OUR THOUGHTS SHAPE OUR REALTY

Welcome to Fall 🍂

Tonight begins the Jewish Holiday of Yom Kippur. Over the last week, it is tradition to
think about your previous year. We are guided to sit with all the times we did not love
our own way of showing up in our world. Our reactions to others and things we might
have projected onto others. We sit with these memories as a year in review. This
ancient tradition is done to create a mediation of reflection.

What areas in your life, in the past year do you wish you would have
showed up differently?

How did you create friction in the world that caused others harm
or disruption?

When I think about my own year, I see a man who gave it his best and it was still not
ideal. There are so many places in my world where I wish to create healthier reactions
and behaviors that feel more aligned with who and what I am. There are many areas
of my soul that I am working hard to get closer to. Sometimes I feel numb, numb with
grief from loving and losing so much. Often times I push down my feelings in shame,
instead of being vulnerable and sharing what is really showing up.

This next year, I am excited to announce that my wife and I will be welcoming our
second child (a girl) into this world. I feel more called than ever to keep doing the
work on myself. Over the next year, I aim to conquer these old behaviors and
reactions to make room for all the new love and memories I intend to create.

Remember this: If it does not feel like you as it is coming out, it is likely a trauma
response. A behavior that was created long ago to survive growing up in the
conditions you were born into. Ask yourself now, do these old reactions serve my
current identity or life? Am I willing to let go and grow fully into my loving wise adult
self?

With Gratitude,
Matthew Schildkret