Another [post] Christmas List

It is that time of year again.

Christmas is over, but I am sure the left-over food isn’t (ha-ha)

I hope you are doing great. The year is winding up into another, and like I said in my Year In Review Post. It feels like this year is boldly going straight into another one.

No ambiguousness.

I am excited for that. And because of this, because we sit at the precipice of new beginnings, I cannot help but share some of the things that help me out with times like these. Reflective bits of truth to carry us gently into the New Year.

The last time I wrote something like this, I was talking about how a New Year gives us the chance to decide if we can live. And I mean really live.

If we will do the brave thing and overcome all of the weight that a rough year, or a rough few years can build inside of our hearts.

Now, imagine if you did take that advice (like I did), and you got to do just that this year, to LIVE, what is next?

I think that next thing is learning to be comfortable in your new reality. Building a home inside of it.

Because we are just past a major holiday, I am sure the idea of home is pretty fresh in our minds, and for some the idea of home is complex, for others home has become a transitory thing – maybe you are in the process of building or re-building family ties. Maybe you are too far away from home to even experience that homey feeling.

Maybe you even have a solid idea and experience of what a comfortable home is.

Whatever your view point is, I want you to go further, and expand what your idea of home is.

And I mean the home that is the relationship that you have with yourself.

For many of us, the relationship we have with ourselves is complex, constantly evolving, and I know many people are working to solidify great relationships with ourselves, because it is important. Your life flows out from the relationship you have with yourself.

Why am I saying this?

Well, because in the possibility that you had a good year (like I did), on the back of a rough few years (also me), there is a chance that the experience you have now, the relationship you have with yourself has been forced to change. For the better.

It is a good thing.

Embrace it.

Let that change flow freely in you. Embrace it as your new home. As a home and a life that you are shaping and rebuilding to reflect what you were created for – to live vibrantly, in love, hope, peace and progress.

In the spirit of this, I have been thinking about these. These snippets of art that have inspired me recently.

AN ALBUM

By Lecrae.

Church clothes 4 came out this year. Last month in fact.

It is a great album, and I also have to admire the man’s consistency. The first “Church Clothes” came out a decade ago. And a fourth project carrying on the torch of the first.

But doing even more, it is emphasizing growth.

It is a reflective album, thinking about what he came through, the lessons he learned, especially about forgiveness – forgiving yourself, forgiving the people that hurt you. Forgiving the entire notion of the pain you had to go through.

It also has a lot of celebratory moments, but I love how it is bold about all of the things it discusses.

Give it a listen.

And if you haven't, here is the piece on my Year in Music - all of the songs and albums that made everything so special.

A BOOK

Refer to my reading list from last year!

They are still solid, and their exploration of home remains interesting. Although, the home they are describing is quite different from the one this post talks about.

These books

- The death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi

- Sankofa by Chibundu Onuzo

AND A MOVIE

I know this is already after Christmas, but the movie Klaus (2019), is still a very lovely, feel good thing to watch in these days.

I love the twist to it about the origin story of Santa Claus. Or as he is known in my country – Father Christmas.

If you are into feel-good animation movies, then this is something I wholeheartedly recommend.

AND…

Is this a post-Christmas list without an actual list?

Here are some things to think about while the New Year blossoms into being

1) Your New Year resolution list is doable. I am not going to join the angry people that say it isn’t. Go for it. I believe in you.

2) Always take time, in any way you know how to, to just live; enjoy walks, slow-cook rich meals. Have a nice adult nap. Buy yourself something you’ve been admiring online

3) Listen to good music. If you don’t you will listen to bad music ;)

4) Take care of yourself, always. You are more valuable than any work you do, than anything that is trying to get you down.

Have a Great Year Ahead.

Cheers to an amazing start in front of us.