Kindness Strength and Joy
Carrying Forward What Strengthens Us
The final days of the year offer a natural pause. The pace often slows, the light changes, and there is a sense that one cycle is completing while another has not yet fully begun. This in between time is a conscious threshold moment of listening.
As we prepare to step into 2026, we sense what has genuinely strengthened our bodies, our minds, and our nervous systems over the past year. We allow lived experience to guide us, and the path forward becomes steadier and more open. My meditation teacher Swami Veda Bharati would say, “By focusing on our strengths, the weaknesses will take care of themselves.”
We ask simple questions. What brings us joy now, even in small ways. What strengths rise up when we meet challenge or uncertainty. Perhaps our bodies relax more quickly than they used to. We remember to lengthen our exhale when we notice activation. These moments may seem ordinary, yet they reflect meaningful change.
Many of us notice that catastrophic thoughts no longer dominate in the same way. When fear based thinking arises, it is recognized sooner. There is more choice. There is more space. We know how to stabilize our nervous systems, or at least how to begin and that matters.
As we get to know ourselves more intimately, the inner critic loses some of its power. It still appears at times, but it is no longer running the show. We recognize it earlier and respond with kindness rather than harshness. We show up for ourselves instead of turning away.
Strength sometimes means pushing through or holding everything together. It also looks like steadiness, gentleness, and the capacity to pause. Joy may arrive quietly, as moments of ease, connection, humor, or appreciation. These experiences regulate our nervous systems and support resilience and connection.
As we look ahead to the year to come, we take time to celebrate what we have already cultivated. We realize we do not need a makeover. We let go of striving for perfection. Kindness, strength, and joy are already present. The invitation is to move forward with care, trust, and a willingness to listen to what our bodies and our hearts already know.
Join our Sunday free community class to explore, share and strengthen together.