Dear Me in 2021

Dear Self,

Version 2021

Even before this challenge came across your in-box, you have been working on You since the beginning of December. After years of putting others' needs first, you had finally had enough. You had finally hit rock bottom. The epiphany hit like a tidal wave in the form of a lifelong friend's surprise visit. This friend knocked on your door and you froze. You looked around your house trying to see it from another's perspective having long since stopped seeing the faults yourself. Laundry, dishes, clutter all uncharacteristically left neglected. This wasn't you! As you finally answered the door still in your pajamas at 11:00 a.m, you hugged them and made some flimsy excuses. They looked at you with kind, nonjudgmental eyes and suggested that you get dressed, get out of the house, and that the two of us go for a drive on this beautifully sunny day. We drove to a convenience store to pick up picnic items and drinks and set off for a park.

In the park, we found inspiration for a plan! Now, dear Self, I know you do not believe in new year resolutions or diets or setting yourself up for failure by quitting or depriving yourself of creature comforts. So, we are calling this new plan "self-care". Let's face it, who doesn't need more self-care in their life? This plan needed to be focused on the whole self; physical, spiritual, and emotional. Here goes our new journey!

You are an educator, so, you pride yourself on being a lifelong learner. You have read enough books to know that you must begin by caring for the mind and the rest will follow. The first step you take is to research, then find, a gratitude journal and calendar. This will help you stay focused, positive, and keep track of your feeling and progress. You find these items and more! They also include motivational stickers and daily quotes. One of your favorite quotes is "Progress, not perfection."

You are a go-getter that needs to find a balance between work, chores, and the hobbies that make you happy. If given the choice, you always choose to finish chores first before reading, writing, or cooking for pleasure. Maybe it's time to take up a new hobby that will really motivate you to balance work with pleasure. In the middle of December you accomplish just that! You have a new vintage Victorian dollhouse that a dear friend made you for Christmas. You have been taking time out for yourself , to shop for, and decorate, this dollhouse. While chores and work still get done, you are focusing more on your mental health.

Furthermore, you are a people pleaser and need to work on the goals of advocating, standing up. and speaking out for yourself. I think you will find people will respect you more for your honesty. When you set out on this self-care journey, your inner circle was full of advice. You had to weed through what you knew would work for you and what wouldn't. You had to do this your way. Your favorite quote last week was when a friend said you seemed more confident. Goal accomplished!

The final leg of your journey, dear Self, is physical well-being. At the top of this list is finding a new doctor, which you did in early December. Medicine has become all about insurance and pharmaceuticals. You were fed up with all the red tape being thrown your way just to get a prescription filled that you have been taking for years. You did your research and found a group of doctors online. No insurance, no c0-pay, no exorbitant prices, no red tape. In addition to this, you have been working on the clichés such as diet, exercise, and sleep. To supplement your love of swimming, you should go outside of your box and try yoga and boxing!

Best Wishes in 2021.

Me