2014: Making the Turn

I hope you had peaceful, enjoyable and fulfilling holiday season.

We have traveled through a year different than ever before. It was chaotic, contracted, full of change and uncertainty. Most of us had to let go of some entrenched part of ourselves. Maybe it was a job, a relationship, a career, or a loved one who passed. But, there were also exciting glimpses into new possibilities that rose from nowhere.

This next year we will begin to make the turn into clarity and expansion. Here are a few guideposts to help recognize and negotiate this essential turn in your own life:

There is no going back. What unfolded in 2013 was not temporary. It reflects a fundamental recalibration of who you are becoming. There may be a longing for the familiarity of what was, but growth and success will come from cultivating what now is.

Let go of the handlebars. It’s going to be a fast and furious ride. Time is shifting. Expect the unexpected. Allow intellect to yield to intuition in decision-making. Trust what is emerging and release expired beliefs, situations and people. Fly!

Fear might be a companion. Don’t make it a friend. It is only a trance created by shadows of the unknown. Let them become known. Fear’s grip will loosen as the past departs and you more fully inhabit a new reality.

Emotions will be on high alert. Emotional intelligence will be this year’s most valuable asset. It’s never been more important to be in touch with your feelings and honestly engage them. Understand and help others manage theirs. Share vulnerabilities.

Be gentle with yourself. Your body, mind and spirit will all be challenged. Disconnect from technology and culture. Spend time in nature. Eat healthy. This is a year that will require an elevated degree of self-nurturance to stay well, both mentally and physically.

Focus on what is right in your life. No matter what you are facing. That is the primary truth, the seed of opportunity. If you fertilize the good with gratitude, courage, wisdom, compassion, and forgiveness and take action, it will become your future.

Explore purpose and passion. They are the drivers towards happiness. Think for yourself. Do things you love. Find ways to be of service to others. Deep satisfaction will come from the remembering of your humanity. Inner awareness is the key.

Be present in every moment. Expand your field of vision. The world will have significantly shifted as 2014 concludes. You will look back at it with awe and wish you had paid more attention to all of it. New life is being birthed this year. Your life.

I look forward to sharing with you the next 365 days of our collective lives. And hope we spend some time together along the way.