By Nancy Rynes, author of Awakenings from the Light
2020 has been a rollercoaster of a year for me and my family, and I know I'm not alone in that. My blessings and love go out to all of you who have endured health challenges, hardship, loss, grief, fear, and uncertainty this past year.
It is finally time to say goodbye to 2020 and welcome in a new year. But instead of just partying this coming week, or watching sports, I encourage all of us to spend a few moments to bring awareness and intention to this yearly transition. I'd love it if you would join me in some intentional exercises to say goodbye to 2020 and start the new year off on a more positive footing.
Check out this video that I recorded just for you, then read on...
Leave It in the Past
Do you have some things that you would like to leave behind in 2020? Maybe you have beliefs that no longer serve you, or an unhealthy habit that you would like to leave in the past. If you have anything that you want to leave behind as we go forward into a new year, please do this exercise with me. (I suggest reading this section through completely before starting in on the actual exercise.)
Grab some sheets of paper. They can be any size, but the smaller the sheets that you have, the more of them you may need. You can do this exercise with a partner, with family, friends, or alone, but the more focus and intention you can bring to this entire exercise, the better.
Take some quiet time and think about all of the things you wish to leave behind as we transition to 2021. What burdens would you like Spirit to take from you? What beliefs about yourself or the world no longer serve you? Get real. Put it all out on paper. List out all of the things you want to release from your life or burdens that you want Spirit to handle. Here are a few examples to get your own thoughts in motion:
- I release my desire to stay attached to a job that drains me
- I release my need to fear my own success
- I release my fear of failure
- I release my need to seek approval from others
- I release my belief that I'm not good enough to have the career I desire
- I release my belief that I do not deserve a healthy relationship with my spouse
- I release my habit of speaking negatively of others
- I release my need to have partners who treat me poorly
There is no set limit on how big to make your list. Just keep writing until you feel you have addressed everything that is holding you back right now. Be absolutely sure that you are ready and willing to release everything you put on this list, though. And no worries if you forget something...you can do this exercise at any time during the upcoming year, too.
When finished, set your paper aside and take a break until tomorrow.
When you come back the next day, spend a few moments quietly reviewing what you you wrote. Is there anything else you want to release? If so, add it to your list now.
I want you to understand, deep in your being, that you absolutely have the ability to leave these things behind you and go forward in a new direction that is more in line with the life you wish to create. I want you to know that Spirit can and will help you do this. Know that you and Spirit together can make positive changes in your life.
Once you have reviewed your list and made any last minute additions, it is time to formally ask for Spirit's help to release these things on your list. (If you are working on this exercise alone, I suggest doing this part of the exercise aloud. If you are sharing this exercise with others, you may all choose to do the next step silently to yourselves. It is your choice. In the past when I have done this exercise with others, we pick one or two things each to share aloud, and the rest we handle privately with Spirit.)
While holding your list, say aloud: Spirit, I desire your help in going forward in a positive way in the new year. I ask for your guidance and help in releasing my desire to stay attached to a job that drains me. I ask for your guidance and help in releasing my need to fear my own success..." Keep going until you have addressed every item on your list.
End with, "Thank you, Spirit, for guiding me to my best life."
Once you have read every item aloud and asked for Spirit's guidance and help, it is time to destroy the paper(s) you wrote your items on. Tear the paper(s) up to complete the releasing. Bury the pieces of paper in your garden, or put them in the recycling bin. If you have a working fireplace or charcoal grill (or other safe place for a fire), you can burn the paper, but ONLY if you have a safe place to burn. If you do not have a safe place for a fire, choose the burial or recycling route instead, please.
The more focus and intention you can bring to this entire exercise, the better.
You're done. Now that you have taken your first step in releasing the burdens you no longer wish to carry, it's time to think about what you want to create for yourself in 2021.
A Positive Start to 2021
What would you like your life to look like in 2021 and beyond?
You can do a short term vision (for one year), then take a longer 5 or 10 year view. Go all out. Take as long as you need for this exercise, and feel free to create several drafts. You don't have to have it perfect, but while doing this exercise, it needs to feel real to you. Again, you can revise this vision for your life at any time. But as you write, try to envision and feel this life in your mind and heart. The more real you can make it feel for you, the better.
Cover your daily life, your mental and emotional states, your relationships, your health, where you live, what you do every day, and what brings meaning to the life you envision. If you have a career or volunteer position, describe it. Who is in your life? Do you have pets? Do you travel? Where? Describe your home, too.
Then take a few paragraphs to describe how you want our society to look and function in the future. Be as aspirational as you can. The more positive you can be, the better.
If your vision for your life and society is incredibly long and complex, that's OK. But I suggest also making a more succinct version that you can easily read in 5 to 10 minutes. Why? If it's shorter and more to the point, you are more likely to review it daily. If it's too long, reading it every day may begin to feel burdensome.
One gentle word of caution: be careful of your wording in this exercise, and make sure that what you *think* you want for your life is something you truly desire. In my experience, this exercise can be a powerful catalyst for positive change, but I suggest making sure that your wording is more specific and clear rather than ambiguous. As an example, if you would like to find a healthy, loving, romantic partner or spouse but you make too vague of a statement (such as "I desire a really great partner"), you might find yourself with a new dog or cat rather than a person :-) ) And while a pet may be a great addition to your life, it may not be what you really intended. So in the words of Dr. Suess, "Say what you mean and mean what you say."
When you feel you have a good draft on paper, set it in a place where you will have a chance to read it at least twice a day. I put mine in my kitchen's breakfast area as a visual prompt. Seeing it next to my place setting is a cue for me to read through it after each meal. You may choose to place it on your nightstand and review it when you awaken and before you sleep. You can also keep a digital version on your phone and set a reminder for yourself to read it a couple of times a day.
When you read it, it's important to try to both envision and feel your vision of the future. Again, make a point of deeply reading it while at the same time envisioning the life you wish to create. And at any time, feel free to change or update this vision as needed.
Stay tuned for the next step in welcoming in 2021 with awareness and intention. I'll have more ideas for you in about a week.
Until then, peace and love,
Nancy
Archive: Past Newsletter IssuesMessages of Hope with Suzanne Giesemann: Exploring NDEs with Nancy Rynes
TODAY Show: Nancy's Interview on NBC TV's TODAY
Article: Seven Lessons That Dying Taught Me About Truly Living (Aspire Magazine)
Article: Lives Changed by NDEs (Boulder Daily Camera)
Article: Awakening to Life(Pages 6-10, Journal of Exceptional Experiences and Psychology, Summer 2016)
Article: The Meaning of Life (Excellence Reporter)
Simply Peace Part 2
Downloadable, Audio-only versions of the webinar are available on my SoundCloud site: https://soundcloud.com/nancy-rynes
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