I have learned more about myself in the last year than I have my entire life. One of the most helpful lessons has been that change is good for us. So many times we are told that we've changed like it's a bad thing but usually it just means we have learned and grown from our life experiences. When we adapt we often acquire new skills that help us navigate our lives in a better way. Which brings me the second part of this episode, time. Time is our most precious commodity and once it's gone we can never get it back, so try and use it wisely by sharing it with people you love and experiences you want to create. 

I found a great quote from Marilyn Vos Savant, the woman who held the record for the highest IQ in The Guinness book of World Records, a category they no longer have.

"What is the essence of America? Finding and maintaining that perfect, delicate balance between freedom "TO" and freedom "FROM." 

I have struggled with finding balance my entire life. I tend to go overboard with everything! Maybe balance and moderation come with age, at least for me that is the case. With balance comes tranquility. I am enjoying the peace it brings so much I am focused on making it a priority from now on. 

I had never heard of Toxic Positivity until 2020, but I have served it up unknowingly. In this episode I discuss what it means and how to avoid doing it to others. I consider myself a positive person and being positive is good for our mental health. However we need to express our negative emotions as they come up so we can release them from our mind and body and heal.  

I try and treat people kindly but I have noticed I am not as nice to myself. I really am my worst enemy and biggest critic. Often times I catch myself saying I am terrible at this and I could never do that or this person is way better than I could ever be. Negative self talk will get me off track because I start to believe it. This year I have started to quiet that voice in my head and dig deeper into my heart instead. In this episode I will give you some examples so hopefully we can all get better at speaking to ourselves from the heart. 

There are so many people, places and events I miss in my life. Let's agree that we are all missing stuff that we used to take for granted. In this episode I share some of what my heart longs for and how I have been coping with that loss. Also, this year started out tougher than any of us could have imagined. The insurrection at our capital and the ugly images from that traumatic event have shown us how divided we are as a country. Life is constantly changing and that is the one real constant we all can agree on. 

I thought this story would be the perfect way to unite all of us. This has been a difficult week in our country and my heart breaks at how divided we are as a nation. Maybe what we really need is a reminder that we are all related because we all came from the same Creator. If we all start leading with love instead of hate we can start to heal and rise above like the celestial beings we are. Love will set us free!

I hope you are all staying safe and sane in what was the craziest year of our collective lives. Thank you for listening and allowing me a place to clear my head and speak from my heart, I appreciate it so much! In this final episode of 2020 I talk about who is thriving in America and where that leaves the rest of us. I share my two goals for next year because having too many will dilute my focus. I continue to have faith we will rise to any and every opportunity that 2021 brings our way. Auntie Krista really does love you!

The most valuable lesson I have learned in 2020 is that I am what I think. I have spent too many hours of my life being pissed off at people and situations that don't really matter. It's one thing to be passionate about a cause but you can do that without being angry at the situation. Learning from our painful past is helpful but we don't have to let it trigger our present. When we stress out over and over again we wreck havoc on our bodies immune system which can lead to dis-ease and chronic pain. I hope this episode helps you rise above what ails you, your thoughts.

With only 2 weeks left of 2020 I wanted to reflect on things that made this year better for me. I tried to touch a little bit on the many things I haven't already mentioned in previous episodes. Here I discuss the food that filled me tummy, the shows I watched, the books I read and re-read and some of the organizations I have explored or joined to show my support. I hope you have all found new things to try and old favorites to revisit. Life is short and its more about the journey than the destination so enjoy the ride with all its ups and downs. 

How many of you miss having real conversations with people? I do! There are only a few people I actually speak with on a regular basis and I am so thankful for those conversations. It seems that 2020 has made us even less likely to talk to each other. Most of us text people to let them know we are thinking of them, but few pick up the phone and call. Are we too busy or have we forgot how to have meaningful exchanges? Let's learn from this year of isolation that conversations are important because they help us strengthen relationships we care about.