2022 Re-Entry
Over the past 10 days I have thought a lot about how this time is magical because it's the one time of year where people seem to press pause collectively. It's easier to shut down when you know everyone else is shutting down, compared to if you take vacation some other time of year and feel anxious knowing that your inbox will be a disaster on your return.
Yet only fully unwinding once a year seems completely unsustainable, particularly at a time when our exhaustion and anxiety is next level. So as we re-enter the world this week -- notably, the third calendar year of the pandemic -- I want to make some recommendations. I can't create a new holiday period around which we will all collectively rest but I am thinking more of the consistent, persistent long game.
1. Your body is the ultimate barometer. Listen to it. I have never had so many conversations about stress-related physical woes as I have in the past couple of years. There is no quick fix but we clearly need to prioritize healing.
2. This is a common time to think about goals and while I do think targets are important, whenever possible, connect your goals to something joyful and life-giving vs. being about self-flagellation or a sense of "shoulds" related to productivity. (I will be talking more about this when Edit Your Life Show returns on January 13.)
3. Treat 2022 like a marathon not a sprint. I would say "pace yourself" any year, but it is especially relevant given the current pandemic dumpster fire. In order to take the pressure off, identify 1-3 essential things that need to get done in a day and otherwise orient your to-do's across the span of a week. That way, if you struggle on a particular day, you will have the degrees of freedom for grace. Jot down priorities for a given month or even in terms of quarters depending on what you are working on. Who the hell says you need to crush everything tomorrow? Time does not work like that.
4. The most important person from whom you can seek forgiveness, softening, ease, grace, and acceptance is yourself. Be gentle with yourself at every turn. In the face of self-criticism, take a moment to instead think about how you managed to show up, in whatever way you could.
5. Small moments and actions are impactful. Identify a handful of easily accessible things that can orient you towards good feelings. Lean in to those things when you are struggling. For me, there are really simple things I can do independently, like setting up my coffee the night before so I can just go BOOP in the morning to turn it on, paper books (never enough paper books!), watching Queer Eye (instant mood booster, always), rolling essential oils on my wrists (I like good smells), yoga, and snuggly clothes (gimme pull on pants FOR LIFE). And then of course there are relationships -- my husband and kids of course, and connecting with the people who truly see me, whether I'm kicking ass or sobbing and raw on the other end of the line.
In the words of my friend Julie Lythcott-Haims, I am rooting for all of us. I will be beaming out a lot of love tomorrow as we all step bravely back into the world.