Give Yourself Grace

It’s funny. I feel like I have evolved so much as a person in the last few years. My life, my friends, my work, and my relationship with myself are so much more fulfilling and healthy. And that’s where I live most days.

But then there are times that are different. Times like networking events or holidays with extended family, and while I have evolved a bit in those situations, I can still get mentally thrown back into old patterns and ugly mindsets.

And until this moment, I gave myself such crap for that. Why couldn’t I just be the evolved person I was during my normal life? And then I realized something, the neural pathways are different.

Let me explain. I have spent a lot of time building new neural pathways, new ways of being, for how I live and relate to life every day, and it takes time but is oh so worth it! But when it comes to these “special” occasions, I haven’t done them over and over on a consistent basis so I don’t have new pathways for them.

Ah! I feel so much better! And now I can stop this repetitive cycle and make a plan that can help me.

So here’s my plan:

1. Recognize the progress I HAVE made

2. Give myself a bit of grace for what I haven’t

3. Recognize that this is harder for me than my norm, and that’s okay

4. Remember that my norm used to be hard too, and I changed it

5. Use the tools I use in my daily life: breathing, pausing, texting my girlfriends, walking outside, listening to music and dancing

6. Remember this too will end and the whole point is to keep moving forward

Love and light to all

Happy holidays!