A Letter to March Us
A monthly letter from me to me. And from me to you.
Dear March Me,
This is the month you start living life on your own terms. It’s as good a time as any to start. This is the month you prioritize your dreams and aspirations, not just when it’s easy and convenient to, but especially when it’s challenging. This is the month you show up for yourself when you feel least deserving, because that’s when you’ll need it the most. If you care about living authentically, put down distractions. Take yourself out to dinner and truly listen to what all that silence is trying to tell you. Allow yourself the space to look within, to reflect on what makes you feel truly alive. Connect with yourself. Please, if you care for your wellbeing, don’t allow yourself to be pulled away from those moments.
This is the month you don’t settle for superficial conversations, mundane routines, or people that don’t light a fire in your belly. The moment has come to explore your passions, your dreams, your fears. Laugh with yourself, lose track of time in your own company. This is the month you exchange “lonely” for “alone” and learn to be present in your thoughts and emotions. Learn to be there for yourself. Because if you care about living your truth, you must learn to appreciate the very essence of who you are. This is the month you remember to not just speak words of self-love but demonstrate it through your actions.
This is the month you’re truly good to yourself. Even if you’re used to neglecting your own needs and desires, this is the month you don’t lose sight of your worth. Don’t fall into the trap of complacency, don’t settle for half-hearted efforts, and love yourself fully, unapologetically, and without reservation. Please, stand up for your authenticity. Be honest with yourself about what you truly want and need. Choose yourself every single day and be willing to let go of anything that no longer serves your growth. Set yourself free from anything that holds you back from living the life you have dreamed of, and the life you deserve.
This is the month you learn to let go of everyone’s opinion on your life. There is no one correct way to do this life. Your happiness, your goals, the things that fill you with joy look different to every single person. And precisely because of that, the world will try to tell you you’re wrong. That you should be prioritizing this, or changing that, or being a little more like that. That’s why you can’t forget to stop looking to the sides, to go at your own pace and move in your own direction. Please, don’t make the mistake of trying to live someone else’s life. This is the month you don’t settle for anything less than what sets your soul on fire. This is the month you make your time here something to be proud of.
March is Women’s History Month, the perfect time to feature a poem titled What It Must Have Felt Like by Ada Limón. The poem is about the speaker’s feelings about feeling contained and constrained by others, and wonders what it’ll feel like when she’s finally free.
Palm-sized and fledgling, a beak
protruding from the sleeve, I
have kept my birds muted
for so long, I fear they’ve grown
accustom to a grim quietude.
What chaos could ensue
should a wing get loose?
Come overdue burst, come
flock, swarm, talon, and claw.
Scatter the coop’s roost, free
the cygnet and its shadow. Crack
and scratch at the state’s cage,
cut through cloud and branch,
no matter the dumb hourglass’s
white sand yawning grain by grain.
What cannot be contained
cannot be contained.
Questions to ask ourselves this month:
What are my core values, and am I aligning my actions with them?
Am I setting healthy boundaries in my relationships to honor my own needs and preferences?
What limiting beliefs or negative self-talk do I need to let go of in order to foster a more positive self-image?
In what areas of my life do I need to practice more forgiveness and compassion, both towards myself and others?
Am I giving myself permission to dream big and pursue my passions without fear of judgment or failure?
Thank you, as always, for being here. For me, and for yourself. See you in April for another letter.