What to do when you find yourself in spaces where you don't want to be

I gave up duty & obligation when I finally left America for more Morocco.  The lightness of being I felt while off the continent have followed me & elevated my expectations about what I deserve in this lifetime.
  —AprilYvetteThompson

Andrea Bordeaux: My mom got angry when I told her that I would be moving to Costa Rica before the holidays. She felt that I was being selfish & not thinking abt the family or the fact that Thanksgiving/Christmas is when we generally see each other.

I understood her pain that I would not be present for these “traditions” & I held firm in that participating in the rituals of commercial holidays no longer feels supportive, wholistic, loving, or important to me. I explained that I’d be happy to create new traditions outside of unhealthy consumption.

One reason I chose to come to Costa Rica during this time was to be more disconnected from the mass ritual. There are people here who do participate in these rituals, I turned down 2 invites to Xmas parties today. 

The point isn’t to escape, it’s to be surrounded by so much of what is pulling you to repeat behaviors that no longer serve you, while having the courage &  discipline to create a new tradition or ritual for yourself.

Many of you are currently in spaces that you don’t want to be, w/people that you don’t want to be around, & you’re feeling as if you have no choice. You do. You can choose to say no & participate in something that makes you feel connected to yourself & what brings you joy during times of heavy stress, obligation & unhealthy consumption. 

If you no longer feel the calling or pull to participate in these holiday rituals, you now have a full year to establish & concretize what it is you do desire to experience, set the boundaries that will protect you from being misdirected from your vision & fully ease into the reality that what we consider tradition is really just a set of practices that people are conditioned to repeat over & over & over again. 

Learn to be okay w/upsetting or disappointing others & trust that as you honor your desires, you will call in others who share a similar frequency.

Sending you all gratitude and love!”

—Andrea Bordeaux