2020 - A Year of Gratitude
"Day to day it gives energies that replenish me, IF I believe and I say it will and act on it, 'cause action is the key to freedom. Only way to be a leader, lead by the way you live"
-Blackalicious
Before you know it we're all going to be in that post-holiday come down. You know, when the craziness settles down and we reflect on how much we've overeaten and overspent, while looking ahead at the year to come with our best intentions of becoming a better version of who we are today... but let’s be real, intention isn’t enough to affect change, we need a plan and a willingness to work for it!
I was once a twenty-two-year-old stay at-home-mom who suddenly started experiencing panic attacks. The stress of being a new mom with an alcoholic husband who hindered me more than helped had completely overwhelmed me. It was at this point I realized I had never really learned healthy coping skills for stress. I turned to yoga, meditation, and losing myself in creative projects. We had one car at the time which meant I was stuck at home all day. So I made like most moms and started watching Oprah every afternoon, then buried myself in the self-help and inspirational books she would recommend! ALL of my friends made fun of me. Hard. But I didn't give a fuck. I was never fussed about "fitting in". I was also feeling better than I had EVER felt in my life, and becoming so secure in who I was. I knew I was learning all sorts of tools to become a better, stronger person, which meant that I would be a better mom and role model for my little girl. And at that time in my life, that was my biggest priority!
One book that I STILL think is a great tool for a woman/girl beginning their self-improvement journey and a great source for learning useful life skills such as self care is Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach. You read a page or two a day. Each daily read has a different focus that will help you learn to live your most authentic life, become more grateful for what you DO have right now, while creating a space of simplicity which will leave you more open for the abundance you seek!
My idea is this: let‘s read this together!
Order it on Amazon, or even better, get it through an independent, local book shop if you can! Have it on your nightstand by NYE so you’re ready to start the year off right, learning better habits and cultivating a space of true contentment within yourself. An inner peace and joy that isn’t tied to anyone or anything. There ain’t nothing wrong with wanting luxury material items. But I will argue that if you can't be grateful for your life without those things, you will never be truly happy inside once you get them! True fullfillment can only come when we have a solid sense of self.
Of the myriad of books I’ve read in the realm of self-help, Simple Abundance was by far one of the most influential.
Drop a comment if you’re down and let’s start 2020 by prioritizing ourselves so that we may be of better service to others!
SIDE NOTES:
This book is written for women, but I believe there's a men's version too!
Y'all could learn to life better just the same as us ladies!
Finally, when I started writing this post a couple weeks back, I skimmed through my original copy of Simple Abundance, to make sure it was still as good as I thought it was. It still is. However, it’s VERY dated. Last night as I finalized this post, I checked my Amazon link... The updated edition was released yesterday!! How serendipitous!
Twenty years ago I bought this for every woman I loved, in the hopes they were open to the growth and invaluable gifts I gained in these pages. I hope you it deepens your love and understanding of yourself so much that you share it with the women you cherish as well!! Happy reading! xoxox
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