The New Year is a time of reflection and resolutions. Ellen Goodman writes that often “we spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives… not looking for flaws, but for potential.”

It is true that each of us are flawed, it’s part of being human. But what is more important is that we realize and embrace the unique and limitless potential that is alive within each and every on of us.

Our willingness to examine what we hold tightly
Opens us to possibilities
Our willingness to lean into the unknown with curiosity
Opens us to our vast potential

Alison

Our brains are constantly active, sending us a constant stream of images and thoughts as we try to make sense of our lives, the world and ourselves. When we examine ourselves we are often our own worst critic, daily judging and finding fault with our abilities and who we are. Over time if our negative thoughts are left unchallenged we risk beginning to define ourselves by our own negative thoughts, and thus begin to consciously, or unconsciously, limit ourselves.

Piero Ferrucci poses the following thought. ‘How often—even before we began—have we declared a task “impossible”? And how often have we construed a picture of ourselves as being inadequate?…A great deal depends upon the thought patterns we choose and on the persistence with which we affirm them.’

It is when we step outside of our “thoughts” that we can begin to venture into who we truly are.

Limiting ourselves is like shutting a door and finding ourselves in darkness. Yearning for light, we instinctively look for openings and in doing so we have begun to believe that the “impossible” is possible. We have taken a step outside of our limiting beliefs, and challenged our illusions of inadequacies. It is when we step outside of our “thoughts” that we can begin to venture into who we truly are.

Alison

There are moments in life that take our breath away. These moments alert us to the mystery and wonder of life, leaving us with a deep sense of awe. We also have moments in life that are jolting or shocking. They too take our breath away, and remind us of the fragility of life. They whisper to us that life’s moments are limited, and our life and our time together is a gift to savor.

Such moments may be experienced as a “collision with the infinite.” Moments where our conscious mind recognizes we are intertwined with the infinite, each of us unique, each of us meant to be, and each belonging to something larger than our self. Together we create the whole, a humble yet powerful awareness.

Reflecting on these moments can awaken us; perhaps call us to make a shift in our lives. We may find ourselves drawn in directions we have in the past neglected or taken for granted. Suddenly wanting to connect to what nourishes us, we bring the focus of our lives into the present moment. Here we realize just how much of our time has been spent wandering in and out of a trance. Our thoughts wandering through our past and future, tirlessly trying to relive, change and conquer our past, as well as dreaming, designing or carefully orchestrating our future.

The Universe will knock upon your door and offer you the breath of no regret. Are you listening?

When we answer the knock we are gifted with the opportunity to experience “now,” the moment when our life is real and unfolding moment by moment. Here, now, we find ourselves deliciously present and alive.

If you listen closely, the universe will knock upon your door and offer you the breath of no regret, a chance to embody life, your life, and live it with intention. Look within, find and live your truth, live your life fully. And when the moment comes for you to breathe your last breath, may it be the breath of no regrets.

Alison

When we are feeling stuck, or let down in our lives we may feel sad, powerless or angry. We may, without even realizing it, engage in certain behaviors in an attempt to deny or mask those feelings. Suddenly we may find ourselves believing nothing ever changes in our lives or that the world has left us behind. The truth is that our world is ever-changing, and change is happening now. Everyday our lives are draped in a colorful tapestry of streaming changes, many we don’t even notice. Try imagining you are looking at your world through the eyes of a child. The ”eyes of a child” is a fresh perspective, looking at the world as if  you are seeing and experiencing what’s around you for the very first time. Take a moment and re-explore your world from this perspective. What do you see? Is it different from how you have been viewing your world recently? Use all your senses as you re-explore your world, and just be where you are, let the idea of time float away and breathe in your aliveness. After you have settled in awhile, take a moment to ask yourself following questions:

• Are there any areas of your life out of alignment with your values or core beliefs?
• Is there anything you are longing for that you have been unconsciously ignoring?
• What would have to happen for you to know that you have strayed from your life’s path?
• What would have to happen for you to know that you have a problem that is keeping you from experiencing happiness or joy in your life?
• Are there any changes you would like to make in your life?

“If you don’t create change, change will create you”      -Unknown

It is important to know that people change in stages and that creating change in your life is a process. The following are the five stages of change:

1. Precontemplation – You are not really thinking about change, you are usually unaware, unwilling or uninterested in creating changing
2. Contemplation – You are beginning to consider making a change, you may be examining the pros and cons of making a particular change, perhaps weighing how much energy you would have to expend to take action.
3. Preparing – You may be still feeling some ambivalence about changing, perhaps you may be considering giving up a behavior you enjoy so despite the perceived gain there is also a sense of loss. At this point you may want to experiment with small changes that move you towards the change you are considering.
4. Action – At this point you take genuine and determined action to make the change a reality.
5. Maintenance – At this stage you are focused on maintaining your new behaviors over time, creating new patterns that will sustain the change you have made. It is helpful to develop healthy alternative behaviors to replace the old changed behavior.

Change knocks on the door of growth

Change is not always easy. In reality change can often be hard. Reaching out to others to support you in creating change in your life can help make it easier to achieve and maintain. And when you do make a change in your life don’t be surprised to find a ripple effect into other areas of your life or world.

It is through your capacity to create change in yourself that you create change in your world

Alison