(Written on January 2, 2020)
I personally love the New Year. I love New Year’s Eve, celebrating and saying goodbye to the past 365 days. I also love the magic that New Year’s day holds… A feeling of a fresh start and a new unknown… That exciting thought of, “What’s possible for me this year?? Where do I want to grow??”
Sometimes though, the pressure of a New Year can be a little overwhelming. What if we don’t know what we want to focus on, or create?? What if we’re not clear about our goals, intentions, or resolutions?? What if we’re just barely scratching through this tail-end of the holiday season??
And even if we have some clarity around our goals and intentions, sometimes the challenge lies in the execution: Maintaining the dedication and commitment to what we promised ourselves at the start of the year as life inevitably takes us along its twists and turns…
Well… I hate to break it to ya, but I am no means a master at any of this… but thanks to classes and travels and connections and retreats, I’ve learned a few journal prompts and techniques that help me gain clarity and stay focused as I continue to walk along my own path. So I thought I’d share them, and maybe they will resonate with you!
Gratitude list.
Every damn day. And before you meditate, visualize, or manifest. Why?? Because it immediately brings you into a mind-space of abundance, rather than one of scarcity. You gotta feel AND believe that there are blessings available to you. Remind yourself that you are worthy and deserve to grow and take up space.
Then take a moment to think about the last year:
(Hint: Looking back through social media or photos on your phone can assist in this reflection. if you keep a planner or date-book, look at that too!)
What are your 3 biggest highlights or achievement from this past year? Can you maybe expand on these this year?
What are your 3 biggest obstacles or challenges from this last year? What did you learn from them?
Now close your eyes and get connected with your greatest self…
If you felt free to completely be yourself..
What would you do?
Who would you be?
What would you experience?
Now visualize yourself a year from today.
What three goals do you want to achieve, or what three qualities do you want to focus on in:
Your Personal Self?
Your Physical Wellness?
Your Career or Passion Project?
Your Relationships?
Now can you go back through those goals and break them down into smaller steps?? What will help you achieve these goals??
Keep these steps and your list of goals close by and revisit them often! Keep them fresh in your mind so that you can actively focus on taking the steps and making the decisions that will bring you closer to your goals. Post-it notes on the mirror, a journal by your bed, or sharing them with a friend or partner or family member (aka accountability partner) are all great ways to keep your goals fresh in your mind.
Also, try not to get too attached to what you have written down. As much as we wish we could just write and speak things into existence, we can’t, and things change and we change, so you can come back to these prompts as often as you need to help gain clarity around where you want to go. Reflection doesn’t have to be the last year, but maybe the last month or week. Asking yourself questions and writing down the answers is an effective way to make sense of the jumbled thoughts of the mind. Let it be a practice… no pressure to be perfect.
And as always, I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences!