The holiday season can be tough. This episode I will be discussing some helpful reminders during this time of the year to help maintain perspective and keep yourself balanced. I am sharing some tips that I’ve personally learned along the way and I will be sharing some wisdom from the many wise souls in my life.

1. Everything is not “normal” so let’s stop pretending like nothing has changed. This goes to for those who are still putting the same expectations on their life as if we weren’t in the middle of a pandemic, isolation, economic crisis, civil unrest, and a climate crisis to name a few. Give yourself a break if you’re not maintaining the high expectations that you had this time last year. You’re human and its tough out there.
2. Feel all the feelings. Let yourself feel every single emotion that goes through you during this time. Are you angry? Okay! Are you indifferent? Sure! Are you lonely? You got it! Don’t try to avoid whatever is coming up for you. Feel all the feelings because you’re human and not a robot. If privacy is difficult in your home, let your family or roommates know that you need some extra privacy.
3. You’ve survived all the hard days to far. Life is not without suffering. Our hard days are feeling harder right now but know that you’ve got this. You’ve made it through all those times you didn’t think you could make it. You’re stronger than you know. I believe in you & your community believes in you.
4. Ask for help. I hope one lesson learned this year is how asking for help makes us human. We are not faultless, perfect beings. Nope. We’re just all trying our best to make it in this world. We are not islands, ask for help. If we show up in a more imperfect-human way we make space for others to do the same.
5. Check-in on your “strong” friend. Call your friends and see if they’re okay. Sometimes we don’t reach out as much as we should so I recommend that we start the activity to calling people just because. Not just texting- calling or facetiming the people we care about. With isolation and starting to
6. This one is a big one this year. Take time to rest. Rest is essential to our overall health and with many people working from home or working in challenging conditions, rest is essential for health.
7. Know that you’re enough. You are enough just the way you are. There is no mountain you need to climb, race you need to win, or accomplishment you need to make to be enough. This one is most salient as we approach the first of the year. Know that you are perfect just the way to are. Knowing that you’re enough includes accepting who you are right now.
8. Boundaries can help bring life changes. Learning, understanding and setting boundaries is a life skill that not everyone learns in their life especially if their parents don’t know what boundaries are. If you find yourself feeling like a door mat or that your needs are not considered with the people around you, it’s time to review and establish some boundaries. I had planned on launching a course on boundaries this month but I’ll be starting a course on boundaries at the beginning of the year instead.
9. Being your own cheerleader. While its important to have community and support in our lives also think about what you are saying to yourself. Are you cheering yourself on? Or are you telling yourself all the ways that it won’t work out? It’s time to be your own cheerleader. While its important to stay realistic, but it doesn’t hurt to cheer yourself on in the process.
10. You’re doing the best you can. Be gentle with yourself. Think about the thoughts that go through your mind as this year comes to a close. Know that you deserve all the love that you are given and that it will get better.

Lessons learned shared with me in 2020.

1. You are a badass. Look back on the year and think about your strength and your resilience through this time.
2. Community heals. With isolation and lockdown, we are learning the power of our community and connecting with others. We are finding our communities and thriving in a new way.
3. No justice, no peace. Black, Brown, and Indigenous people are being murdered, displaced, missing, separated, and traumatized in this country on a daily basis. We must unite to bring justice for members of our community. Reminder: ICE agents were reportedly sexually assaulting detainees in El Paso, there is still no justice for Breonna Taylor, countless of Native women are being abused and going missing and no ones is talking about it.
4. You deserve all of the love. You are not sensitive, you are not crazy, your feelings are valid -always valid. Be who you are and celebrate yourself- the right people will come.
5. If you want change, get involved. Whether it be politics, that new fitness goal, or making the world a better place. If you want to see it happen you need to get involved and do.
6. Its okay to not be okay. Let yourself be. No need to judge and get rid of the “should” in your head. Again, feel all the feelings and breathe.

Here is your action step today: Take time to review your year. All the things you’ve learned, growth from, and experienced. Share with me on Instagram @feelingseen.beingheard

Let me know what you’ve learned this year and what you’re grateful for. I will be sharing on our episode two weeks from now.

Have a great night.

Reference Articles:

https://www.culturalsurvival.org/news/addressing-epidemic-missing-murdered-indigenous-women-and-girls

https://www.propublica.org/article/ice-guards-systematically-sexually-assault-detainees-in-an-el-paso-detention-center-lawyers-say