Welcome To Friday of the Year!

*Taps Mic* Is this thing on? It is. Good! Welcome to December 30th. This is the Friday of the Year, when our work slows down in order to celebrate everything we accomplished in 2022. That means

we’re heading to parties! We’re getting together, or already gathered, with friends and families! We’re exchanging gifts and eating REALLY good food. I’m excited about celebrating the year (because it has been one), but I’m also reflecting. When I think of everything that’s happened, all I can say is: consistency is key but self-care is everything.

Sure, you’ve heard the phrases over your life. You know that it means to keep putting one foot after the other to your goals, no matter if you’re tired, having an off day, or just plain don’t feel like it. But the second portion of that means, when you're tired it is 100% ok to stop because you can't pour from an empty up. What they don’t mention when it comes to this phrase is that REAL LIFE BE REAL LIFIN’. It’s not just a lazy day that may hit you, but the dreaded “pile on,” when anything bad or unforeseen that could possibly happen, happens to you. What do you do then?

Having been there once or twice (or three times) in my life, I would say focus. When life gives you lemons, and those lemons crash into your goals, focus on staying afloat. As mentioned, I’ve been there before, with 2022 being no exception. You may have noticed that it’s been awhile since I’ve posted on the Be Divine blog. Why? Well, the past eight months have been some of the hardest of my life. They’ve driven me to a lot of personal and family growth, sure, but that growth kicked my butt. Some of you already know my experience, as in March 2022 , I attended the REFRESH 22 Retreat and shared details with you. I can honestly say being around such interesting, welcoming, authentic, and compassionate people gave me the momentum I needed to power through the year. I left the retreat feeling refreshed, knowing where to focus.

So, perhaps I would say to stay consistent, you should both focus and find support, even if it’s a retreat with good people with a listening ear.

After leaving the retreat, I was invigorated and ready to focus on… REST. That’s right. I was determined to be consistent, and with all these steps, I knew I had to give something back to myself. I didn’t crawl under a rock for 2022. I still participated in events, traveled, and prioritized experience to bring me joy, like attending Howard’s Homecoming in October. But to be the best version of myself for my family, to be consistent and honor my goals, I needed to focus on resting. That was my big takeaway from the support of the retreat-goers. So that’s what I did. For the rest of the year, I’ve been fiercely protective of my space, energy, and time. I’ve prayed. I’ve journaled. I’ve taken naps. I’ve watched shows that bring me joy. These actions have lifted my spirit so that now, with the New Year on the horizon, I can celebrate like everyone else.

So, I invite you to do the same. There’s only so much time left in the year, and I am challenging you to flip the dusty page, and start fresh. Create a morning routine, pray, journal, read a great book, go to therapy, dance your heart out. Whatever lifts your spirits and pushes you into 2023 in the headspace to be present for yourself and your family, and crush your goals, that’s what I encourage you to do. And remember, you’re not alone. I’ll be doing it, too.