2020 was one crazy year. We all had to contend with a global pandemic–a bomb that knocked all of us out of orbit, and completely interrupted life as we knew it. Many of us got Covid-19 ourselves, knew people who got it, got it ourselves, died from it, and/or dealt with the economic fallout that resulted from this time. We watched instability and volatility in politics, violence, and oppression divide us at epic levels. It truly is a miracle that many of us are still here and standing, and I hope you feel proud of how far you’ve come. 

Even if you don’t feel like you’ve come far enough on goals this year or if you feel bad because life got disrupted, just know that you have done more than you realize: even if it was just staying sane, making it to a food line, or providing comfort to someone. You deserve to give yourself credit and even to celebrate yourself! It’s normal for life to disrupt even the best laid plans and goals, so forgive yourself if you are feeling guilty for not getting “it all” done or are beating yourself up. 

Everyone struggled this year, including me. I struggled too this year too. There were many times that felt bleak: when my hours at my part-time job hours were cut unexpectedly, when our kids were sent home from school, when we lost people to Covid, when we witnessed all of the violence, death, and injustice of this year… so just know that you are not alone!

Let me repeat this, just in case you’ve forgotten it in all of the pandemonium: you are miraculous, you are strong, you are capable. The fact that we are STILL HERE is something to be incredibly proud of. 🙂 You are deserving and you are worthy! You deserve to have everything you could possibly want out of life! 

You deserve to look back on 2020 and really honor all that you were able to do: how you survived mentally and physically, how you supported others around you, and how you kept fighting despite overwhelming odds! Write down your wins… I promise there’s way more than you think!  

So, when we look at this new year, let’s look at it with hope, excitement, because you are worthy and deserving of those emotions. You always deserve to fight for your happiness! You always deserve to fight for your mental health! You always deserve to fight for the best possible you! Not only is it your right, but I would also say that it’s your duty. Your mental health affects everyone and everything you touch, and they all deserve your best you. 🙂 

Let’s welcome 2021 with open arms and give ourselves permission to celebrate it! Give yourself permission to dream about what the future holds for you. Dream big! Make a vision board and daydream and write about your future! And when you’re ready, make a baby-stepped plan for how you want to get there. 

And as we look back on 2020 in our rearview mirrors, just remember this: don’t cancel 2020–even retroactively. Trying to cancel, delete, or avoid bad times misses the rich lessons that come from life’s struggles. Don’t let all the pain we experienced be for nothing! Pain without growth is just needless suffering that will keep plaguing you long after it’s over. Some of the most difficult times of my life have been some of the best moments for me to grow as a human, once the initial pain of it wears off. 

But, I love newness of a new day, a new week, a new month, and especially of a new year. Not only because my husband and I have our wedding anniversary on January 1st, but there is a sense of hope that comes from a fresh beginning. You have the power to shake off the struggles from before and move forward into something beautiful! What will you create for yourself this year?

This Month’s Freebie!

Click here for this month’s freebie (coming soon)! 🙂

This Month’s Digital Download!

Here is your January 2021 digital download! (coming soon!)