When Life Gives You 🍋 🍋 🍋…

Happy Friday folks! Today’s focus is all about gratitude. The culmination of summer leaves us with room to fall into another season of change. When life gives you lemons…

A zesty twist on your classic phrase because 2020 wasn’t what you were expecting either.

Sour Feelings?

We all have them and we deserve to take a moment to hold space for them. Here are some of my questions, reflections, and affirmations — What is something you’re holding onto that no longer serves you?

For starters, I’m pretty sour about having my senior year sliced into, an indefinitely paused graduation ceremony, and the move I made from San Francisco back to Los Angeles. I’m grieving the Theatre and Dance performances that were only one day away from being shared with live audiences. I want closure for the countless hours of rehearsals and preparation that I poured into these choreographed works of art. I ache for my fellow cast and crew as we wait for an opportunity to return to the stage before we graduate. I hold the uncertainty of ever returning to this stage again. I hold out hope for reunions that will properly celebrate what I am proud to consider the greatest accomplishment of my young adult life to date. I hold a sour bitterness of returning to an environment that I am not ready to accept.

🍋

You are allowed to miss what was. You can grieve what hasn’t happened.

You can be hurt & hopeful at the same time. You can honor your accomplishments. You will still be celebrated.

You can forgive yourself for harboring resentment. You are not expected to “learn to love it” - that might not be your truth. You can give yourself permission to accept cautiously at your own pace and as pieces present themselves rather than all at once.

 I’m feeling sour about the conditions we’re living in facing a global pandemic, environmental uncertainty, political instability, and our psychological well-being. Any single one of these topics might make me feel overwhelmed and anxious. On some days, these are the only stream of content I consume via social media (because they are relevant enough to flood my feed). I recognize that there is a constant wave of information. Some days, I place far too much energy in consuming information that I constantly feel depleted. I want to offer support for the causes, movements & ideas that I value as many of them are reminders of our connection to culture, people, and belonging. Some of this information reaffirms my passion for arts and education. Some information evokes intense feelings, which may be the intention of the creator to capture their audience. This consumption of information feels cyclical to me and is a reminder that a release is also needed to balance the load. So, I’ll ask again…

What is something you’re holding onto that no longer serves you? What can you release?

Add a Splash of Gratitude

Ahhh, from sour to sweet, moving through the negatives to highlight what we can control. Our reactivity exists in the space we allow it to linger in. This is not to say that my daily challenges or worries disappear (or that yours will). Instead, this is an opportunity to choose what I allow to determine the outcome of my day. I choose gratitude, especially when things are challenging.💭

I invite you to shift into gratitude when those challenges or worries in life feel like they are stealing the show. Ground yourself in gratitude by acknowledging the gifts you have that may often go overlooked. It only takes a few seconds, a brief moment to appreciate what we DO have and what we do well.

Lemons to Lemonade

🍋 Share anything that you are grateful for recently…

🍋 Share habits that have your honest attention…

🍋 Share gratitude for any element of your growth…

I am grateful for the creative outlets I have access to. I am grateful for the opportunity to share my story with others.

I am practicing consistency to create habits for my personal well-being. My daily hydration, skin care, lower caffeine intake, movement, & gratitude are a few ways I'm choosing to care for my well-being!

I am honoring the idea that healing is not linear. My growth is not linear. This is encouraging me to be more honest with others about my boundaries & listen to my own needs as they arise. When in doubt, pause and find gratitude.

Our Lemonade Stand - Community Reflections

Before posting, I wanted to ask around to include more displays of gratitude — many of which are so relatable! I’ve included some notes from friends & it grew to include those who are strangers to me, but let’s be honest, even strangers are connected. Today, (and every day) our common ground is gratitude…