Monthly Archives: January 2022

In this last post for the first month of the new year, I wanted to end on a positive note. We’ve all had enough sadness and anxiety over the past two years. So, this week’s post is dedicated to all the power of connection. For as our opening quote reminds us, together we are greater than the sum of our parts. Take for example the way ordinary people have come together to help their neighbours during times of disaster. I think back to the unprecedented flooding in BC late last year and the images of people helping guide water-soaked animals to higher ground.

There’s nothing like a pandemic to remind us of how interdependent we are on a global scale. Yes, we are all still in this together! But as I began to write this week’s blog about the joy habit of connection, I remembered a post I had written early on in the pandemic that is relevant to this month’s theme. The following are some excerpts. You’ve likely heard of the butterfly theory that suggests how the flapping of a butterfly’s wings can impact the weather thousands of miles away. In an April 14, 2020, Fast Company article by Parag Khanna and Karan Khemka, they reinforce this concept even further, with sobering predictions for the future by saying, “In chaos theory, the butterfly effect describes a small change that can have massive, unpredictable consequences. An insect flaps its wings and, weeks later, causes a tornado. The coronavirus is more like an earthquake, with aftershocks that will permanently reshape the world.”  If there ever was a time to take our heads out of the sand and realize that we are indeed connected, now is the time! We all have a responsibility to our sacred planet.

We, by our very nature, are social animals. So, for most of us these last two years have felt unnatural to say the least. We miss spending time with our friends in the same way we used to. The travel planning needed to visit far-away family has made it challenging given the unpredictability of the pandemic. And we’re all exhausted trying to predict the future. If it’s of any comfort, it’s important to remember that you’re not alone. The entire planet is feeling the drain. And in that way, we are probably more connected than we realize. We have a common goal – survive the pandemic. So even though we aren’t able to see all those we want to see in person, it’s still vital that we stay connected, if not for our own mental wellbeing, but for that of the other person as well.

Do you feel connected to yourself – to your spirit? If you do, you likely feel confident in the decisions you make because you are allowing source energy to guide you. On the other hand, when you aren’t connected, you may feel displaced, scattered, and have difficulty relaxing when you’re by yourself. This month’s theme is all about connection and why it’s important to your emotional, physical, financial, and spiritual wellbeing. In this first week’s post, I’ll be talking about self-connection. If you read my monthly Joy Matters newsletters, you’ll recall from the January 1 issue, that I shared a personal story about the power of connections that changed the trajectory of my life. By developing a deeper relationship with my spirit and my intuition, I was able to recognize those relationships that would be of the most significant to my wellbeing. Like with all things, connection starts with acknowledging the self with the understanding that everything is connected and that you are significant to the world. I’m going to share a story that I read in a special book I adore by Mark Nepo - Book of Awakening, to illustrate my point.