20 Things to Say “Hello” to next Year.
A letter to myself.
1. Breathe. When the day seems unbearable and you face challenges beyond your control, breathe through it, one inhale and exhale at a time.
2. When you feel weak, remind yourself of your strengths.
3. When you look in the mirror and see something you don’t like, walk away, go look at your daughters and your husband, and remind yourself not only of what matters, but of the impermanence of our physicality; how trivial, beautiful, wondrous, and temporary all of this is.
4. Look up at the sky every day.
5. Look down at your feet and put one in front of the other when you feel stuck, but, equally, take time each morning and each night to pause and stand still.
6. When you are about to lose your temper, walk away.
7. When you didn’t walk away in time, apologize.
8. Ask for what you want.
9. Give without wanting anything back.
10. When you dislike someone, imagine them as a child needing love.
11. When you dislike someone, remind yourself that your behavior is your responsibility.
12. When you dislike yourself, remember how hard you have worked for self-love.
13. When you feel defeated, acknowledge all that you have accomplished.
14. Ask others how they are and really listen when they answer.
15. Ask for help.
16. When your children ask you to read a book, stop and do it.
17. Listen to your daydreams.
18. Stop buying unnecessary shit.
19. When your daughters want to help you cook, but you don’t want “extra work” from the mess, remind yourself that it’s worth it.
20. You are doing a good job. Most importantly, remember that you aren’t doing your best for other people, you’re doing it for you.
