Allow the wonders of your year to slowly evolve
image @eberhardgross
There is a natural tendency towards a great sense of pressure right now, a pressure to dive straight into a New Year. This is a feeling that has long been taught. The feeling that one needs to go all in, be revved up and ready to go. Although there can often be something refreshing about the New Year and all the great plans and ideas of yours or of others you have seen, there often lacks the actual energy or inspiration to back this up and, in amongst the New Year energy, amongst all this expectation both from society and from yourself, this can leave us feeling pretty disheartened and flat. There can be a big mismatch between the big ideas and visions and the actual reality of how we are feeling.
To me, it feels like you have turned up to a big race, ran to the start line and they’ve started shouting “Ready, Steady….” and yet, although you are here, on the start line, you’ve still got your backpack on, you haven't put your trainers on and you haven't even had a single sip of water. If you start this race when they yell “Go!”, I don’t think it’ll be your best race yet. This is how I feel about January.
The general consensus out there is throwing us into something we are not quite ready for and is underestimating how the change of one year to the next can feel like quite a major transition.
New beginnings by their very nature also involve an ending and this can often feel quite heavy and daunting, loaded with change and expectations and therefore quite stressful.
If looking at this time of year as more of a transition, I think it can be helpful to pause for a moment or two before jumping into the newness and gift yourself some time to reflect on the months before, on all that has happened and all that has been felt. For example, you may want to have a think and journal about “what are you proud of from yourself from the last year?” “What made you feel joy?” “What made you feel more and less like yourself?”
A beautiful question someone asked me recently was ‘is there anything from last year or before that is preventing me from being at peace?’
Perhaps there's still things to think through, things to complete, mentally and physically, things that still need to be processed or that require acceptance. Clearing some of the fog that is still likely there from the year before. Spending some time on this will hopefully bring you closer to that peaceful state, a state which is much more prepared to allow in any newness.
This can be enough of a process in itself but you may find this naturally makes things a little clearer as to what you may wish to add in or adjust in the months ahead. Your whole world and being does not need to change and whatever things that do excite you and you feel will nourish you going forward, there is simply no rush for them.
There is no need to jump into action right now, there are many a good reason as to why you might not be ready and do not worry, you will not be left behind. But you can find some space to plant some seeds so that when you begin to feel the readiness arrive, you have gently helped yourself to flourish. Remember, expansion has no set speed.
Also, it’s a good time to simply give yourself a little reset. Firstly, go back to basics. Are you getting enough sleep? Are you eating nourishing foods? Are you drinking water? Is anything causing you too much stress? Is there some joy in your days? This can be a useful way of checking your key needs are being met which will then allow the space for new layers of goodness to be added in and gives you the space to be able to embrace all that is to come.
Remember, we are still in the midst of winter. Flow with nature. Many a seed or tiny action can be happening and nurtured now but the time to be flourishing will most likely come a lot later. Take your time. Allow the wonders of your year to slowly evolve.
Perhaps it's a good time to focus on the spaciousness that a lot of endings can provide and the fact that beginnings can often sprinkle this very spaciousness with some freshness and a touch of magic if we allow them. A breath of fresh air. And, although we sometimes feel we need to dig deep and take a deep breath when on the precipice of new beginnings, remember this deep breath will be full of beautiful fresh air. So for now, just breathe it all in and welcome yourself to a slow and gentle unfolding of your year.
