It's time for some tips to survive and thrive in 2021. 2020 has been crazy. With the effects of COVID-19, anti-racism riots, and all the crazy stuff that has happened this year, I thought it would be wise to share tips so we can survive this year and the next. I feel like there are a lot of people out there who were classified as highly sensitive persons (HSP’s) or empaths that are experiencing an overwhelming amount of emotions right now.

3 TIPS TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE IN 2021

I feel like you specifically need to hear this. That energy, those emotions you feel, they are not all yours. Regardless if you are an empath or a highly sensitive person, it probably feels like a lot is going on. You might have lost friends, a job, money, your graduation, your boyfriend/girlfriend, a parent, a pet, or something else in your life. Whatever is happening in your life right now, I'm imagining it's pretty heavy (or it has been heavy at some point in your life) or you wouldn't be reading this.

There are some words you need to hear right now. You’re doing great surviving 2020, so I'm going to share 3 tips to survive and thrive 2021.

1. TAKE IT ONE STEP AT A TIME.

We live in a society that focuses on getting to the next phase of our lives. Be it getting your university education, job, boyfriend, whatever, it pushes us forward. But all this rushing forward takes away the joys in life. Plus, it also takes us out of the present moment.

When we are out of the present moment, we are incredibly more prone to anxiety. This happens because we think about everything we need to do to get to where we think we are supposed to be.

2. LET GO OF EXPECTATIONS.

Right now in 2020, the only goal that you need to have is to take care of yourself. The world is legit crazy and I'm waiting for aliens to land ASAP (even though I personally think they are already here 😉 ). Take care of your mental health and your physical body. Otherwise you are going to start experiencing even more mental health issues.

Once you have one mental health issue, it is so much easier to develop another one. And another one and another one. Your nervous system is all out of whack and can't handle processing information on a subconscious level. That's why you sometimes react in certain ways. This isn't always the reason, but it is the reason why it's imperative that you take care of yourself. And these tips to survive and thrive in 2021 will help you let go of expectations.

3. YOU ARE DOING YOUR BEST.

I am a go-getter. I always pushed forward, always wanted to lots of money. The things I wanted to do where what I thought would make me "the perfect daughter." Or "a perfect Canadian." Or even "a perfect adult." I spent so much time striving towards what other people's expectations of me were that I didn't focus on the fact that I was doing the best I actually could at the time. Then I started focusing on doing the best I actually could. I was able to understand the reasons I was pushing for things and they weren't happening was because I didn't actually want to do it.

So I took that step back and realized that I was doing the best I could. I finally looked at what I wasn't doing my best at and said, "I need to stop doing these." I dropped the expectations of others and I things I didn't want to actually do.

This can look like a variety of things. This means you stop talking negatively to yourself in the mirror because you gain some weight. It means you get rid of those toxic friends that make you feel horrendous about yourself. It means setting boundaries with your parents, family members, or a teacher who is bullying you. (Side note: I hope to god that a teacher isn't bullying you, but if they are, please don't hesitate to reach out to me.) It means reading tips to survive (and thrive). Or maybe it just looks like enjoying yourself.

WE ARE ALWAYS RACING TO THE END.

This goes back to what I said earlier. When we race to the end we lose so much of the joy that we get to experience in everyday life. That's why we are here on this earth; to experience love, joy, and happiness. I know a lot of us can't experience that under the pressures of our mental health problems.

That's why I'm here. That's why I want to help you. Everyone deserves to feel good about themselves and about their mental health.

When I finally achieved a level of contentment and progress within my mental health journey, I finally understood how important being in the present really is. That's what I hope for you. Once you understand this, and I mean fully, on a molecular and cellular level understand this, your life is going to change. You'll meet wonderful people and good things are going to start happening to you. Like attracts like and when you're in your best mood, the best things come to you.

I hope these tips to survive and thrive 2021 remind you that you can do it.