January 3, 2014

2013 wrapped up nicely for me despite a year-end funk that really threatened to pull me down. Part of what helped turn things around was the time I spent reflecting on 2013 and looking ahead to the New Year. The miracles and blessings of 2013 were a wonderful reminder to me that all is well and encouraged me to look ahead to 2014 with hope and optimism.

Quite fortuitously, an inspiring email landed in my ‘in box’ right around this time. It was from Christine Hassler, a life coach, speaker and author, whose emails I’ve enjoyed throughout the year. Her message was not to make resolutions since that implies we need to do “more, better, different”. Since a self-improvement tactic is the exact opposite of how I am choosing to live the coming year (Peace and Grace in the New Year), I read on. Instead of resolving to change ourself, she encourages setting intentions and creative possibilities that come from our heart. This girl was talking to me!

Following her guidance and suggestions, I was surprised at some of the things I felt inside. There were dreams that I had not considered in a long time and remembering them brought them to the surface of my awareness fresh for my indulgence. It is easy to imagine that some or all have the potential to come true. Just knowing the dreams of my heart is the first step to making them a reality.

The New Year is already underway and it is not too late to take advantage of this energy to set intentions for 2014. New Year’s did arrive on a new moon meaning the energy for new beginnings is still available for the dreams of your heart. If this approach speaks to you, I highly encourage you to check out Christine’s blog post. Her words and wisdom helped me to fulfill the ideas I had for how I wanted to bring in the New Year. And it banished the funky mood that threatened to bring me down. A win-win to start my year with a positive bang!