By Jill Fratto
Life and Health Coach
jillfratto@gmail.com
Our world has changed significantly in the past two years. It hasn’t all been bad — l like to say there are two sides of the COVID-19 coin. For a while, I heard people talk about “going back to normal” but we are slowly learning that we aren’t going back to exactly the way things were before the pandemic. Too many things have changed: the way we interact, perceive, and respond. We must learn from this experience and use it to be resilient and to rebuild. It’s the holiday season and soon to be another new year.
Some have lost more than others, but we are all learning to accept the new normal. It feels like that new normal is coming with constant change: hurdles thrown in our path to help us learn to embrace change and live through difficult situations. For many, it has increased fear and anxiety. Many are always waiting for the other shoe to drop.
As a human race, we are strong and resilient. We can rebuild our social and physical structures and our expectations. To rebuild, we must dig deep and find our strength and courage. What are your hopes and dreams for the holidays and for 2022? What has changed that creates new opportunities for learning and growing? Opportunity is still all around us; it just may have a new form. To see it, we must change the way we look at other people, situations, and ways of living. We have to open ourselves to new possibilities as we forge ahead.
Anything worth doing is hard and usually has fear attached to it. Use the holidays to let go of the past, hold the lessons we have gained, and give thanks for the abundance that surrounds us. We are still on the edge of our comfort zones, but abundance is possible for everyone. I keep thinking about so many of our brothers and sisters who have lost their homes and communities because of the recent devastating tornado in the south. Send love to others; help your friends and neighbors; remember that we are strong and connected. Wishing you a joyful holiday and a new year filled with good health and happiness.
