If there was ever a year which put a mirror in your face, would you agree it’s 2020?

We have been forced to get real with ourselves while dealing with circumstances wildly beyond our control. Some of us are choosing to better ourselves while others are drowning their sorrows in bags of potato chips and excess booze while consuming never ending hours of Netflix. I’ve heard much mention of the “Covid 20” and I’m not talking about the virus but the pounds gained!

I sit this morning, scanning over the year in my technicolor mind. Have I been robbed of certain things? Yes, I have. I have lost time with loved ones. I have lost out on many wonderful trips that I was looking forward to. I lost my vacation rental income. I lost thousands of dollars on cancelled photo and film bookings at my property. I lost more thousands on the cleaning company I own as we nearly closed the company for good. Shall I go on? I think you get the point…I have been emotionally and financially affected as many have but you know what?

I am not mad at 2020. I do not blame 2020. I will never call it a bad year.

I am happy with the person I see in the mirror.

For everything she lost this year, she found something. She found a great strength and resilience. In fact she bounces back so quickly you’d think her feet were attached to a pogo stick!

She found the drive and determination to learn a whole slew of new skills – such as self publishing, website creation, online marketing and more! By absence of the demands of her social life, she found time to love herself more, to take long walks, to eat nutritious home cooked meals, to sit down with her husband every night and enjoy thoughtful conversations about life and future plans. She started a daily journaling practice and uncovered more of who she truly is at her core – her passions, her purpose, her beliefs. She expanded upon her dreams and created a deeper relationship with her higher power.

Listen, I get that you may not like the person you are seeing in the mirror today. I invite you to change that starting now.

Here are some questions I ask myself and I encourage you to do the same:

*Your answers are not right or wrong – just examine them and see what comes up.

• Are my actions purely for my own pleasure?
• Am I setting a good example?
• Am I being a leader?
• Am I reacting too quickly?
• Do I need time to sit with my choices?
• Do I trust myself to make the right decisions?
• Does my action benefit or inhibit my health?
• Am I saying yes or no to the things that don’t feel good to me?
• And the things that do?

I did not always love the girl in the mirror – believe me!

It’s something I choose to work on every single day.

If you desire true happiness, you must drop your baggage. Let go of blame. Stop being mad at others and yourself. I suggest writing a forgiveness letter today. Write it to 2020, write it to your Mom, your ex, your boss, yourself. You needn’t send it, this is an exercise for you. Get rid of the darkness inside that’s holding you down. Write it all out, every ugly word or thought. Let it go. Cry, scream, curse…do what frees you. Afterward you can put the letter away or burn it – do what feels best to you.

While we are still in the grip of this pandemic, there is hope shining on the horizon. Today is an excellent day to make peace with 2020 and go into the new year with a fresh attitude.

The power of decision – the power to change your life, lives in you. My wish is for you to look back at 2020 with a wink and a sparkle in your eye, knowing that the decision you made on this New Years Eve was about love.

A great love for YOU. That magical person in the mirror!

PS I cannot tell you enough how much a daily journaling practice has improved my life! I strongly recommend you start today, even if it’s simply writing a sentence or two daily for starters. Once you begin, it becomes a habit – hopefully a very valuable one. I’ve stocked my art gallery with some wildly cool journals. I’ll be adding new designs in the coming weeks too, so check back often.

Please take a looksie! https://odessachristianagallery.com/collections/journals