I’m back in New York City and it’s taken a few days for my nervous system to adjust.
I was clumsy, stumbling, and present with the debris of my own trauma, while trying to reclaim this city in a way that feels in line with who I am now.
We are constantly changing, and I believe in honoring the “in between” of our cycles of growth.
I’ve felt messy, and I’m embracing it.
Beyond my personal transformation, I’m witnessing the aftermath of deep collective trauma as both a renaissance and a post-war zone.
We cannot forget that COVID happened, and is still happening in places outside of our privileged bubble of the United States.
I’ve always viewed New York City as a microcosm of the world at large.
There are more homeless people on the streets and in the parks, people with clouded eyes and shopping carts camped out on corners… I gave a pregnant woman money hoping she was honest about her needs. I came close to a terrifying fight outside of a bar my second night here.
There is violence. There is sadness. There is massive poverty.
Grief unprocessed gets expressed in other ways.
We’re being asked to come back into the office with almost zero recognition of what we’ve all just been through.
There’s much to celebrate, but many of us aren’t ready.
The contrast between bars opening and people partying, and seeing what I’ve seen in just three days here, reminds me of how absolutely crucial it is for us to hold space for ourselves, and for each other.
In what ways can you hold space for yourself? In what ways can you look at yourself, and the world around you, with more compassionate eyes?
Just because we’re feeling hurried back into “life being open again”, doesn’t mean we have to.
We have an opportunity to make different choices, for the wellbeing of ourselves and one another.
Reach out to your friends and ask how they (really) are. Decide to have a conversation about your feelings with those who support you. Do some self-assessment. Say no to going out if you are not ready for it.
We’ve been through so much. We don’t even know the effects yet of COVID on our mental health.
Take space for you. Honor your needs, and know those needs may look different than they did “before”.
You deserve it, and if you need a tender space to rest your heart, I have a place for you.
My new EBOOK 10 Self-Love Letters offers a combination of stories, poetry, and affirmations to support you as we emerge into this strange new normal.
So much love.