Looking Forward & Letting Go
Happy New Year!
The energy at the beginning of the year is filled with excitement. There’s anticipation of all the good that awaits us, we’re hopeful that we can create new habits, and reach beyond our comfort zone to achieve new (or old) goals.
If you’re like me, you might not have the same personal bandwidth as your Pre-COVID era self. Eliminating the outside noise (social media, politics, neighbors, co-workers, family, friends etc.) takes a lot of energy, and tackling a spiritual quest like setting a year’s intentions can seem HUGE!
It’s easy to become overwhelmed as the calendar and clock click forward to another January reset, and an empty planner waiting to be filled. We can feel pressure to create lofty goals, declare resolutions, or choose the perfect word as our guiding theme for the year.
Maybe you've been really focused on some specific goal or outcome and all you feel is lost and tired.
Here’s my take; Trying to steer ourselves to a better life with better habits, without reflection, sets us up for failure and disappointment.
Margaret Wheatley said; “Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful.”
Before we can begin again with a fresh start, we must release old patterns, beliefs, actions and the disempowering stories we keep telling ourselves that hold us back.
You know the stories… I’m not good enough, smart, thin, or creative enough…who am I to do this work or endeavor…..I don’t accomplish enough, fast enough….or you compare yourself to others which leaves you feeling empty and inadequate.
The poet Rumi said, “Be like a tree and let the dead leaves drop.”
Sounds great right? So how does one go about dropping those dead leaves and have it be effective for a new and better re-leafing?
Marie Forleo in her latest Marie TV episode offered, “There’s plenty of unleveraged wisdom from the past 12 months. Hiding in plain sight are often uncelebrated and important accomplishments. Hard-won lessons you’d be wise not to repeat. And, some chronic emotional baggage that’s ready to be let go.”
Ready to clear the spiritual clutter that’s holding you back from experiencing your best year ever?
Marie suggests interviewing yourself to find these hidden gems.
Ask yourself these three questions:
- What one thing did you do, create or experience this year that you’re totally proud of?
- What one mistake did you make and what was the lesson you learned?
- What one limiting story are you telling yourself that you’re ready to let go of?
This interview process asks us to look back on our year in a very personal way and take stock.
Perhaps there are projects that have been on your to do list f o r e v e r.
It’s time to….Let. Them. Go.
Are there commitments or goals that no longer align with the person you are now? Get rid of them!
This is an opportunity to create an accurate and truthful assessment of both the good, and the not so great moments. Don’t beat yourself up for the latter. Trust me, everyone has both! Do however use the nuggets of wisdom to shift your future.
Releasing old burdens such as resentment, anger, shame, guilt, judgement, hurt, worry, embarrassment, fear, sadness, gossiping, negativity, or disempowering stories helps us move forward with a more peaceful heart and a lightness of spirit.
Unity describes this as spiritual housecleaning, a way to open a space within your mind for new understanding and within your heart for divine inspiration.
After you’ve done the self-interview, one of my favorite (yes, I've shared it before) End of Year/New Year rituals is a Burning Bowl Ceremony.
Fire ceremonies create an energetic shift within and around us, and directly connect us with Spirit.
Don't worry...Even if outer circumstances don’t appear to change, they will no longer have power over us or impact us the same way.
Burning Bowl Ceremony:
You can do this in your fireplace, an outside fire pit, or in a metal bowl inside your home.
- Sit, relax and become still.
- Allow your heart and your spirit to tell you what to release.
- Write down on individual slips of paper those burdens you choose to release.
- When you’re ready, begin the burning bowl ceremony, create a fire, let it burn a few minutes to become friendly.
- When you’re ready, blow your thanks and prayers of release into each slip of paper as you place them in the burning bowl.
- Watch the burdens as they burn (there is always magic in the fire) and feel your spirit become lighter.
- When the fire is done, let your heart again become still.
- You will feel the tingling of excitement as your aspirations, vision and intentions for the New Year begin to speak to you. Listen to your heart.
- Don’t rush this part of the process. Allow your spirit to have some fun and dream a little. Your goals/desires should feel hopeful, make you smile and lift your spirits. They should never feel like something you “should” do.
Okay, ready to get a jumpstart on clearing out the mind clutter and having your best year ever?
Find a quiet spot, grab some time for yourself, and listen to your inner spirit. She/He is in there. Trust me!
My New Year prayer for you; May you be bountifully blessed with love, good health, peace, joy, success, and prosperity. May these things multiply for you and may the cause of them increase.
One last thing, I have a gift for you! Send to me lisa@lisajoiner.com your astrological sign (or your birth day and month), and I will forward your 2022 Astro Forecast done by my friend, National Astrologer Maria Shaw Lawson.
It’s an audio file that is approximately 10 minutes long. Each reading is jam packed with interesting info on what to expect in the coming months.
I'm so excited for the New Year....for you!
xoxo
Lisa
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