We Made IT Here! 2021 That Is, Now What?

Well, we made it... to 2021 that is. You see I have always celebrated the official start of the New Year on January 7th, for a couple of reasons, I like to joke it's because of Three Kings' Day. By my calendar, the holiday season technically ends on January 6th (you can look it up… I swear it follows a Christian feast day called Epiphany or Three Kings’ Day…thanks catholic school!) and is the last day of the year. I march to my own beat (and time I guess.). So if you follow my calendar, Thursday was the first day of 2021 (gasp!). I was itching to get to 2021. Ouch. Well, we are here, and now what?

On January 5th, I went to bed worried about Georgia. On January 6th, I went to bed worried about our entire country and quite frankly humanity. It was restless last night. Another sleepless night, just like many others I have experienced in 2020. Many of those nights I have been consumed by thoughts of inequality, injustice, entitlement, anxiety, sorrow, pain, and death. Really my list of worries could go on and on... I think you get the picture. Last Wednesday night was no different.

I have a bit of strategy when I experience sleeplessness. I get up. I walk around (some may call it pacing). I get a drink of water and I make a list. It is a two-column list. Column A is a list of "things" or conflicts of the day. Really it's a list of the "why's" I am not sleeping. It's the power struggle between my thoughts and my sleep. Sometimes it is really specific recalls of the day other times it's feelings or emotions that I just can't shake. Column B is a list of "things" I am grateful for. This column starts really specific, tangible or tactile, and evolves. 

Column A represents the past, something that is fixed (cannot be changed), and the future, is something that hasn't even happened yet (the unknown) getting them (my fears and anxiety) down on paper, helps me let them go. Column B is my happy place, what's right in front of me (ok not literally because it is usually a dark room but it's my present). Even when it is darkest before the dawn I can find hope in Column B, it settles me. 

After that exercise, I get back in bed. I start to feel a shift in the body! I am less tense and gradually my mind starts to settle too. Once I feel my body start to relax I add a sleep mantra. It is a meditation for a restful sleep. I repeat until I drift off. I'd be lying if it worked every time. Just being real here, but I have a pretty good streak going right now :). 

I have shared the sleep mantra meditation on my resources page, hopefully, it helps you too. If you have strategies for your restlessness I would love to hear them. What would be in your Column B?

In 2021 I hope you find peace, ease, and energy in the present moment, no matter what the past or future may be.

PS. Do you want to experience 2021 together? For the month of January, you can join me on the Yoga Kula, a monthly unlimited yoga community, for $50/month (automatically billed with the ability to cancel anytime)! Check out my 2021 class schedule and Kula details! All classes are being held via Zoom with Replays available. Don't worry if taking a yoga class online is new to you, I walk you through it step by step.

PSS. If you are interested in learning more about my virtual private session, corporate, and teams yoga programs, for 2021 feel to reach out.

A New Breath. A New Day. A New Page.

Sweet Honey, it’s here 2021! Can you believe it? I like to ease into my new year but this year was different, don’t you think? It was a pleasant surprise not to be inundated with a flood of emails from people, companies, products pressuring me to be “the best version of myself.” Somebody got the memo that everyone, I mean E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E is just trying to survive (literally and figuratively), so kudos to the marketers that weren’t shoving the new year self-help craze down our throats this year. Seriously, the lack of those emails and posts really, really made me happy!

As I mentioned, I like to ease into the new year. I am not one to have resolutions for the year to come. The first week of January I find a great time to reflect. My new year doesn’t start until January 7th. Yup, you heard me!

With January 6th comes the end of the holiday season. Yeah, you heard me... January 6th. I am not joking it’s called Epiphany or Three Kings’ Day…thanks catholic school! It's the day marked by the arrival of three kings. Those individuals, which offered gifts to baby Jesus. This isn't a religious post, I swear. I do appreciate the day though, in my own way, because it gives me space to emotionally, physically, and mentally digest the year. I don't find it very helpful, meaningful, or productive to try and frame the new year while there are still crumbs of the past lingering.

Yes, that’s right I ring in the year as we all do but I don’t make any plans or decisions until the dust has settled. In fact, I feel that I am only able to reflect on the previous year on January 2nd because on New Years Day we just relax! Our mantra for the day, “It’s time to let go.” Let go of the past because it’s done, it’s over and of anticipation of the future because… well you just don’t know what it holds.

And here’s the thing with every cycle of breath there is a new moment. Life is a series of moments and with each cycle of breath, you are in a new one that will never be repeated.

