A sailor on a yearlong journey across the ocean has no control over the weather he will encounter. Some days he wakes up to clear skies, bright sunshine, and plenty of fish. Some days his eyes open to grey gloom with no wind. Some days he is startled by rumbling thunder and terrifying lightening with waves crashing around him. All he can control are the basic elements that tend his own health.
As the new year is about to roll in, take a moment to pare down the past year to the basic components that sustained you. There were highs and lows, but a few things remained consistent. Who were your most faithful friends? What habits and patterns brought life and kept you afloat? Which family members established stability for you?
Sometimes the most difficult circumstances show you exactly what your life is dependent on. Having some forms of regularity, like sleeping and hygiene habits and daily rituals of focus like prayer, meditation, or spiritual devotion can give you a life-preserver of sorts to keep walking forward while the horizon changes dramatically.
If this year was a good one for you, I'm so glad. There are certainly points to be thankful for, whether the overall sum was positive or negative. You were provided for, in one form or another.
There also have been moments of pain. It's important to pause and breathe through the emotions brought by those losses. Those experiences are solidly human, bringing connection among us through the anguish.
As for the new year, chin up! You have a lot to give. Your very breath is the sign of your valuable life. How will you use it? While grand plans should be held lightly, you can set your mind on the simple small tasks you know you can do consistently--tasks that keep your head afloat and your body moving forward, toward the good of us all.
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