By: Mary Kosir
It has been a year!!! As I write this, I need to be honest. I’m one of those people that screen shot Instagram posts I find funny, inspiring, honest and uplifting. I thought I’d give you a sneak peak into the last 5 I found on my phone….”Life’s too short to fake orgasms”, “Love yourself for what you are, instead of hating yourself for what you are not”, “I know you feel anxious, but you forgot about the part where you’re a badass”, “We repeat what we don’t repair”, and “Make space for new beginnings….”.
I’ll share a bit about new beginnings, given we are quickly approaching the end of yet another year. As we think about 2017 and prepare for 2018, I have much to look forward to in the year ahead: my 50th year of life, my 25th year of marriage, my 20th year of parenthood, and my 5th year as an entrepreneur. What’s new in that, you might be asking yourself. Well, everything and nothing. None of it is new. And that’s okay. I’m more okay than ever with the roots I have built in and around me. What grounds me has become increasingly important. The visual of a tree with deep roots that were planted during my childhood in Bemidji, Minnesota, growing up in a community where family was first. Those roots of mine run deep. And I appreciate them more each and every year. That gift is something that has shaped me as a wife, mother, friend and business woman. At my essence are those roots, and they are roots I hope I’ve been able to foster and share with my community–my husband, children and friends.
As I dig deep to prepare for a new year, making space for those new beginnings, I know that my growth in the last year is off the charts in terms of resilience, dealing with ambiguity, fighting self doubt, and staying true to my ME on the deepest level. That’s why I started WholeMe. It’s a part of me. It’s a part of my family. And it’s a part of my value system. As I approach these milestones in life, I find it’s easier to be true to who I am and what I believe. With age, comes acceptance of what is, gratitude for my many blessings, and faith in each and every day, as it presented. I’m getting better at working through the challenges and opportunities of life. Not working around them and trying to find a short cut, but actually working through them. Getting there is never easy, takes lots of work, and sometimes requires a detour or two. But I’m getting better at pushing through and being true to myself in that process. Being kind to myself. And forgiving. It is interesting that the older we become, it’s the simplicity that, at its essence, is what is most important. The end game is not made of short cuts, but rather of deep breaths and pushing through. The result is another day lived fully. Authentically. With the guts and vigor to keep on, as we welcome the winding road, the curves of life, and the deep love of the community roots we have planted.
It is my wish for all of us in this community to live with the guts, vigor and authenticity it takes to be true to ourselves and our values. To believe in the simplicity and impact of kindness, love, and the understanding that with each day we grow and feed the root system we become one day.
In Gratitude,
Mary
