Are you hard on yourself? Do you engage in negative self-talk about the things you didn’t do or should have done or won’t ever get to? If so, it’s a good time to engage in some self-compassion. You probably are more compassionate with your family, friends, colleagues, and even strangers. Do you extend that same graciousness to yourself?

This month I began taking a mindfulness training course. I’m enjoying the mindfulness meditation practice along with journaling and experimenting other ways of living more mindfully. So much of what I’m learning resonates with how I have always lived. Yet with this training, I’m learning new tools and ways to connect the learning to a fuller daily living experience.

Some of the mindfulness practice centers around focusing on your breath. By developing an awareness of the breath, the inhale and exhale or the expansion and the contraction of the body, you can quiet the mind, become more relaxed, less stressed, and gain better physical and mental clarity.

As I worked on the “Breath Awareness” practice this week, there was one particular passage of the guided meditation, led by Laurence Magro, psychotherapist and mindfulness educator, which I found particularly beautiful. It also connected to this month’s fresh start theme. She said that . . .

“The breath serving as an anchor, an anchor to the present moment. Knowing that you can always start over, coming back to the breath to refocus your attention on the present moment. Being willing to begin again with patience and kindness towards yourself.”

 - Laurence Magro, MBA, MS, LMHC

Are you in need of a compassionate fresh start? Could you use a boost, an anchor, some words of encouragement, or some self-compassion to engage in a do-over? Consider using your breath to refocus on this moment. Let go of the shoulds. Ground yourself in the here and now. Expand from there.

What are you experiencing right now? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation.

Three very wise words culminate with New Year’s Eve’s countdown. They provide inspiration for getting the most out of the clean slate that a new year offers. They can work their magic to energize your fresh start. After all, with a new year come opportunities to begin again, to reset, to dream bigger, and move forward. What are the three words? 

Watch the short video to find out!

 "3 Words" video

HAPPY

Take a moment for a mindset check. Where are you? Are you feeling that it’s all doom and gloom? Or are you feeling that possibilities abound? Are you willing to look at your shortcomings and failures as opportunities for growth? The attitude that we bring with us through the good times and bad, is what makes the difference. If you need help enhancing some positivity, read The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor. His seven principles show you how to make happiness drive your success. It all starts with your attitude. Adopt some happy today.

NEW

Can you feel the excitement of doing or trying something new? I love learning, exploring new places and meeting new people. Stepping towards something different can energize us in ways we never expected. It can open new paths of exploration and thinking. Are you going to try something new this year? I just enrolled in a mindfulness training class. I’m so excited to explore more deeply a topic that I’ve been interested in for a long while. I’m open to learning and seeing where this might take me. What will be new for you this year?

YEAR

One of the beautiful aspects about this time of year is that we get to push that reset button. We have a whole new year with 365 days to explore. What is important to you? Perspective and patience is everything. Change isn’t instant and reaching your goals won’t be either. You have time to pursue them at a reasonable pace. Small changes made regularly, one day at a time, one decision at a time, will add up to success in the course of one year. What will you commit to now? What will you work towards? You can make a difference in one year’s time. 

No matter where you are or what has happened in the first few days of this New Year, take a moment to use these three gifts: Happy…New…Year. Locate, reflect, and plan for an outstanding year ahead. There will be bumps and glitches and unanticipated snags. There will also be amazing days of insight, growth and success. Find your bearings and forge forth with energy and determination. Where are you headed? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation!

There’s nothing quite like starting a new journal. There’s promise in those blank pages. There’s history and adventure yet to be written and experienced. It’s interesting too that in a new journal no previous pages exist. So, there is no past immediately accessible to revisit and reflect on.

The idea of a clean slates and fresh starts are truly apt with beginning a new journal. There is no clutter or distraction. The focus is on the present- the beautiful, treasured here and now.

I’ve been keeping a journal for 45 years. And as you can imagine over the decades, I’ve filled many books. Beginnings and endings are interesting. There’s sometimes a feeling of sadness or loss as I fill the last page of my journal. It’s provided me with comfort, strength and perspective for a long while. Then it’s time to end that chapter, let go, and begin a new one.

Recently, that time arrived. One journal was completed. My new one was ready to receive. As I opened it up to write my first entry, it wasn’t sadness that I felt. Instead, I felt anticipation and hope for the moment I was in and for all the moments yet to be added. For me, blank provided focus, hope, adventure, and understanding.

I was away in St. Louis for an ICD Board meeting. When I left New York, the landscape was bare. When I returned after storm Jonas, there was a fresh layer of beautiful, white snow covering everything. Winter had finally arrived!

There was a connection between these two blank canvases- my new journal and the white landscape. They provided exactly the type of quiet I needed and craved to reflect, reset, and embrace the fresh start that was there for me.

Blank can show up in many ways. What have you noticed? What can blank do for you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation.

Have you experienced the surge of energy you feel after you’ve cleared? The cleared I’m referring to comes in many forms from spaces to thoughts to time. There’s a feeling of lightness, as if we've dropped pounds. There’s a lightness of spirit with a dab of euphoria. When we’re weighted down by our “stuff,” our thoughts and being becomes sluggish. Clearing, decluttering, reducing, editing, and lightening, often bring about a positive, happy feeling.

What can you do with that lightness? That feeling can be accompanied by clarity of thought, openness for opportunities, ability to stretch towards new goals, and desire to embrace a fresh start.

I have three simple experiences to share that connect with this idea. I’d love to hear about your experiences too.

Year End Clearing

At the end of each calendar year, I go through our financial files and remove the receipts and bank statements from my filing cabinet, organize them into oversized, labeled envelopes, and put them into a labeled storage box. By the end of the year, these receipts and statements take up a lot of real estate in my file drawer. It always feels great to remove them in order to make room for the current year.

This year, after I ousted the files, I took a few minutes to appreciate and acknowledge the cleared space. My file drawer was no longer crammed and I could easily access the remaining files. I felt freer and both physically and mentally ready to handle the current year.

Card Clearing

In that same drawer was a file that held cards and notes I’d received from family and friends. The easy access file is the temporary holding spot until it becomes too full. When it does, I get out the step ladder and transfer the cards into one of three purple “card” boxes stored in a nearby closet. When I pulled out the boxes, I discovered they were full.

Instead of buying more boxes I decided to keep only as many cards as the boxes would hold. It meant I needed to do some editing, which I did. Then I organized the boxes by category – one for my husband’s cards, one for our daughters, and one from everyone else.

My drawer was lighter, my boxes were clearer, and I felt grateful and happy rereading these beautiful messages from my loved ones.

Mind Clearing

Later this week, I’ll be traveling to St. Louis for an ICD Board meeting. One of my favorite parts of traveling is the airplane time. I’ve written about this often and it’s worth mentioning again. My “air” time is for clearing my thoughts. I think, read, and write without any distractions or interruptions. I’m looking forward to the energy boost and clarity that will result. I’ll go forward with a renewed outlook and openness to ideas and possibilities. It works every time.

What have you cleared? What have you noticed as a result? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation.