And, while we are at it, let’s redefine what success is.
The Gregorian New Year has come and gone, and we now find ourselves launched into 2023 as we begin this second week of January. Many of us have made our resolutions and are working with the energy of fresh beginnings in order to change our lives in beneficial ways, for both ourselves and others. This is always a noble thing to do. However, it remains the dead of winter (for those of us here in the northern hemisphere). So remember to be gentle with yourself, because now is not the ideal time to be starting new cycles, or planting seeds.
Cosmologically speaking, especially with last Friday’s full moon in Cancer, now is a time to continue to let go and release all that does not serve us. We can do this by feeling all of our emotions, crying and letting go of the past. My heart has been feeling very heavy of late and so I have been using media, such as international movies about love and relationships that I find on Netflix — like, “Toscana” a Danish and Italian film, “Beyond the Universe” a Brazilian love story, or “After Life” a British dramedy by Ricky Gervais — to help me access my emotions.
Once my feelings are tapped, I usually discover that I can go for long walks and still feel my sadness as I allow my tears to dampen my face. Sometimes, my emotional pain can feel so deep and overwhelming that I will beg my angels and spirit guides to help me on this arduous path of being a lone Mother to a young child who are struggling to find their village in this post-Covid world.
With the Lunar New Year nipping at our heels — we emerge from the year of the Tiger and into the year of the Rabbit on January 22nd — let us take these next two weeks to go deeply inward, touch the grief inside of us where all that hasn’t been working resides so that we can gain clarity on what we need to do in order to confidently stride into the future that we each dream of, for ourselves, each other and our planet.
This is how we begin to embody the first step on our path towards personal success:
1.) Follow Your Heart.
Quiet the noise around you. Turn off the media. Stop scrolling. Take this moment, right now, to cross your hands over your heart, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. You can do this in your car, or while cooking in the kitchen. You can do this with your kids and before bed at night.
Inhale deeply through your nose and out through your mouth. Sit up straight; extend through your spine; open your chest and pull your shoulders back. Be in competition with no one but yourself — how long can you extend your inhalation and exhalation?
Listen.
And feel your heart beating.
How does your heart feel — content, or sad? Anxious, or at ease?
What does your heart need? More affection and loving kindness? More focus to manifest its deepest desires? What are its deepest desires?
What does your heart have to say? Does it need more art, poetry, music, dance and joy in its life? Does it need more people, relationships, caring, and attention? Only You know.
This is how we practice both vulnerability and radical honesty. Keep coming back to this place until you see a clear vision of what you truly need and want. Then, your next step is to share with another, or others, what is true for your own heart.
2.) Hone Your Intuition
As you keep coming back to your heart, your breath and your body, you will begin to develop more awareness of our world around you. Pay attention. What do you notice? What animals and plants do you notice around you as you go about your day? What songs come through the airwaves? What numbers show up repeatedly? Who is in your life and what do they have to say? What dreams do you wake up from in the morning?
There are no accidents here. Everything in your life is happening for you, so pay attention and take heed. As you remember how to listen, what becomes clear is that there is a greater force at play than our mere individual will. I, personally, call it ‘the Universe.’ Some call it ‘God,’ others ‘Love.’
Whatever its name, I have found greater peace and purpose in my life by knowing that I am not in charge here. Rather, I believe, all we can do is set intentions for where and how we want our life to proceed. Then, we do our best to live in integrity with what we have found is true for our own unique heart.
If we remember how to listen to all of the signs and messages along the way, then we can feel a little less alone, a lot more supported and steadfastly on our journey of successfully embodying who we each were made to be.
This is how we come to develop greater emotional intelligence for ourselves as well.
3.) Know Your Values & Your “Why”
What do you value? Someday (all too) soon, you will find yourself at the end of your life. On your death bed, what regrets do you not want to have? And, what do you want to feel proud about having accomplished?
Will it really be that stock and bond portfolio that you scrupulously gathered? Or, will it be the loving relationships that you nurtured along the way and the legacy of how you made people feel that you are leaving behind?
As well, why are you fundamentally here — in human form on planet Earth at this specific moment in time? I don’t believe that it’s random. You came here for a purpose. I believe that our purpose is to grow and evolve these Souls that we are each carrying. How do we do this though? (Return to step #1.)
By practicing these three steps — over and over again — you will come to feel more and more comfortable in your own skin.
Although there are almost 8 billion of us on the planet right now and we are more alike than we are different, there is no one else like YOU on Planet Earth.
Being the brightest, best YOU is the greatest success there ever was.
Maybe YOU shining looks like singing a song while playing a guitar for the group of developmentally different students in your classroom. Maybe YOU embodying success looks like coming back to your soft heart, over and over again, even when you have been traumatized and hurt and you want to lash out in response. Maybe YOU thriving is as simple as picking up other people’s trash off of the ground and offering the change in your pocket to the beggar on the street without complaint and with gratitude in your heart for the mere fact that you get to do these things with ease.
Whatever the case, may 2023 be Your Year to Successfully Bee You.
Hop into your success quickly by jumping into our LUNAR NEW YEAR DANCE & EMBODIMENT ONLINE EXPERIENCE & CELEBRATION on SUNDAY, JAN 22, 5:30PM PST. (Click link for more info)
a FREE event via ZOOM led by me — click here to join.
Meeting ID: 886 5411 8232 Passcode: 039225