It’s like writing a book, each day is a blank page, imagine that in a given year you have the opportunity to write a 365-page book, the best book ever! Ok, well if you go by my calendar of the holiday season, which technically ends on January 6th you have 358 days to write your own story for 2021. Each day you flip a page and it’s a new start. For 2021 consider a new perspective in creating sustainable motivation. Set an intention, not a resolution!

One year, yes on January 1st, I did let go of setting resolutions and switched my focus to setting an intention. I felt, and still do, that when I set an intention not only am I setting myself up for success I also understand that there is a deeper meaning of what I am trying to cultivate in my life and how I want to live it. Setting an intention is unlike setting a resolution or a hard “I will do or not do X,” rule you are setting an intention on how you want to fill your page.  An intention is a quality or attribute you want to embody in your life with every breath you take and move you make.

An Intention is a clear and specific wish, or as simple as a word or phrase you’d like to align yourself with, like “open your mind and heart,” “love,” “softness,” “strength,” or  “compassion for myself and others.” Be sure to frame your intention to be a positive force or driver in your life. so instead of saying “stop being a coward,” or “spend less time alone,” choose the intentions, “be courageous” or simply, “community”.

Here are some guiding questions to help you frame an intention, ask yourself:

• What do you intend to create or cultivate in your life, for today and even for the coming week?

• What do you intend to create, accomplish, or change in the coming week? In the coming day?

• How do you want to show up in life?

• What are three things outside yourself that support your intention?

Your intention should be closely tied to your personal thoughts, values, and perspective on life. Setting clear, short-term intentions really helped to focus my energy, attention and alleviated a lot of stress and tension.

Listen to this guided meditation aimed at bringing clarity to how you want to live, how you want to show up in order to "write a book" you would be proud of in 2021. Have the courage to pivot away from resolutions and embrace setting an intention.

What story will you write in 2016?

Ahhh January. It snuck up on me. Maybe it was the weather… For me, the New Year doesn’t start until I am well into the first week of January. Yes, that’s right I ring in the year as we all do but I don’t make any plans or decisions until the dust has settled. In fact, I feel that I am only able to reflect on the previous year on January 2nd because on New Years Day we just relax! Some years, my family (husband and dog) will enjoy the day on our own other years we are sharing the day with loved ones. No matter the number or age of participants we set the tone as soon as we awake by staying in our PJs for as long as possible! Our mantra for the day, “Its time to let go.” Let go of the past because it’s done, it’s over and of anticipation of the future because… well you just don’t know what it holds.

And here’s the thing with every cycle of breath there is a new moment. Life is a series of moments and each cycle of breath you are in a new one that will never be repeated. It’s like writing a book, each day is a blank page, imagine that in a given year you have the opportunity to write 365-page book, the best book ever! Ok, well if you go by my calendar of the holiday season, which technically ends on January 6th (you can look it up… I swear it follows a Christian feast day called Epiphany or Three Kings’ Day…thanks catholic school!), you have 359 days to write your own story for 2016. Each day you flip a page and it’s a new start. For 2016 consider a new perspective in creating sustainable motivation. Set an intention, not a resolution!

One year, yes on January 1st, I did let go of setting resolutions and switched my focus to setting an intention. I felt, and still do, that when I set an intention not only am I setting myself up for success I also understand that there is a deeper meaning of what I am trying to cultivate in my life and how I want to live it. Setting an intention is unlike setting a resolution or a hard “I will do or not do X,” rule you are setting an intention on how you want to fill your page.  An intention is a quality or attribute you want to embody in your life with every breath you take and move you make.

An Intention is a clear and specific wish, or as simple as a word or phrase you’d like to align yourself with, like “open your mind and heart,” “love,” “softness,” “strength,” or  “compassion for myself and others.” Be sure to frame your intention to be a positive force or driver in your life. so instead of saying “stop being a coward,” or “spend less time alone,” choose the intentions, “be courageous” or simply, “community”.

Here are some guiding questions to help you frame an intention, ask yourself:

• What do you intend to create or cultivate in your life, for today and even for the coming week?

• What do you intend to create, accomplish, or change in the coming week? In the coming day?

• How do you want to show up in life?

• What are three things outside yourself that support your intention?

Your intention should be closely tied to your personal thoughts, values and perspective on life. Setting clear, short-term intentions really helped to focus my energy, attention and alleviated a lot of stress and tension.

Listen to this guided meditation aimed at bringing clarity to how you want to live, how you want to show up in order to "write a book" you would be proud of in 2016. Have the courage to pivot away from resolutions and embrace setting an intention.