An Open Letter | Joy M. Mills

For 2021, accept what is, let go of what was, and have faith in your journey.

We are headed into the third year of uncertainty, 2022. Of course, sometimes we get out of our heads long enough to focus on the present, accept it and make the best of it. It is not often enough.

We let the minor frustrations of each day blind us to the beauty in front of us. We get caught up in our heads and don’t know our lives to be better other than the few things that aren’t going our way. We call people to complain or spew out our gripes on social media. The older we grow, the quieter we become, and the less pointless drama and chaos we engage in frequently. When we are young, it seems as if faster is better. But in time, we witness the power of slow and steady at work. Life humbles us gradually as we age. We realize how much nonsense we have wasted time on in the past. Truth be told, the afternoon understands what the morning never expected.

I am endlessly fascinated by the link between the way we choose to live our lives and the happiness we enjoy on a daily basis or should enjoy. Let’s look back on 2021. We couldn’t stop looking. After all, we like a good train wreck or dumpster fire.

A month or so ago, I asked myself, what is one of the most important takeaways from this year? It is not the weight that breaks you down; it is the way you carry it. Compassion is the key to overcoming hardship. You can never know how many lives you have touched. Just remember, it is far more than you think. Even the tiniest acts of love and kindness can have a massive ripple effect.

Thank God that time is continuously moving us forward to a place of renewed perspective when we encounter those days, weeks or months when we do not have the vision or strength to move forward.

As we enter this new year, do not waste your energy fighting against where you are. Invest your energy in where you want to go. A bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking because its trust is not on the branch but in its wings.

Happy New Year!

Written with love.

*This article is not intended to provide and does not constitute medical, legal or other professional advice. This article was written to support, not replace medical or psychiatric treatment. Please seek professional care if you feel you have a condition.