Let's Get Real at the End of 2021 Share Joy and Fears

There are moments in our life where we walk past pure, perfect moments and forget to see them. This morning I came downstairs; my two-year-old sat in a large blue bucket filled with Rice Krispies throwing them in the air with a look of pure joy on her face. The joy a toddler takes from the simple things should never be overlooked.

Six months ago, I would have ignored this sight; I would not have seen the pure joy in her little face. So consumed was I with the worries of the future I lived in a bubble. Concerns for the world my children were growing up in would have weighed heavy. What does a post-pandemic world look like for them? How do I keep enough money to pay for food when I can't access my teaching? These were a few of the thoughts that consumed me. I would have missed the joy of far-flung breakfast cereal. Instead, I probably would have worried about the mess.

I'm not alone, hasn't the world been like this for everyone in the last year? How many magical moments have you missed, when all we need is a toddler to show us how to enjoy life again. Now I know to look at every precious moment and enjoy them. Isn't this the lesson we should have taken away from these times? Joy isn't about the most expensive car, the full bank account; happiness is about the people in our lives. Being able to hug your mum and tickle your children.

One year ago, my mental health was as low as it had ever been. I always considered myself a strong person, but this world was killing me.

Three Coping Strategies Helped

Then I found a weekly group to meet with on Instagram live. Katie Hopkins is a British personality who the media detest, by default, most sheep that believe everything they read also don't like her. Every week though, she goes online and opens her virtual pub; for the half-hour, she talks crap and makes me laugh. This simple activity gave me something to look forward to every week. I also realised I wasn't alone; many others felt the same as me. With no mental health training, this woman gave us all coping mechanisms; slowly, we all saw the light. She is the reason I noticed the Rice Krispies this morning.

My family, watching my four-year-old embrace her autism and soaring to new heights. Hearing her voice for the first time, when we believed she might be non-verbal - my two-year-old who grew up in lockdown and kept me endlessly amused. Looking up my mum's nose for most of our video calls whilst she learnt technology she never thought she would use - my partner in everything who has always struggled with her mental health and helped me survive. I walked in her shoes for a year; she walks this path of anxiety every day and is the bravest person I know.

Review your year.

Generally, I would review my writing goals at this time of the year. The followers I have gained and the success that I have had. None of this seems important in this brave new world.

These ramblings are my highlights of the year. These are the reviews I want to read this year. I'm not interested in your stats; I want to know how people survived. So I challenge you all, put your boasting aside and tell us all the little things that helped you survive 2021. Get real and share your joys and sorrows with us all. These are the articles I want to read, not how I gained a thousand followers in a year. So let's march into 2022 with joy and gratitude in our hearts.