Every January 1st for the past several years I’ve attended an event that is designed to start the year off with intention. We begin by looking at the past year’s blessings and the things we’d like to release. From there we contemplate the year ahead and choose a word or theme for the year. Why not try this for yourself?
Start by listing the blessings you received in 2011, those you worked and planned for as well as those things that were unexpected joys. There will likely be tangible and intangible items on your list. What dark cloud turned into bright sunshine for you? Perhaps a job loss motivated you to go back to school to pursue your dream. Maybe someone from your past resurfaced, evoking happy memories and the feeling of youth once again. Did you experience a physical or emotional healing?
Once you’ve made headway on that list, write down the disappointments, frustrations, unrealized plans, and other things you want to let go of. This category includes strained relationships that didn’t resolve, financial challenges, health issues, and losses. To help release these things, you can burn the list you’ve made or write the items on balloons and pop them. Don’t get lost in this list; the idea is to let it go.
Finally, consider what you’d like to be, do and receive in 2012. Is there a word or theme that captures this for you? In the past, my words were joy and forgiveness, and my theme for 2012 is love. Yours might be freedom, clarity, purpose, courage, or enthusiasm. Ideally it will come from your heart rather than your head.
As you move into 2012, take your theme with you. Post it, meditate on it, and look for it. Expect it to surface and do your best to be it. As Gandhi put it: be the change you want to see.