Everyone goes through different seasons in life. Some seasons are more fruitful, with progress and achievement of goals. Some seasons are stagnant and stasis, with no visible light at the end of the tunnel. No matter what season you are in, there is always something to be learning from. That is the beauty of life – always evolving!
Sometimes progress is taking a step back and reflecting on your decisions to plan for a better path forward. I learned this year that too much on your plate can truly be too much. I learned that it is okay to put yourself first when you need to; that it doesn’t make you any less successful for doing so.
Circumstances this year had me without a car for months, physical health issues, stolen property, and more. I found myself really struggling with it all. I had stopped going to the gym without a vehicle, something that brought me great joy mentally and physically. This in turn increased my anxiety and decreased my motivation (and oddly reminded me of 2020, when we never left our houses). How quickly our habits can change! Even though it began as a struggle, I would persevere through it all. I began going on frequent walks with my dogs instead of hitting the gym, which turned out to be a silver lining new habit for both my girls and me. I began journaling again about my future goals and my life. I was finally letting go of what was constantly weighing on my chest and holding me back. I noticed the kind of people I was surrounded by and how they made me feel. I took a needed step back and I observed. I finally put myself first. “You must allow yourself to grow in the places people thought you never would.”
Being a highly sensitive person, I am very in tune with my emotions and the emotions of others around me. I’m a proud empath at heart. I want to make an impact on others and make them feel supported, but in order to do that, I have to take care of myself. As cliché as it sounds, it is the ultimate truth I have learned this year. We cannot control life circumstances, we can only control how we react to and handle them. Keep going. Keep growing. “Enjoy where you are right now.”
