It’s hard to believe it’s really 2020 already! I’m still writing that 1 before remembering the teens are over (resulting in what looks like a cross between a 2 and a dollar sign).

So, I’ve been doing Gabby Bernstein’s 21 Day Manifestation Challenge. It started on January 1st (you can start at any time if you are in her Miracle Membership group). I started a few days late but that hasn’t seemed to hinder my progress.

Gabrielle Bernstein is a spiritual wellness guru and self-help author. She has published books on things like finding and maintaining a spiritual practice and becoming aware of habits that block our potential (i.e. judgement). The challenge is obviously about manifesting goals in the new year. But it’s also more than that. I’m currently re-listening to Gabby’s latest book Super Attractor and this 21 day program embodies many of the ideas from the book.

Although I’ve benefitted from Gabby’s teachings in the past—I’ve been following her work for about a year now—Super Attractor felt like it was written for me. Specifically the parts about feeling worthy of happiness (you should), and that the joy one experiences while on the path to one’s goal is as important (if not more) as the ultimate achievement. Gabby also talks about how constantly pushing and overworking can actually be an obstacle to achieving goals. Science backs this sentiment up.

Before I picked up (started listening to) this (audio) book, I was in a really dark place. I struggle with depression frequently and had been in a downward spiral. When I am really depressed, I don’t want to see anyone or do anything. I think about how much I hate doing nothing, and I keep doing nothing anyway. Fear is often the voice drowning out all other thoughts. Sometimes I feel so trapped by seemingly insurmountable life circumstances that living seems like a death sentence. That’s where I was when I started this book.

Fortunately, I had already downloaded Super Attractor on Audible a couple of months before I found myself in this dark place. I started listening to it because I couldn’t find anything else to listen to, didn’t want to move from the couch, and had a headache (so I couldn’t look at screens). I geared up my inner critic and prepared to listen with mirth instead of receptivity. That didn’t happen, though.

Sometimes, often, I’ve felt like self-help/wellness proponents minimize depression and add to the stigma. I’m sure you’ve heard about staying away from “toxic people” with bad energy. I felt like that person whenever I was depressed and used it as an excuse to quarantine myself from others. Isolation is bad for depressed people, by the way. This book didn’t make me feel judged for having depression. Instead, it gave me some tools to help shoulder the burden (as opposed to making me feel like I was 100% burden).

So in 2020, I will listen to it again (already doing this). I will also remind myself periodically of some of Super Attractor’s messages. I’m grateful to start the year off with this enlightening message. Just a week ago, my story was looking pretty grim. I’m not saying this book is a cure for depression, or even a form of treatment, but I do think it’s really worth picking up (regardless of whether you have depression). Wisdom resides in it’s pages (or sound waves?). Listening to it has been the best thing I’ve done all year.