KEY: What Are You Building This Year?

KEY:

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* If you chose Image 1…

You are creating BEAUTY this year.

Whether you want to experience more light and beauty in your career, in your relationships, in your body or in the world around you, open your heart to the beauty that is already surrounding you this year.

How do we open ourselves up to beauty? In order to experience the beautiful sights, emotions and sounds in the world, it is required of us to have our eyes, hearts and ears open. This means that we will also have to experience some unpleasant or uncomfortable sights, emotions and sounds as well. You may have been closing yourself off to the bad (understandably) in a way that has also shut you off to the beautiful.

Try this. Everyday, practice feeling. The easiest way to do this is to notice the sensations of your body with a neutral eye. Do a scan right now of your entire body. Write down at least two sensations you notice. Sensations include observations like warm/cool, tight/relaxed, tingly/static, sharp/soft, etc. Try to use one or two sensation words above with the place in the body– for example, warm tingling in my hands.

 

*If you chose Image 2…

You are creating STRENGTH this year.

If you want to become stronger and more powerful, you have to look at where your resources are going. Human life is very efficient. We are only given as much energy as we need to get to where we want. If you are investing your energy in habits, relationships and thoughts that drain this precious energy, you will not be able to grow more powerful.

Whenever you have a burst of energy or motivation, it must go toward what you are building. Likewise, outlets which suck your energy must be eliminated if you are to make real progress.

Try this. Take a look inside your mind. Break down your thoughts into the 5 largest categories– the five things most on your mind. Then assign each a percentage. All 5 topics should add up to 100%. What percentage of it is negative? Positive? Neutral? Now draw a circle (representing your mind). Fill this circle with the topics you would most like to occupy the space of your mind.

 

*If you chose Image 3…

You are creating KINDNESS this year.

There is too little kindness in the world. To be kind is to share the good and warmth of your being with others and to protect what is good in the world. With so much war and suffering around us, you’ve got to be courageous and very grounded to not get swept away by it sometimes.

Ground yourself in the paramount qualities of humanity. Focus on your compassion, humor, courage. Learn to regularly acknowledge, feel, accept and appreciate these qualities in yourself and watch your capacity to be kind in the face of adversity soar.

Try this. Ask at least 3 of your most trusted allies to provide you with two qualities they most admire and appreciate about you. Write each individual quality on a tiny scrap of paper. Choose one out of a bowl to give a theme and a practice to your day, your week or your month. Catch this part of yourself in action. Practice strengthening it through small actions.

 

*If you chose Image 4…

You are creating VICTORY this year.

To accomplish success and win in the areas you wish to, you need to work seriously hard. But you also need rest. And you need to play too, because being too serious never helped anyone win.  But you also need to experience meaningful accomplishments along the way, not just a joy ride. Oh my, that’s alot.

So, actually, to achieve victory, what you really need is balance.

Try this. Every evening before bed, get in the habit of looking back at your day and how it went. Were you missing self-care? Were you missing productivity and intense focus upon your goals? Were you missing quality time with a loved one? Whatever is needed, be sure to prioritize it the following day. Then again, in the evening, you may find your needs change. And in this way, you will achieve the balance required for success- one day at a time.

 

*If you chose Image 5…

You are creating LUMINOSITY this year.

To be luminous is to attract good things and good people into your life. If you want to be like light, you need to lighten up. Often, we take ourselves, our jobs, our futures and our thoughts way too seriously.

Try this. To bring a sense of playfulness and humor into an area that is particularly challenging for you these days, make a game of it. Every time the pressure thickens, say in your best narrator voice, “Will our hero make it through this quarter? Tune in next week to find out.” Try to see how many people you can make smile during rush hour. For every negative thought you have about a relationship, flip it and find something positive (and genuine) to say about that same issue. And remember to laugh at your mistakes and your pitfalls, like when everyone in the restaurant cheers for the server who drops a plate.