What a year this has been. It almost feels surreal that we are here, a couple of days from Christmas, having survived the whirlwind of 2020.
Feelings of tiredness, anxiety, and sorrow came over me, and went away multiple times this year, and in those moments, cultivating joy, gratitude and hope took a lot more intentionality.
One of the highlights for me was the privilege of walking alongside dozens of people and families who were navigating difficult seasons in their lives, while trying to stay mentally and physically healthy during the pandemic.
My clients have taught me and moved me so much this year, and for that, I am profoundly grateful.
They are the ones whom I have in mind as I write this post: the adults and kids who want more of life – they want to feel alive, want to see change in their trajectories, and want to be better versions of themselves: a better parent, a better partner, a better human being, in their own unique ways.
Their courage to reach out for support, their strength to look at themselves and appreciate their good qualities and their missteps, and their decision to embrace the great and the not-so-great parts of their stories truly inspire me.
My wish for all my clients, friends and family is that you hold on to that hope, to that belief that things will get better. There is a lot of research in the field of psychology on the importance of hope for transformation and healing, both in individuals and families. Yet, instead of giving you a scientific article, I would like to offer you my heartfelt wishes for Christmas and New Year.
May you take time to notice where hope is 'poking its sweet head out from behind a cloud that you may have been carrying too long, veiling your eyes and heart' *. May you find it in the smiles of your friends and family, even if you are seeing them on a screen. May you find hope in the kitchen, while cooking, or when you are putting a gift under the Christmas tree. May you pause to notice life happening all around you, even in the Winter of our lives.
The path was not meant to be walked alone, and I am deeply grateful for sharing it with you.
*Poem “Laughter” by Hafiz.
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