As chemo wraps up and a new year begins, it feels like a good time to reset and establish my next goals. Not necessarily a new year’s resolution because, let’s be honest, the minute I label something a resolution, it will be forgotten by February.

Am I wrong? Nope.

For me, and I’m sure for a lot of other people, 2020 was about surviving. And that is okay.

I had lofty goals at the beginning of 2020 — yes, I’m one of those people who actually made a 5-year plan — and those were quickly kicked to the curb with COVID-19 and a freaking breast cancer diagnosis.

And the fact that my goals got kicked to the side is okay, too!

It is 100% okay to feel like you didn’t do “enough” or that the year was stolen from you. Because it was. Feeling all of your feelings is an important part of the road to recovery.

I think the easiest theme that comes to mind for 2021 is thriving. But I don’t think that’s realistic, at least not for me. Before I thrive, I think I need to get comfortable (excuse the cliché) in my own skin.

Therefore, I am claiming 2021 as the year to re-learn how to love my body!

Cancer took my chi-chis, my hair, my acne-free skin, my confidence and my trust in myself. I look in the mirror and get frustrated at the scars, the weight gain and my bald patches.

I don’t feel like myself.

So this year I WILL (manifestation is key here) learn to love myself — to love the fuzz on my head, to love my scars, to love my whole being.

So, how do I plan on learning to love myself?

Well, well, well, that’s a great question!

I feel like the blind leading the blind here; HOWEVER, I have a few ideas that I’d like to try out and I encourage you to join me as well:

• Writing affirmations on post-it notes around my home and saying them out loud.
• Instead of thinking to myself that I have to exercise, I will listen to my body and see what it needs that day. And if I do exercise, it’s not because I HAVE to but because I want to CELEBRATE my strength and all that my body can do.
• Nurture my body with nutrient-dense food (my body just took a beating from chemo after all) while also not giving myself a hard time if I want to indulge.
• Setting aside me-time.
• Unfollowing accounts that make me feel self-conscious about myself.
• Getting off of my phone one hour before I go to bed.

I know I will have many ups and downs, but I am determined to mend my relationship with my body.

Cheers to a new year!