Happy Solstice!
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"Not a creature was stirring", Seattle, WA | © Patrick Kern 2021
Dear friends,
Happy Solstice! We've made it to the shortest day and longest night of the year. In the Pacific Northwest, that is no small feat for those of us who are heavily influenced by the short gray, rainy days and lack of sunshine.
And so, we begin the journey back toward the light. Toward a new year. This can feel hopeful – an embrace of possibility, of a clean slate.
But if you are feeling discouraged...
If you are struggling...
If you are grieving...
If you are feeling disconnected / hopeless / confused / fatigued...
...I want to remind you, fellow human: you are not alone.
I want to remind you that you can do hard things.
AND, that you can do less.
That you can rest.
That self care is not selfish.
That sometimes it's enough just to breathe and feel.
That you get to say "No." (which is a complete sentence, by the way)
And, finally, that you don't need a reason to do (or not do) any of the above.
I, myself, have affectionately nicknamed 2022 as "My Year of No".
Yes, really.
To be clear, I am not committing to some sort of negative framework for experiencing the coming year.
On the wild contrary, I'm making a radical commitment to release myself from the contracted auto-pilot that took over during the pandemic. I fully acknowledge that it was out of survival mode necessity, fear, deep fatigue, and the on-going paralysis of not knowing. However, it's time for a reimagining. For my own mental health.
Every skillful gardener knows when the time to prune (wisely) comes around. It's been two long years and the world has changed; we are not going back to "the way it was before". Time only moves in one direction. And the truth is, there is no way to live a life without fear or the unknown – so we have to learn to live alongside of them. Joy, hope, and vitality are still possible.
The gifts of this dark, internal part of the year (in the Northern hemisphere, at least) are opportunities for slowing down, introspection, and quietude. With fresh eyes, I embrace this new year opportunity to reflect upon the design of my garden as a whole; my priorities, where I'm spending my time, what I know about my energy, and my short- and long-term goals.
This coming year, I intend to more mindfully and enthusiastically practice saying "No" to things that do not serve me – so that I have more space to fully embrace my YES!(s) with more confidence and clarity. I trust my truth and wisdom to guide me forward toward the light – and toward hope and joy – once again. I don't need to know the whole path; I just need to know the next step.
Listen to the "No"; follow the "Yes".
May you be inspired to embrace the "No", so you can, in turn, more completely cultivate and celebrate the "yes!"s in your own life!
With love, in solidarity, and a joy-full new year,
Nicole