Happy New Year!

Everything begins at the beginning, and quiet often the beginning begins when you shift your mind in a new direction.” ~ Louie Herron

You are never too old to start over. Every day is a chance to make changes to create the life we want.” ~ Karon Waddell

“New beginnings are disguised as change; have faith and embrace the unknown.” ~ Anon

Dear friend,

Time is an interesting concept.

Although we need the calendar and clock time to track our days, seasons, and years - the only real time is right now.

Indigenous shamans say, there’s no past or future, beginning and end. Everything is always happening in the eternal now. Hence, each moment is pregnant with so many possibilities and can be a new beginning.

You need not wait for a new year to start over or to begin anew.

You can start right here, right now!

The outer changes we seek always start with an awareness and clarity of the direction we want to go. It’s first conceived within us, and felt deep in our minds and hearts. Our desires are the beginning of a new possibility seeking expression and transformation.

“The future enters us, in order to transform itself in us, long before it happens.” ~ Rainer Maria Rilke ~

So, what’s stirring within your soul now?

For me, being misdiagnosed with depression and bipolar disorder, then being prescribed multiple psychiatric drugs was the beginning of a deep desire for mental clarity and health. In the beginning I felt sedated, tired, and slept a lot. Eventually, a litany of adverse effects emerged, and the symptoms worsened overtime, culminating in tremendous chaos, suffering, and loss.

Some of the adverse effects were more tolerable than others. One of the most disturbing to me was an intensifying suicidal ideation. Another time I developed a rare adverse reaction (potentially fatal - Steven Johnson’s syndrome) to a drug called Lamictal. But the worst one of all, the one I will grieve for the rest of my life is missed times with my daughter. I was strung out on a cocktail of psychiatric drugs for much of her childhood. I was physically present but emotionally absent.

Nothing can compensate for some losses.

My daughter was one of the biggest reasons why I wanted to go in a different direction. I can’t change the past but I can show up heathier, more grounded, and present. I can choose to be here and repair, and nurture my relationship with her. This is one of the great gifts we can give ourselves and those whom we love - to be a better version of ourselves.

That desire led me to research and learn about metabolic therapies and the ketogenic diet. Initially, I was implementing what I understand now as metabolic therapies intuitively. I’ve been on this journey since 2016. Then came upon Metabolic Mind and the rest of the keto community about a couple of years ago. The results were pretty dramatic and powerful.

It was the beginning of massive change!

I look back at the last year and I can honestly say, that I’ve made a 180 degree turn. The process of transformation has been incredibly difficult and challenging at times. Almost felt like a type of psychological death. Nothing about my life is the same - my body, my identity, my work, my perspective - everything has shifted. Yet, the process of undergoing these changes have also been deeply fulfilling, serendipitous, and joyous.

So change can also be exciting, filled with possibilities, new learning, and growth.

We are always in the process of letting go of the old, and stepping in to the new. There’s grief in that transition, but so are peace, joy, and liberation. We can always access both part of the journey.

And so, how do we hold sacred space for duality?

It’s not always easy but it’s possible. I share my story with you as a reflection of what’s possible. I’m not perfect, but happy to be a work in progress.

I’ve learned to appreciate how far I’ve come and have faith in what’s yet to come. But I do my very best to live in the present moment, which gives me peace and contentment. I consider that to be my greatest achievement thus far on my journey.

What about you?

What are you longing to experience, create, and express? What direction would you like your path to go in this coming year? What is it that, even the idea of it brings joy to you? Also, can you look back and appreciate how far you’ve come?

If you can, then anything is possible.

Wishing you many blessings and peace in the coming year. Thank you for being part of this community and taking the time.

Please forward this email to anyone who you believe would benefit.

Feel free to leave me your questions, comments, and feedback below. Thank you for taking the time to visit here.

Until next time, we continue in solidarity. 

Neseret Bemient, BScN
Holistic Mental Health Coach 
Website: Return to Wholeness Healing Services
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@NeseretBemient
Twitter(X): Neseret Bemient (@JourneyofHope4U)

BIG DREAMS

...start inside
...take courage
...involve effort
...include mistakes
...build character
...are achievable

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~