A New Year: Powered by YOU
They come in all shapes, colors and sizes. Strung into bracelets, dangling from necklaces, printed on t-shirts, etched onto coffee mugs, magnets and canvas prints. Perhaps they're stacked in books next to your bed, posted next to your computer or stuck to your bathroom mirror. They're a constant current through your news feed and occasionally shared by a loving friend. Intentions. Motivation. Mantras. Oh my.
If I had every bracelet that's spoken to me, my wrists would be dragging on the floor. If I stuff any more memorable quotes into my notebook I'll require a filing system. If I have anymore cute signs, I'll have a room of swirling words to rival any art museum display—imagine Alice in Wonderland tumbling into the rabbit hole! With a new year on the horizon, I'm wondering at what point do we stop relying on the crutch of external enlightenment, take action and just start living?!
Many years ago, I had broken off an engagement. On what would've been our wedding day, I was exploring a new town with friends. We had shopped all day and were sitting at a bar when I realized, this was almost the day my life would've gone a totally different direction. We pondered the sobering reality of how the trajectory of life can shift with one decision. With the realization that I had new shoes on that night, we toasted to 'all good things in new shoes!' The possibilities were again wide open, the unknown was scary, and exciting. We concluded that night—you can always choose to take a new step, it's just a little easier and a lot more fun in new shoes! This was pre-yoga, pre-power beads, pre-go get 'em girl quotes. Just a gut instinct, action and a good old-fashioned life lesson.
While I wholeheartedly believe that manifesting intentions, in any format, serves an important purpose in helping us focus when needed (much like a light guiding us through a dark tunnel) I think we need to get really clear on what it means to act in the direction of our attention. You have to step on the gas or you'll never get through that tunnel! If we read motivational books every night or glance at our favorite quote each day, we must also be sure we're saying YES to a new opportunity, to a spontaneous invitation, to the urge to do something different, to the nudge to create. We must say YES, even when we feel nervous, intimidated or scared...who ME? I can't do that! That's your moment...that's where we take the baby steps forward, where we stop depending on the shield of good intentions to magically ignite us and we light the match for ourselves, propelling ourselves forward, towards the object of our deepest desires. Here's to all good things in new shoes, happy new year to YOU!
