As I am sitting here writing this blog, it is hard to believe that we are already in 2021! I am sure many people will agree with me that 2020 has been quite a challenging year to remember. It was a year filled with sorrow, laughter, anger, hope, frustration, surprises, despair, love, just to name a few. Can you believe we have survived all that? We always hear people saying that life is full of ups and downs – to say that for year 2020 is just an understatement. For me, personally, I have learned how to accept the ups and downs, embrace emotions (both positive and negative), and adapt to the environment with intention and meaning. I have learned not to be afraid of challenges but instead acknowledge them, take care of them and ask ourselves how we can turn these experiences into valuable life lessons. I would like to share with you some of the things I have learned in 2020:
Accepting the Uncertainty
Life is uncertain. There is never a time, even before the pandemic, when we can have any certainty of what is going to happen in the next minute. The only thing certain is the present moment and our actual experience of the moment. As Eckhart Tolle puts it: “People don’t realize that now is all there ever is; there is no past or future except as memory or anticipation in your mind.” It is only natural to feel stress in the face of uncertainty. Staying in the moment and be present has helped me face and accept uncertainty, and manage the stress of uncertainty. Do not be afraid of uncertainty, learn to accept and face uncertainty with resilience and ease. Together, let’s find peace in uncertain times.
Power of Mindfulness
Practicing mindfulness has helped me turn my attention to the present moment. We should not dwell on the past or worry about the future, instead, we should focus on the present moment. Practicing breathing exercises and meditation throughout the day have helped me tremendously in the past year, these practices truly taught me how to be present with a non-reactive mind. I am also discovering how to incorporate mindfulness in daily living – mindful eating, mindful parenting, and mindful exercising. If we practice focusing on the present moment, it empowers us to be with it, and we start to find ease of living. I invite you to try these practices, even for just 2-minutes a time, you will see a difference!
The Importance of Connection
Separation is definitely one of the most challenging things we had to face in year 2020. The pandemic has kept us all physically distanced from one another. Many of us felt isolated and frustrated in our social distancing, but many found new meaning and connection with each other. We have learned to make connection with each other in many different ways — saying hi to our neighbors from a distance underneath a mask, having “zoom” holiday meals with our friends and relatives, sending kisses to our elderly relatives at a nursing home through the windows, seeing clients via telehealth, etc. As human beings, we instinctively need to connect with others, but to be able to build solid human connection, you have to first connect with yourself. Doing mindful check-ins throughout the day to get in touch with my own feelings where I pause, take a deep breath, acknowledge how I am feeling right here and right now and how I would like to proceed with this moment have really helped. Make space for self-reflection each day, it can bring clarity to the moment.
Practice Positive Mindset
Every cloud has its silver lining, but whether you see it or not is a choice you make. Focus on what you control, do not stress over things you cannot control. The year 2020 can be a difficult year to love, but if we just look on the positive side of things, I promise you can find something you are grateful for. Just as importantly, whatever does not kill you makes you stronger.
It Is Okay to Reach Out for Help
Believe this, we are all in this together. You are not the only one suffering, you don’t have to do this alone. Don’t be afraid to reach out to someone you trust, or seek therapy if you need to. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Take care of your whole body, inside and out.
Create Your Own Happiness
Take responsibility of your own happiness, never count on someone or something to make you happy. You don’t find happiness, you create it. Many people think that only if the pandemic is over then things will get back to normal and they will be happy. No. If you think that way, you will never be happy. Happiness can be created, under any circumstances, by you. If you take charge, you will find your own happiness.
Resilience
You are more resilient than you think. We went through a lot in 2020 – the pandemic, economic crisis, lockdowns, the politically polarized election, the racial justice movement, RBG death, just to name a few. We all have the strengths inside us to overcome life challenges. “It is worth remembering that the time of greatest gain in terms of wisdom and inner strength is often that of greatest difficulty.” – Dalai Lama
Make Self-Care a Priority
We are always busy helping and taking care of others that we often forget to take care of ourselves. Get to know yourself, be truthful to yourself and find out what your true needs are. Only when you take care of yourself you can then have the capacity to take care of others and be able to get through tough times.
Thank you, 2020, for all you have taught me! Hello, 2021, I am ready to take on challenges that you are sending my way this year! I look forward to learning and growing to be a better person one moment at a time. “No one has ever lived in the past or the future, only the now.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
Life can be challenging at times, but it can also be amazing!
“Life gives you plenty of time to do whatever you want to do if you stay in the present moment.” – Deepak Chopra
What have you learned in 2020, and how you are going to move forward in 2021?
