I write this as my city has just left quarantine due to the coronavirus. My family and I were in lockdown for more than 80 days. Now we are starting to come out of our home amid a changing world. The last two weeks have been a hard one for America. Massive protests about the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis have spread out across the globe.

When I take a step back and look at the world, I see that we’re still in the midst of a pandemic and now there’s been a big push for social change.

There has never been a better time to reflect on your life and make a decision as to who you want to be and how you want to embrace change.

Today is a brand new day. There has never been one like it before. Whatever happened yesterday is in the past and today you have an opportunity to grow, change, and embrace hope.

If you grew up in an alcoholic or dysfunctional family, now is the time to recommit to learning about who you are and how to overcome your past.

I recently finished Deena Kastor’s book Let Your Mind Run: A Memoir of Thinking My Way to Victory. Kastor is an Olympic athlete who won the bronze medal for the women’s marathon in the 2004 summer Olympics in Athens. In her book, she talks about how a positive mindset helped her overcome negativity and stopped her from achieving great success.

In her book, she shared the mantra that helped her in her own struggles: “I believe, I achieve.”

On your journey of self-discovery and healing, today let’s focus on the positive.

Self-critical talk and negativity will pull you down. For many years, I felt shame about my past and struggle with fear, anger, and pain.

The good news is that you don’t have to stay this way. There are people who can help you and there are skills that you can learn.

Step one is seemingly easy but can also be extremely difficult: You need to believe in yourself and that you can succeed—even when all looks bleak.

For today, focus on that belief. Write down the following: “I believe in myself.” Then stand up, look at yourself in the mirror and say, “I believe in me. Now I’m going to do the work to start my journey.”

Words are powerful. We need to start with changing our mindset and allow ourselves the hope to have a better tomorrow. If we do not believe, then we will be pulled down by the weight of our past. The addiction, abuse, and suffering that we experienced in our lives will overcome us if we do not build a network of positive influences, skills, and friends to help us.

Yes, today is a brand new day—if you’re willing to open yourself to amazing opportunities.

Like what you’ve read? Be sure to check out my other posts in my Let Go and Be Free blog.