Happy Christmas. Be proud of yourself. ❤️
Each week, on Sunday morning, I write a blog post/newsletter that I share with those of you on my email list. For the month of December, I’ll be sharing my weekly posts here as well as in email form so those of you not on my email list can get a peek into my messages. My hope is always to encourage you to grow through what you go through, to challenge you to think in a new way and to give you tools to shape your life. If you’d like to sign up for my email list click here.
Dear You,
Happy Christmas. Happy Holidays. Cheers to this season of love and light. A time when we are both looking back at the year behind us and looking forward to the year ahead. A time where we gather with people we love and sometimes in situations that are complicated. It's a time that from the outside can be idyllic and on the inside feels nuanced. And that's okay. That's honest. I feel the same. This year something has been solidified in me that I've always known; life is about the process. We live in a culture that tells us to do these five things, then these ten things, or that we need this class or that algorithm to accomplish some goal. Even if we follow the steps and get there, once we've arrived, we can then see the next thing before us.
Life is about the process. Growth in the process. Being IN the process. That's not easy for someone like me who is a doer and finds lots of joy and satisfaction in the accomplishment. Yet it is more apparent than ever to me that if we put all our hopes in one event, one achievement or one win, we miss the lessons of the process. We miss who we are becoming as we journey ahead. We miss the messy middle where we are most likely to have that "aha" moment.
That said, it's essential to acknowledge what we have accomplished in our year. In a culture that can easily make us feel we'll never measure up, it's important to take some time to ponder the areas of our lives where we really excelled in both big and small ways. I was doing dishes in my kitchen this week, thinking about what I wanted to write to you this weekend. What final message I wanted to share. I often ask myself questions and wait for the answer. And in my mind, I heard, "tell them to be proud of themselves." Funny enough, I had a call this week with a business coach I'm interested in working with, and she said, "you've accomplished so much, you should take some time to write down what you have done."
Often the messages I share with you are also the messages I need to hear myself. They are ideas I'm sorting out in my own mind. And so as I close out this year, this decade, I will be spending time thinking what I'm proud of. I'll do this before I get clear about my goals for 2020. I invite you to do the same.
There are a couple of themes that have stuck out to me this year that I want to make sure you have top of mind too. Think about these ideas as you celebrate who you are and what you have accomplished. Remembering, we are always in constant process.
You are allowed to change. Earlier this year, I wrote about that idea here. I've changed a lot this year (on the inside), and I can see my self going in new directions. That can be uncomfortable. If that's you, embrace the change.
What are you curious about? I've found the most enjoyment in doing work around my curiosity. If you are looking for a new venture or wondering what is next for you, ask yourself that question.
Embrace the process. Don't rush it. No matter how uncomfortable it may feel. This is where you grow.
Life is happening for you. I've embraced this idea in a big way this year. I've spent a lot of time living in resistance to what is. As if somehow that resistance might change my circumstances. I still struggle with this. Some days it feels like I'm carrying around a 100 lb backpack full of my sorrows and challenges. However, I've shifted my thinking. What if all of this is happening for me so that I can reach my highest purpose. What if you changed your thinking too?
I love this reflection by Bob Goff about living a purposeful life.
I write this newsletter each week because I want to help and encourage you to be the best version of yourself. I want you to see that even in the painful and challenging places of your life, you can find treasures that will spring you toward purpose and clarity. I want to encourage you to cultivate spiritual practices and wrestle through what you believe so that you can come to a place of peace and knowing. I promise you that it is possible.
Thank you for allowing me into your inbox each week. Thank you for taking the time to listen to my thoughts and incorporate them into your life. Thank you for opening yourself up to growth and self-discovery. I believe there are great things for you in 2020. For now, find joy this holiday season. Find places of peace. Soothe your soul. Find some quiet time, take a walk, get some exercise in, spend time with people that bring you joy and fulfillment. And be proud of yourself.
Yesterday was the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. Now the days start to get longer. Light is coming. Every so slowly, the days will get longer. I think it's no coincidence that Christmas is just a few days after the solstice. It's celebrated as we turn toward more light.
The light is coming.
The light is there for your weary eyes.
Look for it.
Seek it out.
Claim it as your own.
Believe that it is for you.
If today you cannot believe it for yourself, I believe it for you.
Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays to each of you. Love and blessings. I wish you all that is good and beautiful. All that is full of love and light.
This is my final post for the year, I will see you in January 2020.
Sunday love to you.
Merry Christmas from our family to yours!
