2021

The year 2020 didn’t just knock the world off course; it arrived with a chaotic, unpredictable wind that blew the doors right off the hinges. For some people I know, the sudden stillness became a rare window to pause, breathe, and recalibrate. But for so many others, it brought a heavy, fracturing kind of grief. Some of us lost people. I feel a quiet necessity to just sit with that truth and honor it. My heart has been in a constant state of prayer for the people directly broken by the pandemic, and for everyone weathering the quiet, invisible collateral damage it is leaving in its wake.

When you are social distancing, it’s easy to look out and feel entirely stranded on an island. But the isolation is an illusion; the threads between us are still there. I think about my family, my neighbors, the seniors living in my residential building, my colleagues, the anchors of old friendships, and the sudden spark of new ones. I think about casual acquaintances, internet kindred, and yes, even the exes I’m still on good terms with, along with the one chaotic one who genuinely needs a little grace and healing.

When I look at the collective web of us, I see a beautiful, divine spark inside every single soul. It’s in all of us walking this earth. My deepest prayer is that we learn to recognize that light within ourselves, not just on the days when we are high-spirited and happy, but most urgently when we hit the floor and feel completely running on empty.

I know that this pandemic isn't going to vanish just because the calendar flips. I woke up this morning and sat on the edge of my bed with a heavy, restless anxiety vibrating in my chest. Usually, this is the exact time of year when I love to retreat into my own head, pull out a notebook, and map out exactly how I want to grow in the months ahead. But the persistent gravity of the world has a way of keeping my spirit totally off-kilter. So, I meditated. I sat in the quiet, leaned into the discomfort, and asked myself a simple question: How do I reclaim my power when the world around me won't stop spinning?

I pulled a pen across the page, and the word that kept tracing itself over and over again, heavy and undeniable, was responsibility. Not as a chore or a burden, but as a boundary. I realized that when you have absolutely no control over the storm outside, you have to take total, radical ownership of how you tend to your own temple.

I leaned over the paper and wrote out my blueprint for moving forward into the new year:

I. Tending the Spirit

I am committing to the quiet, rigorous work of staying in alignment with my absolute authenticity. That means fiercely protecting the boundaries of my heart, trusting my own gut, and committing to a real, daily spiritual structure. It means actively turning my anxiety over to God and standing firm in my truth. One hand on my heart. Eyes closed. Deep breaths.I am choosing patience and a massive amount of grace.

II. Honoring the Vessel

I want to treat my physical body through an intuitive, respectful dialogue. That means honoring how I nourish myself, fasting whenever my spirit signals that it needs a rest, and deeply embracing my natural form. I want to celebrate my body for its resilience and health rather than forcing it to fit someone else's mold. More intentional movement, deep recovery, and just letting myself fluidly flow.

III. Guarding the Emotional Landscape

I am taking full accountability for my own feelings without projecting my stress onto the people around me or looking for someone to blame. This demands conscious communication and the rare art of actually listening. I want to see people exactly as they are and respect their space, without inserting my own ego or absorbing toxic energy that doesn't belong to me. I will work on being more gentle with myself and others, and quick to offer forgiveness on the days we miss the mark.

IV. Cultivating Abundance

True peace of mind and financial security are things worth fighting for. We were built to thrive, not just survive, and I refuse to live with a scarcity mindset. Abundance is a birthright, and I cultivate it through deep gratitude and hard work. Staying small or freezing out of fear helps absolutely no one. It only shrinks the world for myself and the people I love. It is my responsibility to put in the labor, make smart choices, protect my family, and invest wisely. And as that wealth grows, it has to flow outward, supporting my friends' businesses, shopping local, donating, and creating collaborative loops where we can all win together.

I’m putting these messy notes out into the world hoping they land with anyone who is currently vibrating on a similar frequency. Let’s make the absolute most of this holiday season and whatever the new year throws at us.