As you are reading this blog, hopefully, you are experiencing a pause as I am. The hustle of the holidays is starting to fade and the start of a New Year is on the horizon. This brief snippet of time can feel rejuvenating for some and stifling for others. The whole idea of stopping or pausing is counter to the run, run, run of our daily lives.
I want to encourage you to take this time to reflect on what your 2021 looked like—who did you give your time to, what activities consumed your days, how do you feel when you look back on it? Are you proud of the year? Do you look in the mirror and want to celebrate the person who you see?
Some of that reflection may feel a bit overwhelming—maybe you met every goal you set before you, maybe your focus was derailed by a major life event, maybe you are grateful that 2021 is ending. Whatever your reflection brings up for you I want to encourage you to recognize the gifts in life.
Your health is a treasure; your ability to move is a gift. You make choices every day that either highlight or dim these things. I read the news and listen to podcasts on the horrible effects the COVID pandemic is having on our mental health as a whole, I hear the data on the deaths from COVID-19 and I want to cry. Reach out to people you love—connection is key. Take small steps every day to enhance your health—move your body, eat healthy food, get sleep, enjoy the outdoors.
I ask you to use the pause right now to set your roadmap for 2022. Write down the things that matter to you most— family, health, time spent with friends—may be a few items that come to mind. What do you want to do to make sure those things get your best time and attention? Where should you focus your efforts to make the most of the gifts in life? Are you putting things into your life that enhance those gifts?
My hope for every one of our members is they feel good about themselves, that they have tools to be a healthier version of themselves, and that they get to connect with their family, friends, and community in ways that enrich their lives.
Enjoy the pause—your best year is within your reach when you recognize what you truly want and value—the small choices each day pull you closer or further away from these things.
In good health—
Theresa
