“There’s no way to eliminate the ache of being human, but I do think we can diminish it. This starts when we challenge ourselves to become less afraid to share, more ready to listen—when the wholeness of your story adds to the wholeness of mine. I see a little of you. You see a little of me. We can’t know all of it, but we’re better off as familiars. Any time we grip hands with another soul and recognize some piece of the story they’re trying to tell, we are acknowledging and affirming two truths at once: We’re lonely and yet we’re not alone.”
― Michelle Obama, The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times
At the start of this new year, let us reflect on wellness—not just as survival, but as a call to thrive. Wellness is about flourishing in body, mind, and spirit. It’s about living with intention and connection, not merely enduring.
This kind of flourishing doesn’t happen in isolation. Our wellness is interconnected. The health of one impacts the health of all, and thriving is always easier when we work together. Wellness isn’t about competition or division—it’s about solidarity. When one of us is better off, all of us are lifted.
Your wellness matters. My wellness matters. The wellness of the person we love, and yes, even the wellness of the person we struggle to understand or care for, matters. The flourishing of the whole depends on every piece being nurtured and valued.
As you step into this year, consider what thriving looks like for you. Wellness isn’t one-size-fits-all, and it stretches across many dimensions: physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. What practices will you invite into your daily routine to cherish and support your well-being? What habits can you cultivate to nourish the well-being of your community or and Earth?
This is your invitation to lean into connection, to embrace habits of care for yourself and others, and to honor the truth that your story and mine are deeply entwined.
Take a moment now to center yourself with these breath prayers:
Inhale: Your wholeness adds
Exhale: to the wholeness of mine.
Inhale: I can feel lonely
Exhale: and know I am not alone.
This year, may you remember that wellness is both personal and communal. May you thrive, and may your thriving ripple outward to uplift others. Together, we are capable of so much beauty, healing, and growth.