This year I’ve set an intention to make the theme of 2021 all about letting go. I am working to release any attachments to old ideas and beliefs that no longer work. If this past year has taught us anything, it’s that the big things that matter in life such as sickness, health, life, death—we have no control over, so why waste time worrying?
This is the year to crush any pesky beliefs that don’t add value to your life.
This year is a year for authenticity to reign supreme. Here’s an example: Over the holidays I overheard a young woman singing to herself and I commented to her that she had a beautiful voice. She’s in her late twenties or early thirties and she told me that she never nurtured her voice because some guy in high school made fun of her when she sang. My first thought was oh, hell, no! There is no way that some pimply kid from high school should be allowed to wield power over whether or not she nurtured her gift, but here we are a decade or more after high school and that belief that her voice wasn’t good enough took residency in her mind and shaped how she felt about singing in front of other people.
Those early criticisms we heard in adolescence have the power to define who we become—but only if we allow it. When we neglect to nurture our gifts and God-given talents, we’re not being authentic and when we’re not authentic to ourselves, we will suffer feelings of low self-esteem. If we want to live well, we cannot be at war with our authentic selves.
We can overcome. For some people, it may take time and work, and for others, they may only be able to start the discovery phase once they stop listening to those disparaging voices that aren’t even true. Everyone needs a motive and a challenge for change, and shouldn’t it be enough to know that one of our biggest challenges in life is to come to know and love ourselves?
Who’s with me on this? Why not make 2021 a year that is about being authentic—to live uncompromised and free from those old voices in our heads. We can learn to love ourselves enough to be true to the gifts we possess, and use them to bring joy to ourselves, our families and perhaps the world. We weren’t put on this earth to people-please. We are here to find our true selves, to help others, and to live as well and authentic as we possibly can.
I wish you a Happy New Year and may 2021 be your best one yet!
Lisa Boucher is the award-winning author of “Raising The Bottom: Making Mindful Choices in Drinking Culture.” She has contributed to notable publications such as Shape Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, The Fix, and is a frequent guest on numerous syndicated radio and podcast shows where she talks about addiction, alcoholism, childhood trauma, and how we can heal. A recovering alcoholic, she has been sober for thirty years and understands the complex nature of addiction and how childhood trauma is often at the root of what ails us. A registered nurse, Lisa believes that traditional healthcare does little to incorporate the mind-body connection, nor does our current culture appreciate the healing power of nature.