“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
― Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning
What if this whole 2020 was the worst year ever, dumpster fire, etc.…wasn’t even a thing? I mean I get it, it was a hard year, but what if we all just stop talking about it that way?
What if it’s just another period in life of growth and evolution? What if as the virus starts slowing down, 
because it will, we easily transition into a more positive state? What if we all stop blaming 2020 and feeling like victims of it?
Life is hard for lots of people right now, and there are legitimate reasons to feel hurt and angry, etc.. Many people that I work with, however, are living just fine. They still have jobs, and families, and houses and food, etc. They still are so mad at the past year.
What if 2021 doesn’t live up to the expectations and hope so many people have of “everything getting better?” What if things need to keep shifting, and disintegrating, and growing, and transforming in order to really be beautiful.
What if it’s all ok anyway? What if this is the way it was meant to be? To help us break things down that haven’t been working for a looooong time?
What if this has been an opportunity for us to practice transcendence?
Throughout history there have been ups and downs and trying times and explosively amazing times. When we label things as good or bad, rather than just the way it is, it creates disappointment and suffering.
We are always in charge of our perception and our vibration. We can stay in the energy of “2020, worst year 
ever” or we can begin to shift into “2020, what did I learn about myself and the world?”
I’m not saying there wasn’t loss and suffering this year, the feelings of sadness, and grief and disappointment, and fear, and hunger, illness and death, that’s all real.
I am saying that allowing yourself to sit with those feelings, nurture and validate them, getting support….and then moving through them to move to a higher frequency will help you and everyone else live through this more easily.
Since there are so many that are suffering right now, it’s up to those that aren’t (as much) to help shift the collective energy. We all chose this, we wanted to grow, we wanted the contrast, and we wanted to feel the healing and transcendence of moving through it and coming out a different energetic being.
Some ways to expand your view of 2020 and beyond are:
1. Get Off of Yourself:
A great way to begin shifting your energy is to reach out to someone else.
You probably know someone personally that would benefit from a text telling them how much they mean to you, or a sweet handwritten card sent to them, or a call letting them know you care.
If everyone you know is doing great, try other ways to spread love. One idea is to join the Kindness Rocks Project: https://www.thekindnessrocksproject.com/howto
Spreading loving energy through these sweet rocks for others to find gives you some happy brain chemicals, and reminds you that we are all connected, separation is an illusion.
2. Shift Your Perception:
Rather than staying in the anger and frustration and complaining energy of how terrible 2020 was, remind yourself of the positive that has occurred this year.
Create a journal entry and record: 5 things you learned about yourself, 5 ways you have grown this year, 5 things you are grateful for, and 5 things you are so excited about for 2021.
Stop talking about how bad 2020 was, please!
Your words are powerful messages to your energy system, repeatedly telling yourself how bad things were, robs you of the ability to absorb the healing of this past year.
3. Keep Your Vibe High:
It’s so hard to shift the way you think about anything if your vibration is low.
What ways have you found to keep your energy high even when lots of things are different?
For myself, I am going on lots of walks in the forest, by myself to connect with myself and nature, and with friends and family to connect with others in a safe way.
I play with different kinds of meditations, and mantras every day. I meet virtually with other like-minded souls to do healing work to get off of thinking about myself. I let myself feel my feelings, and get support when I need it.
I get my own healing work, and am so grateful for it. I work on shifting my perceptions to love as often as I remember to. I practice gratitude and visualizing what I want.
I move my body a lot, in the forest and doing yoga at home.
I connect to spirit throughout the day, feeling energy in my body, and consciously working on absorbing positive energy and releasing negativity.
There are many ways to keep your vibe high and stay in joy, make a list of 10 things that bring you joy and practice them as much as possible.
4. Practice Acceptance:
“The moment that judgement stops through acceptance of what it is, you are free of the mind. You have made room for love, for joy, for peace.”
-Eckhart Tolle
Not accepting reality leads to suffering. Holding onto anger, frustration and disappointment about what did or didn’t happen in 2020 doesn’t help anything.
Practice awareness of when you are not surrendering and going with the flow, and come back to the breath and the moment.
In this moment all is well. In this moment you are at peace. In this moment, you are loved.
You are a precious piece of the divine, you are guided, protected and loved at every moment. Allow yourself to connect with that truth as often as you can, and have a beautiful New Year!!
Read more about Spiritual Counseling with Shana Olmstead.
