No seriously, how are you?… you can be honest. trust me. it is okay if it is not all happy.

There is optimism in the phrase “Have a Happy New Year.” No one wants to hear “Have a Sad New Year.” Right?… Well, I hope not. However, the new year isn’t always happy for some… for others, like myself, the beginning of the new year is a time when grief revisits strongly… as I go through the emotions of thinking about loved ones no longer here who died in different years in the month of January… Yet, the hope is that sadness does not last throughout the entire year… right? So the phrase “Have a Happy New Year” does make me feel and think optimistically about what the entire year holds.

Still… the phrase should not make you pretend that when a new year begins, challenges end… for some, challenges continue, for others challenges escalate. Instead of pretending and/or keeping the challenges to yourself:

• Have safe spaces and individuals that you can share with and/or work on solutions:
  • a therapist.
  • a faith leader.
  • a friend who has the capacity to be there for you the way you need.
• Journal your feelings and thoughts about the current challenges.
• If you are a person of faith, lean in deeply into your faith for guidance and comfort.
• Remain hopeful.
• Be optimistic.