Janelle Monáe’s Heartfelt 2020 Birthday Message | Instagram

Image Source: Getty / Amy Sussman

Janelle Monáe is stepping into the new year with a positive outlook, and her inspiring birthday message on Instagram has me ready to do the same. Following the highs and lows of an unpredictably chaotic 2020, emotional and mental well-being have become more important than ever for many on an individual level, myself included. For Janelle, part of the healing process involves moving forward with the knowledge that you deserve better, a sentiment worth hearing after everything we’ve collectively been through this year.

“With the highs and lows of this year i take none of it for granted. We beat the game,” Janelle wrote in a post on her Instagram Stories, thanking fans for their birthday wishes on Dec. 1. “I sincerely wish deep healing and constant inner peace for us all. May your voice be the voice you listen to most above all the noise. May we all experience this life free from trauma and keep moving in love and GRATITUDE. you deserve it . . . Wirelessly hugging kissing and dancing with you all in my head.”

In addition to the deep breathing, meditation, and calming exercises I’ve worked into my daily routine over the last 11 months, I might have to frame Janelle’s words and put them up on a wall where I can see them whenever I need a reminder to relax. It’s easy to move forward without taking the time to pause and reflect, but this year is one worth looking back on to see how we all have grown — physically, mentally, and emotionally. It’s important to remember what we’ve been through in the recent past, but it’s equally important to be kind to ourselves no matter what and take every new day one step at a time. Read her full post here.

Image Source: Instagram user janellemonae