Making a List, Checking it Twice…

Can you believe we are now in December, the last month of the year? So much is happening in our world, and we are only a few weeks away from finishing off the holiday season and opening up a new year with hope and good intentions. Wow! There is so much to reflect on and be grateful for and so much to look forward to, don’t you think?

I suggest that we each grab a sheet of paper and label one side as 2023 and the other as 2024. On the side that looks at 2023, write on each line things that you are grateful for and things that you achieved during this year. Be honest with yourself so that you can feel the growth and joy of your hard work and struggles that led you to take another step forward toward your compassionate self. Think for a moment of some of the sadness and hardships that you experienced in 2023. Reflect on these times and tears, and write the insight that you have gained from what you have learned or the message that you finally understood. Be sure all the lines of the page are filled.

Now for the reverse side of the paper: let it be blank for a day or two, with only the year boldly on the top of the page. Take time before you go to bed for a few days and think about the future 365 days ahead of you. Think about how you want to go through 2024, each time, and how you want to feel your compassion and kindness towards yourself. How do you want to see yourself grow, change, and manifest the knowledge of self-compassion and breathe life into your soul from morning to night, each day in your waking future? How do you see your self-care, health, wellness, and your attention to your body, mind, and spirit? After a few days of thought, write your ideas on the 2024 side (you may only have a few to start) and give yourself acknowledgement for taking time to plan for yourself.

This will be the beginning of your new year! This is a piece of paper, with your intention, focus, and commitment to yourself, will make a difference going forward. And you wrote it, so you can check it going forward into the days of the New Year! It is worth the effort for your growth, sense of purpose, and, ultimately, fulfillment.

Wishing you health and wellness as we end the year 2023, and happiness and peace as we enter 2024!
Namaste/ Aloha

Santa J.Crisall
December, 2024