Look back, Create forward
January 14th, 2009 -
Happy New Year!
The first of January was dedicated by the Romans to their god of gates and doors, Janus. He is often depicted with two faces, as if regarding behind and at the same time looking forward.
The origin of “January” is the Etruscan word jauna, which means “door.”
Let us then be inspired to go through this month as we would walk through a door to get to a new place.
Let us use the month of January to look back to create forward more of what we want in our lives.
In this spirit, allow me to recommend a twist on the more traditional approach to making “new year resolutions.”
Part One: Looking back on your life in 2008.
I am recommending that you take some time to look back on the previous year through a very specific lens, looking for what you didn’t want in your life. (Yes, you read that correctly.)
It’s helpful to put down on paper what you didn’t like and you didn’t want in the past year for a number of reasons, all of which contribute to not only resolving to change but creating the changes.
1. This exercise creates space within you to allow what you do want to come to your mind. As your focus shifts so does your personal energy, from a negative vibe of the “don’t want” to a positive vibe of the “do want.”
2. You gain insights that can lead you to defining the right goals for yourself at this time in your life. A constant complaint could be a disguise for what it is you want most.
For example, if someone is repeatedly complaining “I have so much to do at work, I’m always working late,” she can turn this dissatisfaction into a goal to “delegate better so I can have more of a social life during the week.”
3. These “don’t want” situations are where your deepest held values have “been offended.” It’s helpful to understand what you value and how what you notice around you does or does not align to what is most important to you.
Continuing the example, it’s helpful for this person to understand she values social connections and by repeatedly working late she is reinforcing an imbalance in her life.
4. A situation can represent a projection of a part of you that needs additional attention or that wants to have a greater input into what you do and who you are.
In my example, there is a part of this person that wants to connect with people and a part that wants to “do it all herself.” Her complaint represents the internal conflict. This results in her lowered energy level and frustration with the situation. (Can you guess what she is attracting more of in her life?)
Even if you have made your New Year’s resolutions list, you might find it helpful in walking through a door to a new place, to understand: what you value, where you might have internal conflict, and what is the essence of what you really want in this time of new beginnings.
In Part Two…
I’ll share with you how you can improve your inner alignment and increase your creative energy so that you can be the best of You and enjoy what you find reflected back to you in your world in 2009, and beyond.
Take time for your Self
1. Reflect on your life in 2008 and appreciate all that you experienced over the year. You can do this by breathing deeply with a focus on your heart while adding a feeling of appreciation for someone or something in particular. Spend a few minutes in this appreciative state. You’ll feel your energy rise, a sense of inner peace, and a greater awareness of your intuition.
2. Take each area of your life: relationships, career, finances, health, community, etc. and write down what you didn’t like; what you complained about repeatedly; what bothered you the most, or what you just plain didn’t want.
3. What theme(s) do you see in your experiences?
4. What would you want to experience instead? (This is a key attraction principle; define specifically the experience you intend to have in getting what you do want.)
5. How would you like to turn the main 3-5 examples of dissatisfaction into specific goals?
Now, put these goals in writing, with lots of details about what you want the experience of having it. Write the goals in the present tense, as if you are already living that experience.