Recently I heard 2020 described as a pregnancy*. For some, it was a difficult pregnancy fraught with limitations, fear, pain and discomfort. For others, the slower pace and ‘nesting’ felt like an invitation for self-care which unlocked perspective, possibility and new beginnings. Regardless of our individual experience this past year, it’s safe to say we have all gone through a transformation of some kind. As we cross the threshold into a new year, it’s worth asking the question… what are you giving birth to in 2021? What has been incubating inside of you these past 10 months? What have you been nurturing? What is yearning to emerge from within? Do you have a new business idea? Are you longing to rekindle a hobby? Are you needing to let go of something in order to find balance? Is it time to truly embrace your self-care? It’s worth finding some quiet time to search within your heart – What new way of being do I want to give birth to in this new year? (Join me Jan 17th for a free workshop on this topic)
And as with any pregnancy, there will mysteries and surprises beyond our wildest imagination. There will also undoubtably, be challenges that will bring us to our knees. Are you ready? Now is the time to surround yourself with support, if you haven’t already done so. Now is the time to fully embrace your own self-care in all of it’s elements: mind, body, spirit and emotions. The adventure is not over, this new way of living is just beginning.
If 2020 was a time of pregnancy, then 2021 will be the postpartum period – complete with the potential for moments of postpartum depression, exhaustion and self-doubt. Have you set aside time to rest and recover? We’ve all been through so much. In 2021, I’m sure the emotional rollercoaster will continue. (Affectionately coined the ‘Corona-coaster”). What coping strategies have been helping in 2020? Time in nature, Zoom calls, time alone or perhaps going back to the basics of family time and home cooked meals.
What strategies would you like to explore more deeply? Mindfulness, meditation, creativity, spirituality, eating better, exercise….? No matter what your experience has been, there is always an opportunity for learning and new perspectives.
In light of the challenge to enhance our self-care (mind, body and spirit) and build our strategies for emotional and physical resilience – I have tailored a cast of programs and services to support you. Let me know how I can be of service to you.
May you enter into this new year with self-compassion for the laborious challenges you have endured. May you see the world with fresh eyes, filled with hope and love for all that has been growing inside of you. May you nurture and nourish yourself so that whatever you have given birth to can grow and flourish in 2021. Wishing you a Happy, Healthy New Year from my Kitchen to Yours.
Heidi
*The pregnancy analogy came from astrologer Pam Younghans.