The Year of F(ree)BIRTH

After several years of constant upheaval and loss, I’m hoping to FINALLY have a stable year of reconnecting with my passions and dreams again. I wrote this manifesto because I know that I may encounter bumps in the road, that things may not go as planned or turn out the way I had hoped. In those moments, I tend to get discouraged and start to doubt myself and my path. I know myself well enough to acknowledge that sometimes I fall back into the darkness and desperately need reassurance to keep listening to my heart and reaching for the light. From to time, I also need a little kick in the bootie! We all do, right? So, this one is for me and my fellow big dreamers… may 2019 be our year!

You will want to give up. Don’t.

You will want to believe that you can’t do it, can’t handle it, can’t go on. You can.

You will tell yourself that you aren’t capable, that you don’t have it in you, that you won’t succeed. You will.

You will tell yourself that you aren’t (fill in blank) enough. You are enough.

You will give yourself a million reasons why you shouldn’t, and only one reason why you should. Listen to that reason.

You will feel afraid, even terrified. You will doubt yourself and feel skeptical and jaded. You will want to stay in your comfort zone.  Do it anyway.

You will have trouble discerning what’s right for you and making decisions. Be still and let your inner wisdom guide you.

You will want to stay in bed, cry, withdraw, hibernate, avoid, numb, and much more.  Be still with your pain, give it space to flow through you, and then get the heck out of bed.

You will compare yourself to others. You will feel like you don’t measure up. You will feel jealous, angry, and small…and deeply ashamed. Again be still with your pain, inviting love and acceptance into these parts of you.

Above all, HOLD ONTO HOPE. Any shred of hope will do.