It's the Baby Steps that Lead to the Big Leaps!

It's the end of January and still-- New Year's resolutions are a thing people do every year... or not. (Yes, even at the end of January!) Some people make resolutions and fully commit to them from day one to day 365. Others somewhat flippantly say they'll make an effort to fix or improve an area of their life, keeping the details quite vague. If that's you -- get specific with your details. Name it. See it happening as though it already is real. 

People who are goal-setting types plan their resolutions and map how they're going to stick to them throughout the year. Others, not so much. They count down to midnight, toast their friends, and just hope for a better year than the last. Or perhaps just go to sleep at 10pm and wake up to a new year, no biggie. I like to go into the new year in a different way, as I set goals and desires at different times all year long. (*By the way, I am purposely not going to address a massive national transition going on right now because I am focused here on the message being about YOU and the best ways you can still care for yourself despite these changes going on around us...)

Whatever type of personality you have, and whether you make resolutions or not, one good way to start a new year is by having a theme, an idea, or a word that will help shape your intentions for what you want to achieve and receive in the next year. This is something you can check in with all year long, and on every decision or moment of question, refer back to see if you're being true to your intention/theme.

As an example, let's say your theme is the intention to say "no" more often to taking on too much. You can keep this in mind during each new experience or whenever a question comes up. Refer back to it and ask yourself: "Will this help me with my desired theme for the year and how I want to feel? How will this help me feel better?" Try it!

This is a great way to feel aligned and to support your own development, physically and emotionally. A theme can help anyone! The new year comes during a time when it is dark and cold, during a time of hibernation. The real "New Year" in terms of feeling more awake and alive and ready to burst forth, is spring and then into summer. That's when we give birth to bounty. Right now in nature this is the period of rest, under damp soil. Things are messy and change is underground. Our bodies are cyclical, as is the earth. So a new year is great, but it's also okay if you're not feeling the new year enthusiasm. It's okay! I'm here to tell you it is. 

What's your theme or intention for the year ahead? Or even just the next month or six months? Sometimes it's better to break it into smaller chunks of time. I always say: "It's the baby steps that lead to the big leaps!"