Writing a New Narrative For 2021

This morning I selected a guided meditation from Insight Timer by Sez Kristiansen titled, Re-Storying Into a Nourishing, New Year’s Narrative. Kristiansen reminds us, “We do not tell the stories we live, but live the stories we tell ourselves.” 

She suggests we use our talents, art, music, and writing, to express what we experienced in this brutal (my word, not her’s) year. What was our hero’s journey? How were we worn down? What changed inside us for the better? What new strengths do we have?

Between the partisan politics and the pandemic, it has been a grueling year. During this multi-holiday month of December, I’ve been reminded that all the major religions of the world, and Humanists, have a common tenant at the base of their beliefs. We should treat others with the same dignity and respect that we want others to extend to us.

That seems reasonable, doesn’t it? Why has it become so hard to do? When I think of all the work ahead, to make our country, our world, into a better place, I feel defeated before I’ve even started doing anything. Where do we begin? Kristiansen suggests that we change the narrative we've been telling ourselves and write a new one. I would like one that fosters kindness and peace and working together for the good of all.

We’ve been slogging through the muck. We are grieving. Can we stand together at this moment, acknowledging the depth and breadth of loss, pain, fear, disenfranchisement, and loneliness felt by so many of us? 

A new year stretches out before us, fresh and clean, new awakenings, new opportunities. Are we going to carry all the hatred, vindictiveness, and power-grabbing, disappointments of this year into the next? I hope not.

Let's write a new narrative for the coming year, one that includes us as a part of the healing process and solutions. One that is based on loving and caring for others. Let's write this new story in our hearts and live it out daily in the next year.

What will we take into 2021? What will we leave behind?  We get to choose. 

The Insight Timer app has thousands of free meditations available.