Risks, Losses + Wins: A 2021 Timeline

Year in Review

December 2020, I received a word, Transcend. After living so far away from family for 4 years, I took a risk during the pandemic and moved from Austin, TX back to the East coast to be with and support my family. You can imagine how expensive it was to haul my shit across country during a time when majority of the world was on a full lockdown. Despite relocating, I started my wellness brand and studio, Mercedes Shanelle, LLC. If I'm going to prioritize health and wellness, I may as well write some shit off while doing it. I also partnered with Thinx to bring awareness and affordability re: sustainable period products to people who need them most. This is not a casual, just-for-fun experience. This is really my life. So, if you fuck with me, follow, engage, and buy my shit. You'll be supporting a melanated woman's business, learning how I define and prioritize wellness, and promoting Black liberation.

In 2021, I took a risk to experience tantra and I'm super proud of that because as a Manifestor (my human design aura), I'm designed to repel auras and I naturally don't make myself easily accessible because ya'll be doing the most at all times. If you're out here so-called connected with somebody and you're not operating in tantra, wtf are you doing? I'll do a blog on tantra and tantric sex in 2022.

Summer 2021, I supported two of my close friends at a few of their wedding festivities which was nice because I also got to do some traveling and see other friends. I was blessed to serve as the Maid of Honor, but because I knew I really needed to focus on me that year and with all the shit going on in my personal life (like needing to find a job and getting the rest of my things from storage in Austin), that big of a commitment caused me added stress and the last thing I needed was to fuck somebody else's shit up trying to experiment balancing showing up for them, and prioritizing me. I usually trust myself, but this is how chronic anxiety and lacking prioritizing your own shit works. Thankfully, I was able to shift the focus back to my healing, and I look forward to doing the same in 2022 and beyond. Word of advice, pour into you before you can pour into someone else. It works better for the collective.

September 2021, I accepted a fully-remote instructional and training design position at the largest research institution in PA. As I mentioned in my last post, I am super grateful and blessed for this opportunity which came a month into me losing my previous job. Issa win for me and most of ya'll couldn't even tell that I had all of this going on. I now have less responsibility, went up a tax bracket, and get more vacay. Time and location freedom me! Did I mention I'm never going back to nobody's viral-infected, racist, passive-aggressive office?

October 2021, I found a phenomenal Black female therapist and started cognitive-behavioral therapy sessions-- something I now look forward to every week. I've always enjoyed therapy and found it helpful. I def needed it with everything I had going on. Big up my therapist for being amazing.

October 25, 2021, something told me to check on my friend Isa and her dog back in ATX. I hadn't spoken to her in a few weeks, so I sent a check-in text and went about my day. The next day, after leaving the gym, I received a call from another friend who informed me that Isa had transitioned and that nobody knew when or what happened to her. I didn't know the day she passed until I read over the funeral program. She passed October 25th. I've been operating in 5D and connecting with my ancestors hard all year, asking for discernment, guidance, and protection. I've always been able to connect with other realms, so I took the sign to check on Isa as her letting me know that she safely made the transition to the ancestors. I have not been able to fully grieve for some reason, but I will forever be grateful for her loyalty, her sharing spacetime with me, and all the lessons that I learned from our interactions, like trusting myself and having faith in what you can't see. Isa, gworl, thank you for the big energy. May you rest in divine power.

December 12, 2021, I had my first spiritual reading on my 34th birthday. It was so intense, ya'll. I was told to live more in my human design by informing, doing things that bring me peace, and working in creative spaces. I also received a word for more storytelling, hence this blog, my entire brand, and forthcoming visual and interactive monthly series starting in February about my experiences with various people, places, and ideas, and their connection to radical wellness and liberation. It's giving juice.

December 30, 2021, I am proud to have started a college savings fund for my 4-year-old nephew. This is something I've been thinking of doing since he was born. This is probably my proudest accomplishment of 2021 because savings was never a thing in my family-- especially not for college. We barely had food on the table. My nephew is literally breaking generational curses just existing. He's dope! Contributions to his fund can be made here. Thank you in advance!

5 Experiences That No Longer Serve Me:

1. Making myself small to match others' low vibrations

2. Supporting one-sided relationships

3. Gaslighting energy

4. Performative interactions

5. Being strong. It's ghetto.

5 Lessons I'm Taking Into 2022:

1. Accept all things as they are (Equanimity)

2. Take deep breaths

3. Detachment is the greatest form of love

4. Take up space + say what you mean

5. Pay attention to those who support and pour into you vs. those who don't

Life is precious. I'm blessed to be here and I'm grateful for all this year's experiences and lessons. I received a word for 2022, its Create. I'm excited to see what that entails. I hope you too received a word to focus on. Wishing you all a radical, restful, and prosperous new year!

Love + Light,

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