It’s that time of year when folks start pre-ordering 2022 planners! No? I’m the only planner fanatic? Well if there’s anyone else like me out there then this post is for you! As you embark on the remainder of the year 2021, filled with many uncertainties, I encourage you to stay grounded, stay grounded in your ability to be able to overcome. Stay grounded and push forward as your strength has been tested beyond measure this year and you have survived. You have demonstrated at least one of these attributes: courage, patience, vulnerability, love, forgiveness, supportiveness. I challenge you to be mindful for the remainder of the year 2021.

One of the key aspects of mindfulness is awareness: the ability to pay attention to and notice your reality as it is, whether you like it or not, and without judgement. What does that look like for the remainder of the year ? Getting untangled in your negative thoughts and anxieties about 2022! I read in a book somewhere that “the pasts only exists in your memory, and the future only exists in your thinking. The present moment is all that’s there.” You may have spent the majority of this year on “auto pilot”, barely aware of what you were doing or where you threw your favorite sweatpants or leggings for that last minute Zoom call (I searched and searched and still couldn’t find mine before writing this.) By doing so, you have disregarded the pleasures of even the most ordinary events. I challenge you to approach the remainder of 2021 mindfully, with awareness, non-judgment, and acceptance. Approach the remainder of this year non judgmentally, limiting comparisons of this moment to some other time, a time before the tragedies you experienced this year. Approach the remainder of 2021 with acceptance. Let go of your struggle with your present moment experiences and use that energy to begin to build towards a greater new year ahead within your zone of control.

And lastly, approach the upcoming year with curiosity, and kindness towards your experiences, even during the most difficult moments. By approaching 2022 with openness to the mere experience of a new year as opposed to anxiety about what’s to come, you can then become more conscious of how to respond to whatever it is that’s in store. Happy Planning!

Be Well!