At the beginning of the year, I offered the suggestion that we reframe our resolutions into commitments. Today we start the second half of the year and I am finding it a good day to reflect back on the commitments I made to myself. Remember maintaining a commitment is a daily process that does not expect perfection. Mistakes and missteps are included in the learning process to keep commitments.
I chose the word VISIBILITY to guide me this year. This was my power word as I entered 2021. I had stepped into my power to be more visible to no longer stand on the side of the stage watching my life play out in front of me, without its main character.
I stepped into my spotlight and at times it has been an uncomfortable place to be.
There were days that I considered running back to the comfort and darkness of backstage.
And I’ve stayed in the light; learning, growing, adjusting, and thriving.
My commitments were my health, saying yes, dismissing the voices of limitations, and being present.
I have to say that I am proud of how my commitments are going. Have I reached full enlightenment with angels singing in a chorus of perfection? Nope because that’s not real life. Real human life means that I’ve had some good days and some more challenging days. There were days when I felt nothing but joy and some days where I wanted to hide under the covers of my bed. There were days that I felt I could take on the world with my motivation and days where I gave myself a break to honor my need for rest.
My Health – My commitment has evolved into moving my body, being mindful about the food I’m eating, taking preventative measures for overall health, and continuing to honor my need for consistent sleep. I feel good with the choices I have made for my priority of health. My biggest win here is being more mindful of my wellness and honoring the times that I needed to take a break.
Saying Yes – My commitment here was not to become a Yes Gal and say yes to every and all things, but more so to be intentional about not saying no to myself. In December I had a reckoning with myself and I realized how many times I had held myself back because I feared hearing others say no. So I said no first, by not even trying. Today even though rejection still feels shitty, I’ve been able to really reframe and think of nos as “not right now” or “not yet”. And I’m putting myself out there more and taking more chances. My openness to saying yes to myself has resulted in some amazing opportunities. I would say that this is the space that I am most proud.
Dismissing the Voices of Limitations – This really was tied to my commitment to Saying Yes. I had to dismiss these voices first and then my mindset changed and I became more comfortable saying yes to myself. Now, these voices are still there and I am learning to acknowledge them, thank them for their concern and then move on. Remember our memories are driven by repetition not facts, so I am striving for my repetitive thoughts to be of success, abundance, love, and support.
Being Present – As the year began, I acknowledged the amount of time that I was spending on my phone while I was at home and with others. I did not care for the truth in that outcome. I was using the phone as an escape and a way to stay disengaged, as a way to treat how I was feeling. I wanted to change that and rather find deeper connections with present moments; the people I am with, the nature and environment around me, the conversations I could overhear, the birds singing… You get it. I wanted to shift my mindset from overanalyzing the past and overthinking the future to a state of just being focused on where I currently am. This is a daily process and some days are easier to stay focused in the present moment and other days are hard and I spiral into an over-thinking, what-ifing thought cyclone. I am celebrating my awareness in these moments and the recognition I have gained in naming the cyclone and then making a choice to stay there or leave it.
My hope for you today is that you spend some time reflecting on the first half of this year and some time recommitting to yourself for the second half.
What would you like to change?
What is working that you are proud of and want to continue?
What do you want to look back and remember on December 31st?
Celebrate the first half of the year! You accomplished so much! You are here!
