​Everything I've learned from taking a year for myself to reshape what living means.

​“There are years that ask questions and years that answer.”
―Zora Neale Hurston,

​ 

​My word for 2020 was “Transcendent”. My word for 2021 was “Abundance”. I have lived both words in ways I didn’t think possible and experienced levels of grief to depths I never imagined. The last two years have changed me in ways that I have not begun to fully understand, yet I know that understanding is what must happen for me to heal and move solidly into the next chapter of my story. 

In 2020, I was in a space where I really needed to transcend my circumstances.  I found myself at the end of a relationship, struggling with moments of being unfulfilled in my work, and surrounded by nonreciprocal friendships.  I also recognized that all these things were symptoms and not the root cause because the common denominator was me. So, when I sat down at the end of 2019, I wanted to transcend my environment and call-in healthier friendships, more connected opportunities, and my life partner by becoming more aligned with what I was manifesting through my actions or lack thereof.

So, I committed to the work of transforming my actions and transcending the unhealthy patterns I found myself in. I met my partner in January 2020 two months before the world shut down and made choices in those first few months that would set me up for long-term success in my career. I wish I'd written one of these retrospectives at the end of 2020, so I could share what that year taught me, but the truth is - the first year of the pandemic completely shifted any plans I had - my only goal was to get through it.

At the start of 2021, I'd done much of the necessary work to reposition myself professionally, and even though, I was still in a bit of freefall with the agency, I hoped that this would be the year to change everything for me so the word I chose was "abundance". I wasn't referencing monetary value only, I wanted to live life abundantly in every aspect from my finances to my spiritual practices and all the in-betweens that would make me rich through each experience I embarked on.

​Lessons from 2021

1. ​You can't show up for others unless you show up for yourself first
   
   This was a tough lesson, but early in my journey this year, I realized that it was difficult for me to show up for others because I hadn't been adequately showing up for myself throughout the pandemic. My health practices were struggling, and post-surgery to repair a broken ankle, I committed to getting my health in order to enable me to show up in the world the way I needed to.
   
   This looked like getting back to my daily walks and morning meditations, journaling, and exercising consistently to raise my vibrations and increase my energy. When you're taking care of yourself mind, body, and soul, it's harder for others to take advantage of you because they have to show up in the friendship in the ways that you've shown up for yourself. It's also easier for you to repel others who aren't doing the work.
   
   

2. ​There is absolutely nothing worth your peace of mind
   
   I mean nothing - not a thing - is worth your peace of mind. Something I carried into this year was a lot of attachments that no longer served me. Whether it was people from earlier points in my journey who attached themselves to me and weren't providing value, or clients who had outlasted their contracts and weren't providing value, or a job that was paying the bills but wasn't fulfilling me and thus, not providing value - one of the biggest lessons from me this year is that none of it was worth my peace of mind.
   
   By April, it was clear to me who and what needed to go in order for me to truly operate at my optimum level, and by August, I'd freed myself of all the attachments that were preventing me from rising to the next level. My energy immediately shifted with each release and reinforced for me that I had made the right decision.
   
   

3. ​Water what waters you
   
   My Grandfather used to say "Don't loan what you can't afford to lose", he was talking about money, but this can also be used for the exchange of anything you have. Your energy is sacred. Who you allow to have access to you, even if only on the peripheral of your life, has an impact. My lesson here was to not give away access to my energy, ideas, or essence unless I was okay with not receiving any of that back.
   
   Friendships should be a reciprocal and energetic exchange of ideas, so I took stock of who was pouring into me as much I was pouring into them and realized that I didn't want passive participants in my life anymore. We are too old to have people on the fence about how or if they can show up for you.
   
   

4. ​Releasing what no longer serves you clears the way for the things that do
   
   When you are moving toward abundance, it is hard to call in things when the space is being occupied by stagnant energy. Let that shit go. All of it. Anything that no longer serves you does not deserve to continue taking up space in your life. For me, this looked like releasing the energy I was spending doing mental gymnastics on whether or not people were going to be happy about all the changes taking place in my life. It also looked like releasing the responsibility I felt for other people's success and giving myself permission to focus solely on what filled me up.
   
   Once the stagnant energy was cleared and the dead-end friendships were removed, I was able to take the time to cultivate deeper connections with existing friends, welcome in new opportunities, and clear the path for the types of relationships that allow me to grow without feeling like that growth is stifling them.
   
   

5. ​Everything is energy - raise your vibrations to enhance your power
   
   The final lesson I'll share coming out of this year is the recognition that everything is energy. It took navigating everything above for me to start to recognize that I was blocking my opportunities for abundance by allowing others to stand in the way and limit my reach. Abundance looks like showing up for yourself in all the ways you've shown up for others and being a little stingy with your energy in order to create more.

​If this year has taught me anything it is the importance of taking your power back. I am ending 2021 in a much better place spiritually, financially, and yes, physically, than I've been at any point in my adult life. I am welcoming in more new opportunities than I know what to do with because I made choices throughout the year that amplified my energy and removed unnecessary attachments. My word for 2022 will be "expansion" and I am looking forward to expanding on the lessons here and building even more.

What's your word for the year? Let me know in the comments below.

Love + Light,
LT

​Stay connected with me on Twitter & Instagram, and tune in for the next drop.