I was so optimistic about so many things for 2021, but, man, has it gotten off to a rough start. So many personal challenges in my family, so much turmoil in our country and the number of deaths and illnesses from an ongoing pandemic have surpassed the levels reached nine – 10 months ago. We’re all feeling and reeling from these challenges. Personally, I’ve been struggling a lot with coping. How about you?

On January 3, the world commemorated International Mind-Body Wellness Day. It is a reminder that the best way to put our best foot forward on any new path or resolution in the new year is to work on mindfulness and the health of our bodies AND minds. As a holistic provider, I understand how the mind, body and spirit all manifest the effects of stress, harmful habits and bad coping mechanisms.

I did not use the date to start new mindfulness practices as I intended last week, but starting this week, I am refocusing on my holistic health. I have not been coping well for the past few months. I’ve had illnesses in my family, seismic changes and shifts in family dynamics and relationships and have really been focused on closing out some of the grief chapters that have been lingering in my life since my mother died a year and a half ago. I’ve been spending quite a bit of time in looking back instead of forward, I guess.

So the past few days, I’ve taken steps to move forward. I’m making some time to do some simple stretching, breathing and meditation and trying my best to send positive energy into the universe every day. I know all these things require practice to become habit. I plan to keep practicing, and I know it will not be easy to undo the bad habits and create new ones. I’m trying to remind myself to be kind and persevere, when I fail instead of beating up on and giving up on myself.

As a holistic practitioner and a partner with clients through difficult life and death journeys, I constantly preach the importance of holistic care and self-care rituals. It’s so easy to talk the talk, and I’m here to admit that I have not done a good job of walking the walk. At the same time, I also know that I have had to take my own unique time and journey with grief, and I look forward to doing a better job of walking the walk through it this year. I’ve always been klutzy and ungraceful, so I’m trying to just get back on the path without hurting myself. I hope you’ll join me and help keep me accountable. My plan for right now is to spend 20 – 30 minutes a day, if not more, meditating, stretching, breathing and journaling. I also purchased a new text for the year, and I plan to spend some time each day reading and learning. What things do you do to ground yourself and help you reduce your stress in these unprecedented times? I ’d love to hear your ideas and successes.

In the meantime, I pray for health and healing for you this year, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically.