Personal Growth & Community

Over the past year, we have been encouraged to slow down and become more intentional about how we live our lives. While I can’t deny the grief and anxiety that surfaced for me during this time, I am choosing to honor the many lessons learned. Personally, I’ve become more intentional about my relationships and my work and have learned ways to focus my energy in places that matter. Self care continues to be a priority and I have found creative ways to prioritize myself even on the most chaotic of days.  My goal is to be more focused and to ultimately find balance.

What does this mean moving forward? I believe we need to continue to be reflective and identify what is most important to us.  I want to stay in tune with my body and what it needs before jumping into the many distractions that lie ahead. I want to be mindful of the noise around me and take opportunities to slow down and reset. I want to be ok with saying no to social and work opportunities and to honor the stillness my body has learned that it needs. I want to keep having conversations with like-minded individuals who also value these things and who want to challenge one another to keep up with healthy practices.

As a parent, we have been granted time with our children to get to know them in a way that was not feasible before. I believe it’s important to continue to be present with our kids and take the time to foster our connections. For my family, this will look like more outdoor activities and local adventures without the pressure of traveling to have fun.  It also is a focus on the basics, such as less complicated meals that allow us more time to be together, or a simple neighborhood walk at night. It will be a reminder to simplify our experiences because we have learned that bringing it back to the basics is grounding for us all.  I will work on being less critical of myself as a mom and know that my kid has developed a resilience from the past year that  will continue to evolve. Although it sometimes has been scary to witness, our children are most capable when we raise the bar for them to grow and thrive.

Lastly, COMMUNITY. This looks and means different things to us all. For me, community means the people within my social and professional worlds who “get” it. These individuals understand that we are all humans doing the best we can. I encourage everyone to look for and cultivate a supportive network that you can depend on. Finding a like-minded community where you can be honest and authentic is invaluable.  It can be fluid, big or small, but I encourage everyone to find a network that offers support and connection. I am personally excited about expanding my own network over the next few months. At the same time, I remain mindful about gradually introducing new experiences, while continuing to maintain my own deepening practice of embracing simplicity and grounded presence.