3 Lessons I’ve Learned in 2020
My mental health will no longer take the back seat.
Although 2020 may have been daunting for most of us, it created a sense of space for reflection and realignment that has proved conducive to my well-being — this I know for sure.
As we enter the new year, I’m reminded of three impactful life-changing lessons that have me feeling the sky’s the limit in 2021!
- Faith, Prayer, And Meditation Equals Balance
How many times have you been on a spiritual high with Creator, and all of a sudden, you’ve fallen off? This is a life lesson that continues to show up year after year for me. I can affirm with certainty that there is no me without my faith and connection to source.
I’ve realized the moments on my marathon when I’ve felt most balanced (i.e., joy, self-love, career, financial independence, relationships, health, well-being, etc.) is when I have chosen to give energy to my relationship with God consistently. When I shift away from my spiritual frequency, it’s a wrap!
Faith and meditation truly anchor me and encourage peace of mind. With each day that my connection strengthens, I gain clarity, lucid discernment, patience, and confidence. It’s as if you can only elevate with faith and meditation!
I find peace and joy listening to guided meditations by Black Girl In Om’s very own, Lauren Ash. I enjoy navigating the app Insight Timer. I like this app because it’s free and offers a Black Girl Meditations Playlist that is everything!
2. Make A Plan, Get It Done
Although it literally felt as though things were falling apart last year and I didn’t have much of a grip on life, a gentle reminder from a girlfriend gave me perspective: make a plan and get it done, period.
You don’t have to know it all either, but what supported me in making my dreams a reality was setting quarterly goals. Rather than overwhelming myself to accomplish yearly goals, I organized them by quarter.
My process resembled this:
- I affirmed: I am going to relaunch Ambitious Black Girl: The Podcast.
- I then brainstormed what steps I must take to reach this goal, e.g., update my cover art for the podcast, pay my monthly podcast subscription, create a list of potential guest speakers, arrange a questioner for myself and guest speakers, reach out to potential guest speakers, set a date and get in the booth and record!
- After brainstorming, I gave myself 120 days (4 months) to fulfill my goal. My deadline was the first week of August 2020. Every week for the next 120 days, I achieved one of my sub-goals to reach my overall goal of relaunching the podcast.
This was a progressive way to create a plan and hold myself accountable to get it done with ease — you feel me! Not so bad, right?
3. Unapologetically Give Yourself Grace
I may be sugar and spice and everything nice, but when you add a sprinkle of ambition, resilience, and strength, you get a womxn that from time tends to neglect to love and nurture herself.
I came across a quote on Pinterest that read, “Grace will take you places hustling can’t.” Now that’s a word if I ever saw one! Learning to slow down, rest, and say no was by far the utmost life-changing lesson for me to accept last year.
Too often do we neglect our well-being in the name of urgency. 2020 helped me recognize and unlearn the harmful belief that rest isn’t a priority.
While I encourage myself to live out my full potential, explore my passions and achieve my goals, I am releasing the pressure attached to attaining it now. Our worth is not tied to our productivity. I am choosing to give energy towards creating a balanced presence within all aspects of my life and not solely what society and others deem acceptable.
Healthy ways I exercise giving myself grace includes:
- Celebrating my existence and accomplishments daily.
- Affirming, “I am worthy, valued, and appreciated.” (Positive affirmations are a way of reminding myself who I am.)
- Embracing self-love, self-care, and self-preservation by prioritizing rest days. (My identity as a Black Womxn aligns with why I have struggled with embracing rest.)
- Learning to say no and feeling good about it! Last year was powerful for me because I began practicing self-advocating by using my voice. There is strength in standing up for yourself and creating boundaries. I am tired of being tired to the point of burn-out. No is a complete and valid sentence!
- Compassion and Forgiveness. I am proud of allowing myself to hold space to silence my mind, share my thoughts, and pray to God for compassion and forgiveness to move forward and grow. Need I say more.
Putting ourselves on the back burner is for the birds. In 2021 and moving forward, we stan for unapologetically giving ourselves grace.
What impactful life-changing lessons did you learn in 2020 that you are implementing in 2021? How did these lessons inspire you to continue on your marathon?
Tatiana Donaldson is a writer, educator, and host of Ambitious Black Girl: The Podcast. Visit Ambitious Black Girl for podcast episodes, stories, and more!
