end of year reflections
This past weekend I gathered some stunning soul sisters together to reflect on 2019. Not only is this the closing of a year, it's the closing of a decade. Wild, right?!?
We sat in circle and shared what was on our hearts. Each of us reflecting on all we had to celebrate, plus what struggles we survived and the valuable lessons they taught us. As we shared, the themes of 'connectedness & acceptance,' strongly surfaced. We have tendency to drown in the struggles we face and overlook how much we have to celebrate and be grateful for. We forget that while at surface our struggles are different, we share the common human thread of struggle and moments (maybe entire chapters) of suffering. We can feel alone as we sink into our pain, confusion, overwhelm, anxiety, or fear. We feel these hard feelings and we fight-deny-go numb-resist-reject- all that we are feeling. What if, instead, we practiced acceptance for exactly what's in front of us and allowed those hard feelings to carve us into what's next? What if, instead, we reached out to share our struggles and hard feelings with the people who love us & support us? We aren't alone. You aren't alone. Reaching out to others and sharing our struggles gives those we love the chance to say, 'here's where you are, this is hard, you won't be here forever.' Voicing your struggles gives you the chance to say, 'this is really hard, I won't be here forever.' We accept. We share. We connect. Then the burdens get lighter, hope emerges, and moving through hard feelings begins to feel possible.
So, friends, take your own moment in your own way to pause. Look back on your year and all you experienced from a place of radical acceptance. Before you charge forth into 2020 with all your brilliant beauty, honor exactly where you are and the gifts, in all their various forms, this year brought you.
-Where can you celebrate success?
-What struggles can you honor and thank for their presence and lessons learned?
-What will you vow to leave behind and not drag with you into a fresh new year?
May you move forward into 2020 surrounded by peace with a deep knowing that *YOU* are pure love, brought to life.
Love,
Maria