The Luxury of New Year's Resolution

At the end of every year I take some time to consider what I have experienced and accomplished. And of course I also create a list of New Year's Resolutions that includes a list of goals and a plan of action for the coming year. Doing this helps me stay focused on the life I am living and creating. It also gives me a map that I can return to over and over again in the next coming months when life can and does distract me from what I am hoping to do.

So today over a cup of tea I will take the time to review my previous year's resolutions and to-do list to acknowledge what I have been lucky enough to accomplish, what I am still trying to achieve as well as what should be deleted because they are no longer desired. I will pause and give thanks for all the wonderful people in my life including those who are no longer with me but that have left great lessons behind. In gratitude I will count my blessings as well as my loses because I firmly believe we may not always get what we want but we do get what we need and it is our responsibility to examine our lives and acknowledge those gifts as well as our place and part in their manifestation. This time allows me to release the past year while holding onto the good that came out of it. It allows me reach towards improving myself and my life by planning and building on those lessons and gifts.

I encourage you to give your self the luxury of at least a half an hour today to do the same.

Do it without judgement of what you have yet to do. Do not consider what you don't have, instead count all the wonderful things you have gained this past year and then move on. List, without censorship, everything you want to experience, to learn, to know, to taste, to feel, to touch, to speak, to hear, to hold, to wear. Keep going until you have nothing left to write. Then review that list and find and group those things that fall within the same experience so that you can begin to map out your plan of action for the coming year. Don't forget to list all the people who have blessed your life with lessons, both good and bad. Say thank you aloud to each and every one of them as you release any further expectation of them. This will allow you to move on with only those who are meant to be in your life in the way you need them to be. At the end of the time you give yourself remember to thank your self for the luxury of self reflection and personal growth.

Happy New Year!