And Then The Magic Happens

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How were your holidays this year? Did you do the same old tried and true traditions from the past or did you venture out of your comfort zone and try something new?

Me? You ask?

If you read my last article, you know I decided in November that I was only going to do the things and participate in the gatherings that brought me joy for the holiday season. And guess what? I did!

Thanksgiving was a wonderfully relaxed day spent with one of my closest friends. It was only she and I and an entire Thanksgiving feast. We played festive music, talked about all thing’s life, played a game of 500 Rummy and laughed so much and so hard we both might have peed a little!  The day after, I spent putting up my Christmas decorations inside and adding even more to the outside which I had done when it was a 60-degree day the week before. I felt fabulous, inside and out… body, mind and soul!

The first Friday in December, a friend and I went to Kings Island Winterfest in Mason, Ohio. The day started out with a dead battery in the vehicle I was driving and though I did feel some anxiety about it, decided it was just another opportunity to show up for myself and not let life’s little bumps in the road ruin my mood. I had another vehicle I could have driven, so I’m sure that helped but after dealing with and getting basically no help from AAA, I called another friend to jump my vehicle, drove it to AutoZone, where in 5 minutes they replaced the battery and I was on my merry way — and still had two hours before I had to leave!

I used to only rely on, and deal with everything, myself since that’s what my early life taught me.

It’s taken a lot of self-work to open up to others in this area and calling someone for help is a huge step in growth for me.

Kings Island Winterfest was amazing. I had only been there one other time thirty-eight years ago. I felt like a little kid! Happy, joyous, mesmerized by the lights and all things Christmas… so much so, the first thing I did was jump on a roller coaster after eating dinner. I loved roller coasters as a kid, and became very fearful of them as I got older.

Well, to say the least, it was exhilarating and I was scared out of my wits as soon as it plateaued at the top of the first hill getting ready for the descent. When I was still alive after the ride, I kept gasping and laughing and repeating “Oh my God,” for at least fifteen minutes, and I know the adrenaline rush lasted a lot longer! After that I stuck to more mundane rides like the train and the carousel.

During that same week I was reunited with one of the puppies that showed up at our cabin in Southern Ohio almost nine years ago, Buddy’s litter-mate sister, Bella, who now lives with us! That is an entire story in itself. And best of all was a real reconnection with my youngest brother, creating so much more joy!

You may be asking yourself why I am sharing all of this with you.

Here is the why:

We spend so much time doing things we don’t want to, afraid of what others will think, not enjoying the moment, having expectations of how things or others will be, and for me that only equates to misery.

Once I decided… read that again, I decided this holiday season was going to be different — that I was only going to participate in and do things and be with those who bring me joy — that is when the magic happened! And it can happen for you, too!

I’ve done a lot of deep-dive, self-work with many different tools and genres to get where I am today. Yoga, meditation, breathwork, and essential oils just to name a few. I am always learning and leveling up. Each day, each hour, each moment brings an opportunity to choose how I want my life to be, joyous or miserable. I’ve had enough misery and will now make the choice of joy every time!

Wishing each and every one of you the choice of a Happy and Joyous 2022!

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