As I take a moment to sip on my morning coffee (organic I might say), I’m doing what many others do; reflecting on the year coming to a rapid close.
Why do we take this time of year to reflect on the highs and lows? What’s the true purpose of this ritual?
I find it interesting that in society, we have holiday rituals that for many are the only time of year we pause long enough to take inventory of our relationships, progress in the life of self and take our own “temperature”.
Another way to put it is to say we pause long enough to acknowledge our truths of pain and progress. Do we tend to look back at what went well and didn’t so we may set new goals for the upcoming year? Do some of us go through this exercise and end up feeling worse and or better about our progress in life?
Regardless of how our year is ending, we can shift our mindset to accepting the pain and progress as a teaching opportunity!
Many do tend to arrive at a sense of gratitude and love for what we have experienced and learned along the 12 months through the blessings and burdens of the year. But it takes awareness and willingness to look at each experience as a gift, even when there is hurt or sadness tied to it.
Even when we may have had the worst year yet, we enter the new year filled with a sparkle of inspiration and hope. Hope that our life will improve and this next year will bring us all that we have wanted to feel better about ourselves; including improved relationships, physical health and emotional well-being . Ultimately, I do believe we are seeking the same; to be loved and to share our love…
“To be ok with whom we are and finding the inner calm, ease, comfort and happiness…inner peace”.
For us to experience this positive interpretation and have these internal emotions or feelings, it takes looking back as well as looking ahead with an open heart and clear mind.
And so as I sip this fresh deep aroma of comforting coffee, let’s look at how best to reflect on some of the typical annual highlights with acceptance and gratitude.
Here’s three key questions to ask yourself for honest reflection on your year;
- Am I satisfied with how my relationships evolved this year? Did I experience unconditional love and contentment or was it painful being in this relationship?
- How was my physical health? Did my health decline, stabilize or improve?
- Did I spend more days feeling happiness or was I feeling sadness and loneliness the majority of the year?
Once you have taken some time to reflect, you can then ask, “What did I learn about myself and did I grow or expand from each experience”? When we are willing to turn the pain to progress we can let go and release the heavy weight!
With this clarity, we can then flip the mindset to accept the celebrations and painful moments with gratitude for all that we have learned.
There are so many other defining moments that we can examine, yet what’s most important is that we take the time to pause and reflect. This provides us the opportunity to find inner peace and acceptance for all that’s changed. Even when there is discomfort and hurt feelings behind the memory, we can embrace it so we may dissolve the hurt feelings, wounds, sadness and be thankful for the lessons.
Are you willing to take time during this holiday season to reflect on all the gifts you received this year…the true gifts of giving and receiving as the teacher and student?
I invite you to honor yourself and the year as a whole to find the gratitude in the necessary lessons, so that you can dance your way into 2020!
2020 is the year of greater vision and clarity. It is at our doorstep, providing an opportunity for incredible new experiences to learn more about how powerful we truly are, once we remove the veil of fear.
Together, we can embrace this new year and decade. We can teach one another the lessons that bring us home to ourselves…yes yes yes❤️
2020 will bring us new surprises and changes that enlighten us just a bit more. Open your arms and heart to receive each moment with dignity, grace and love.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
