to change.

We experienced this need as a world, as a country, as a society, and as individuals. 

Life is a journey to help us get to a place of healing. Every moment is that journey unfolding.
 

The key is self awareness. 

Self awareness allows us to connect the dots, recognize our patterns, and understand what is going on in our heads and why. Take time to reflect on the color palette of your experiences this year.

Remember how you showed up as your best self to create beautiful moments? Remember how you showed up as your worst self to create painful moments? Remember that the common denominator is the beautiful you 😉 

When you embrace your own darkness, you brighten your light. You make a quantum leap. People change. You change. You become a new you.

And the new you is looking real good! 😉

Wishing you an incredible journey into the new year (the year of the ox).