It has been an exceptional year to say the least; one we will never forget.
We faced many challenges, many changes and many questions… All which lead to many realizations. One major realization that came out of 2020 was the global attention and importance on health. As the year unfolded, people had to adapt to a new way of living, and I believe that self-care was the focus!
With all the restrictions, quarantines and new rules, people started to look within themselves, as they had nowhere else to go. Turning their attention inward allowed for a deep connection with their thoughts and created the opportunity to ask, “what is most important”?
The answer to this question is often compassion, kindness and love, for oneself and for others. It is only when we are in tune with these feelings that we can share them.
Remember all the musicians playing on porches? Or all the visits that were done through a window? Or all those who became a volunteer for the first time for those in need? It is clear, those people turned their attention inward and then poured their love onto others. They decided to share their love and create a moment of happiness for others. Those moments of music and love is really what kept people’s hopes high. Despite being distanced, we were still connected. This is very important for maintaining good health and a good morale because humans are social beings.
Another observation I saw, were the many people who really started taking charge of their lives and transformed their habits. They created better daily routines revolved around making healthier choices. Be it massage, yoga or meditation for the first time; walking in nature or going to the park. Learning how to bake something new, starting a garden and becoming self-reliant. This also allowed people to revert to family traditions such as cooking homemade meals from the foods they grew and sitting down for dinner all at the same time.
Finally, another major health advantage many people gained this year was getting in touch with their body’s needs. The body is constantly telling us something, but we must listen. Many people gained the ability to pay attention to their symptoms and taking care of those symptoms is another form of self-care. Taking the time to recharge by stretching or resting before going on is a holistic and powerful way to heal ourselves. This type of self-care prompts an awareness of our body, our energy levels, our spine, our posture and even our aches and pains.
If there’s one thing that unites us all, is that we all have the same human body; despite our colors, sizes and differences, we are all the same! Head to toe and hand to heart, they are all the same parts.
To this extent, let us continue to be kind to one another, let us continue the acts of making better choices for our health, our homes and our families. Even though this year saw a lot of dark times, I believe lots of light came out of it!
If you saw the same good things come out of this year as I did, I invite you to continue your journey of self-discovery and spreading light where it’s needed. I invite you to leave this year behind you now and begin to look at the fresh new year ahead. Never forget how much strength you have learned and how much you can develop along the way for whatever may come.
Wishing you a new year filled with new chances, new choices, new experiences and new love. May this love fill you with positivity, goodwill, health and happiness. Cheers to 2021!
