As 2022 winds down, I know many of us are yearning for a simple and selective range of life experiences right now—the happy holidays, the normal times, the settings and experiences that make us feel comfortable. And yet, the full range of our reality is often quite different. This year continues to give us an extensive array of experiences that evoke feelings ranging from sadness to struggle to pride to growth to hope, and more.
So we have a choice today. We can revolt against the unfairness of life—the unfairness of having to deal with discomfort, having to cope with uncertainty, having to feel lonely and uneasy and upset. Or we can embrace every experience life gives us, including all our highs and lows—all the blissful moments and painful ones and everything in between. Life is not just happy and comfortable 24/7. It’s well-rounded and it’s real.
Embracing the full range of life’s experiences this holiday season means embracing every moment with our full presence, being open and vulnerable to reality, being gentle with ourselves when moments are tougher than we expected, and practicing sincere gratitude whenever possible.
It means accepting life as it is, and accepting ourselves as we are.
It means not expecting the best to happen every step of the way, but instead accepting what happens with each step, and making the very best of it.
This isn’t easy of course, but it’s worth working on, together…
Making Progress Up Until the New Year
Yes, 2023 is rapidly approaching.
Let’s make a pact to enter it with a more open and resilient collective mindset.
How?
By committing the right ideas and intentions to memory before we get there.
Over the past decade Angel and I have written various “notes to self” like the ones I’ve listed below (most of which are now excerpts from our books), and then we’ve read and re-read them until they became ingrained in our minds. These memorized notes help us stay on track, by empowering us to make the best and most effective use of the ever-changing reality in front of us.
And we’re always passing these notes on to our course students and live seminar attendees too, and many of them have thanked us for doing so. So I hope YOU find value in them as well. I challenge you to memorize at least a few of them before the New Year. Turn these notes into wallpaper on your phone, or simply write the words down on Post-it notes and leave them in the areas where you can see them for the rest of the year…
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Cheers to a New Beginning
Although none of the aforementioned “notes to self” immediately force you to do anything different, they represent a timely shift in perspective, and perspective is where peace and happiness begins. From there, you can change your posture from one of tension and resistance to one of acceptance and opportunity.
Ultimately, the goal isn’t to get rid of all your negative thoughts, feelings or life situations as you close the year out. The goal is to gradually change your response to them.
The days, weeks and months ahead—both before and after the New Year—will be filled with incredible highs and stressful lows, for all of us. But in any case, we can train our minds to make the best of the present moment as it unfolds. Just take it one “note” at a time, and please know that if you’re struggling with any of this, you are not alone. Many of us are right there with you, working hard to feel better, think more clearly, and keep our lives on track. This is precisely why Angel and I wrote our books, built our course, and hosted our Think Better, Live Better 2022 live event. These invaluable resources are filled with proven guidance on how to do just that. And believe it or not, Angel and I review a lot of our own material on a regular basis too, just to center our minds on these proven principles.
We sincerely hope you will join us as we spend the next few weeks preparing to begin anew in 2023. 🙂
Now, it’s your turn…
Before you go, let us know:
- Which “note to self” above resonates with you the most right now and why?
Leave a comment below and share your thoughts.
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