Shannon D. Martin: 0:00

Hello, beautiful, how have you been? Can you believe that it is 2024? We are in the second week of January. Can y'all believe that? And how has it been treating you so far? It feels the same to me, but it is January 2024. I cannot believe that.

Shannon D. Martin: 0:22

And I know, like the rest of you, I have been sitting back, scrolling through social media, you know, checking my emails and all the things, and I have been looking at the posts and all the emails about the new year. New you, of course, the famous thing that's going around this year is choosing your word and, to be honest with you guys, I have not been feeling any of that this year and it's really kind of weird. You know, I've been kind in kind of a funk and after having a wonderful holiday with my family you know, I even attended a holiday party, which my husband and I rarely do, but we really had a great holiday season and to come out and be in such a bit of a funk, I just, you know, wasn't understanding why I was feeling that way. I began to not know which direction I wanted to take my podcast in. I was feeling creatively drained. To be honest with you, I was feeling emotionally drained and I was feeling a little bit lost, you know, and I just decided that I was going to pause. I was going to take my own advice and I was going to pause. And I remembered in my pause moments what a friend of mine said. She said that when you're in a moment of not understanding or challenged or being stuck which is what I felt, like I was stuck she said talk yourself through it. Talk to yourself like you're talking to a friend and talk yourself through it. Ask yourself questions like you would ask your friend. Ask yourself, you know, why am I feeling this way? And when you get that answer, okay, how can I fix that? Is this really the reason why? And you know, so on and so on. And as I began to do that, the light bulb began to come on and I began to realize why I was feeling the way I was. I enjoy all the newsletters. I enjoy some of the emails. I enjoy seeing the posts laughing and all the sort. So it was really getting to me as to why I was not enjoying it, and so it hit me that there was nothing wrong with me. I was beginning to see things in a new way as I began this journey of healing and really tuning into myself and really tuning into my emotions and my feelings. I'm really looking at myself through a new lens for the first time and it hit me. I'm growing and this is new to me. It's totally new to me.

Shannon D. Martin: 3:33

I remember being a person that was a people pleaser who always asked for people's opinions. I ask for opinions, but not like I did then. I depended on opinions of others. Now I'm not in that space where I really need that and I'm excited about that. When you hear the term you have to show up for yourself, I understand what that phrase means. Now I'm beginning to show up for myself and in doing so, I'm realizing that I don't need to read all that. I don't have to be in on the next trend. I don't have to buy that next planner that's supposed to be the go-to planner to help me get my life back and get it on track and all the great things like that. I don't have to do that. And that is what I was doing and I didn't realize that. So now I'm not concerned with the shiny things anymore. I really had the shiny syndrome bad. Now I don't have to have those things. I'm making myself interesting. I'm in this new space where I'm really choosing what I absorb. I'm paying for what I want to pay for. I'm choosing who delivers my information. I'm choosing how I receive my information. I'm choosing if I want to be here on social media or when I don't.

Shannon D. Martin: 5:21

I always felt like I had to be something, or everywhere, or all the things, and now I don't, and it feels great, but I still wasn't understanding why I wasn't happy, why I wasn't, you know, excited for the new year. So, unbeknownst to me. My word came to me, so I do my words every year. And the word came to me TRUST. And the reason why it came to me is because I was praying and meditating and really thinking and really looking into my emotions and I just said I'm going to trust. I'm going to trust the place God has for me, I'm going to trust the plan that he has for me, I'm going to trust the abilities that he has given me and I'm going to trust this process.

Shannon D. Martin: 6:13

I know that it's going to be grueling, I know that it's going to be way out of my comfort zone, but by my showing up for myself, I'm scared, out of my mind, but I am choosing me now, and that is so new to me that I thought that there was something wrong. But it wasn't anything wrong. You know, they say all the pieces are shaking, breaking apart and then they begin to politely put themselves back together. That's what's going on with me. My pieces are coming back together and I'm not recognizing them and I was stuck for a moment. I was stuck for a moment and I needed that pause. I'll always be driving to be better than I was yesterday. I'll always try to be healthier, make healthier choices in my life. I'll always try to live better. Life is always going to be life-ing. I'm always gonna have bills. I'm still gonna not like grocery shopping, you know, but I believe that that's what this funk was all about. It was letting me know that I'm on the right path, that I need to keep walking it, keep feeling and healing and keep asking myself those tough questions, remembering to pause when I need to, and always give myself some grace and talk myself through all these challenges. And if I do so, the answer is gonna come on the other side. And this was such a hard time to do it, but I guess it is a new year, new you, haha, type of thing. So I have experienced something for the first time that I've never experienced and I'm enjoying it and I'm gonna keep going and I'm gonna keep moving. I'm gonna keep going down this road and I am going to enjoy what all I have to do, all that I have to be, all that I'm going to become all the things and the dreams that I want to do in 2024, as long as I'm healthy, as long as I'm trying, as long as I'm dreaming, I'm gonna keep on Mindful Moment.

Shannon D. Martin: 8:41

The new year is a trying time for us all. We may get into a bit of a funk. We don't know what direction we may go in. Sometimes we may feel lost. We may want to jump all in with new ideas and new trends and gadgets so that we start the new year off fresh, or to begin again. Then we realize all those things won't make a bit of a difference. The difference is in you. How are you healing or how are you growing, and how are you showing up for yourself? I never truly understood that statement until now. I finally realized that I'm beginning to show up for me, slowly but surely, and she's seen everything in a new light. When you feel stuck or challenged. Remember to pause, talk your way through the situation, understand how you're feeling, process your emotions and get back to doing you. Happy new year.

Shannon D. Martin: 9:39

I hope you have enjoyed this week's conversation. I'm your host, Shannon Martin. Join me on Wednesday, January 31st for our very first episode. This was kind of first episode, but our first episode of the year will be a fresh new topic that will be discussed. So join me then, Wednesday January 31st, and there will be a brand new topic. I'm sure you're so surprised. I've been looking forward on our social media pages and I will make a new topic then. If you have enjoyed this conversation, please share, like or leave a review on Apple. Disclaimer I am not a licensed mental health professional. The information provided here is for general informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you need help, please consult a qualified mental health professional.