From the bottom of my heart, I would like to take this time to thank all of my readers, clients, and business partners. I am grateful for each and every one of you! Your supports and belief in my efforts to normalize mental health conversations and in my diversity/inclusion works have made it possible for me to grow and thrive as a professional speaker and as a person.
Looking back at 2020, whenever I veered off from my passion and goals, that’s when I experienced mental health challenges. On the other hand, by focusing on what I loved to do, I often prevented my mental health from spiraling downward. Thus, the mindset that I am entering 2021 with is, “You are what you focus on.” If I fixate on failure, negativity, and bad news, I become those failures and negativities. If I hone in on positivity, celebrate whatever big or small successes I have in my life, and remain constantly grateful for all the support that I have, then I am on the path to becoming happier, fulfilled, and exceptional.
This doesn’t mean that I ignore the adversity in my life. In fact, I acknowledge my discomfort and hardships and face them upfront. Then I either use my strengths to overcome those difficulties or I seek assistance. For example, spending the holiday by myself was not fun at all and lonely. Fortunately, I am watching my friend’s dog. So, instead of drowning in self-pity and loneliness, I feel grateful that I have Swifty the Sweetie dog as a company and invest my emotions in taking care of Swifty by bringing her to different parks.
Also, I have been directing my energy and intention toward the goals and activities that I feel truly passionate about and which give me the highest level of fulfillment. I love to travel and enjoy an afternoon in a local coffee shop. As you know, currently these activities are extremely restricted. In fact, I was supposed to be in Tucson, Dallas, and Miami for three weeks, but all of these trips got canceled or postponed. So, instead of wasting my attention and focusing on being frustrated and annoyed by these misfortunes, I have redirected my energy and heart to focus on other goals and tasks that I love to do and to elevate my spirit. For example, I have always loved carpentry and woodwork. So, I’ve spent a couple of days building an extension for my desk and filing cabinet. The satisfactory feeling from building two pieces of furniture with my own hands takes away all the depression that I have been feeling.
Photo by: kjpargeter
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