5, 4, 3, 2, 1.... Happy New Year! New excitement, new vision, new goals! You can feel it in the air right!? We are already 7 days into 2021 and some have already fallen short of their goals. But why?! Maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed, uncertain and a little out of whack with all that’s going on right now. Should you keep calm and carry on? Or should you join the crowds and buy ALL the pasta and cocktails, give up, become discouraged and retreat. Listen, I’ll be honest. I don’t have all the answers. Heck, I’m not sure anyone does, but I want you to know that I’m here and I’m ridin' with you. The last few days have been tough and the year has just begun. I’ve been speaking with many people that feel the same way. We thought 2021 was the answer and things would be different--right? Bottom line is, YOU are not alone. A new year and new goals is not all that is involved in resolutions. It truly begins with YOU! That sounds so cliche right? What I am saying is exploring who you are to your core and figuring out why you feel the way you do begins with you. Are you a giver and feel uncomfortable taking? Do you feel yourself making the same repetitive decisions? Who are you intrinsically? These are all questions only you can answer by being real and working on yourself.
The first takeaway that I hope will help you navigate 2021:
Self Care
Self care is such a broad topic. So, where do we begin? This word is so underrated and so vital to the actual make up and design of who you are and how you function. The term “self-care” describes the actions an individual might take in order to recover, maintain, and improve his or her physical and mental health. Yes, self-care is needed to meet both physical and mental needs. You always see me posting on Sundays about self care. Well, there is a reason for that. I took that day back for myself! God said to rest on the 7th day and I now get it 100%!!! I was that wife and mother that did (and sometimes still does) everything for everyone else putting myself last. I was burnt out and exhausted until I realized it was my own fault. I was giving, giving, giving externally and not giving to myself internally. Until one day I felt this resentment brewing inside because I was beat up and tired! I felt unappreciated, taken for granted, and I realized the core of who I am was missing. I had become everyone else's help and wasn't helping myself. I remember saying, "God help a sista out!”
That was my AHA moment and I immediately realized I had lost myself, lost my boundaries and wasn’t practicing self care and I SO desperately needed it. I mapped out what mattered to me most, the things I really enjoy, and implemented a self care day just for muah! I even reminded myself to do little things daily that make me smile whether it was meditating for 10 minutes, exercising, making a smoothie, reading a quick mantra, drinking tea while studying the word and most importantly showing myself that I matter and I truly care about Atoya. That's when I was able to give to others and feel good about it. Providing myself with these self acre moments changed my inner being for the better and it took me taking a step back, owning my mistakes, and re-centering my life.
Join me as we discover and learn more about ourselves through SELF CARE, SELF COMPASSION and SELF LOVE! It won't be easy, but it will be well worth it. Then, you will be able to conquer those new year goals, clearly see your vision, and the excitement won't be fleeting because you are doing the work from the inside out. It's a constant exercise of discipline and love. Over the next few weeks we will hit every aspect of self and you will be ready to rock and roll by February! There's still 11 months in the year right?! Invite a friend to join us as well! Happy New Year!