Happy 2023 my beautiful friends 💜
Thank you so much for being here. I feel so lucky to be able to share and connect with you in this space :)
I’m slowly coming out of my little holiday cocoon, which has consisted mostly of ocean dips, daily Yoga practice & teaching, and lots of introspective alone time. The absolute best.
New Years bring their share of emotions. If you've been feeling both inspired and uncertain, excited and overwhelmed - I feel you.
During this time of new beginnings, I usually find myself in either of 2 modes. Maybe you can relate to one (or both) of them?
🤪 Madly Ambitious
I get swept away in optimism at all the things I want to achieve in and rush head first into the year without catching my breath.
I set a zillion goals and habits to commit to. They tend to be pretty hardcore - meaning unrealistic, difficult, and not all that fun.
I spend days building a complex system to get my life in order and stick to it for less than 2 weeks. (Any fellow productivity geeks out there?)
Or at the other end of the spectrum....
🙅🏻♀️ Cynically Passive
I get out of the Christmas/NYE period a bit dazed and life takes over so fast that I don't have time to reflect on anything.
I don't want to box myself into a 1-year plan. How can I possibly project myself so far in the future? Safer to keep options open.
Everyone knows new year resolutions don't work anyway, so what's the point. (Fact: 80% people quit by February)
Here's the thing: personal growth is not a one-time thing.
It takes an incremental & agile approach.
This is why I practice Yoga daily - because to me it's a complete and gradual system for living more in alignment.
I call this living by design vs. by default.
That being said, we can still harness this powerful time to plant a flag, look back, look ahead, and get a whole lot of clarity.
Here's a more balanced process to go about setting new year intentions which I've gathered from wise teachers and a bit more self-awareness.
🧘🏻♀️ Mindfully Aligned
1/ First take time to reflect on the past year and acknowledge how far you've come. We so easily forget all that we accomplished.
2/ Give thanks for all the things that supported you on the way. We never do anything all by ourselves ;)
3/ Create space to invite the new. This means letting go of what is not helpful anymore: obligations, relationships, beliefs & of course posessions we don't really need.
4/ Clarify your intentions. Think of how you want to feel and how you want to show up. These give direction to your actions.
5/ Time & energy are your precious resources. Decide what you'd like to spend them on. Set boundaries to protect these areas.
6/ Choose habits over goals. Habits are about strengthening your power of discipline while distant goals often depend on external factors outside your control. When you're able to find satisfaction in the process rather than the outcome, that is when you are truly free!
7/ Be kind and patient. Water your dreams over time through small conscious steps, and watch the magic unfold... ✨
I'd love to know if any of this resonated and what do you struggle with the most at this time of year?
With love x
Lou