Mindfulness Blog: "Being" the New Year

2023 has rolled in and with it comes strident messages prodding us toward goals for a "new year and a new and improved you!" My gentle reminder, it is 100% OK to ease into a new year, no matter what anyone else may be doing. No matter when you celebrate the new year, your unique pace, slow or fast, small or large, imperfect or structured, is completely fine.

Perhaps you are feeling a new sense of energy for a goal or project - hurray! Go with that.

Perhaps you are feeling less motivated or unhurried - fantastic! Honor that.

Maybe your current rhythm feels strong and steady.

Maybe your current rhythm feels gentle and mercurial.

Whatever your current state, honor this. Trust that all of your parts, the healed, the unhealed, the emerging, the integrated, the joyful, the sorrowful, the numb, the curious, the determined, the creative, the fearful and unfocused are there as teachers, helpers and guides. Lean into acceptance that you are on a path - *your* path that is aligning as it should. Your gifts and talents will not rust. Your opportunities will meet you as they were intended. No need to compare or swear. I hope you will trust a tiny bit more that you don't need to rush, or push, or control, or compete, or shame yourself, or judge your beautiful mind, body or spirit. You can trust the current amount of wind under your wings. By doing so, you need not take the wind from anyone else's wings whose energy may be soaring differently than your own.

Here is a lovely realization I have come into: Our "new year" can happen at any point, in any month, and all along your/my journey - even moment to moment. Trust the ebb and flow of yourself.

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I woke up this morning feeling a bit grumpy and unmotivated about a few tasks that I have on my "to do" list. I scheduled out a couple of days this week to focus on these tasks. But, it is drizzly and cold in Southern California this morning, a big rain storm is approaching, my favorite cozy weather. I slept in a bit, stretched on my mat, played "string" with my kitty Stanley who always makes me laugh. Then I looked at my list again, sighed, and relaxed into accepting my pace and energy this morning. I made a cup of hot coco (not my usual green tea), looked at nature in my garden, felt an inner shift to take a short walk in the crisp weather, then shifted from there into writing this article.

I am noticing as I am writing that my energy is warmed up and I look forward to tackling one of the less "fun" things on my list. This "looking forward feeling" feels like a gift for honoring my pace. I may not get everything checked off today, in fact, I am certain I will not. There was a time in my life that this would have created inner turmoil for me. These days, I do my imperfect best to notice what is arising (the "shoulds"), and then give those parts that feel uneasy, and pressured, and self critical, and worried a loving reminder that "we" are doing just what we are meant to be doing today, in this moment.

2023 has arrived. Listservs will swirl with questions, debates, requests, ideas, information, and the like. Emails, invitations and obligations will continue to pour in. Responsibilities will be ever present via message, texts and calls. Social media will continue its relentless beat of arguments, opinions and offerings. Our devices will deliver a steady infusion of good news and shitty news.

And here we still are, moving along on this spinning globe. Yet, in this moment, I can be present to me, for me. Push the pause button. Breathe. Mindful presence.

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Clearly there are days where each of us have responsibilities that cannot be pushed to the side. Childcare, health challenges, supporting loved ones, doctor appointments, professional engagements, or personal commitments. If my energy feels slower on busy days like these, I can lovingly remind myself that I can draw from the reservoir of energy that I gifted myself on the rare days where I did not have as many must do commitments. Days like today. Yet, I have also learned that even on those busy days, it is still OK to show up with 75% if that's what you/I have for people, places and things. Maybe tomorrow will be a 100 percent day, or maybe it will be a 25 percent day. Here's another fun realization: Sometimes my most loving, creative, brilliant, and supportive moments come out of my 25% days. Have you noticed this in your journey as well?

Can you give yourself a compassionate permission slip to honor what internal resources you have available each day, each moment, by practicing gentle acceptance? Can this be enough? It takes practice. As a lifelong work in progress, I am still practicing.

The Dalai Lama said, 'We are meant to be human beings not human doings'. I have always loved that wise quote. I would add: not humans debating, not humans grasping, not humans hurtling, not humans competing, not humans fighting. Human beings, being. Christian scriptures, as well as other faith teachings, discuss the wisdom of practicing stillness and meditation, of simply being...

Being...in the moment.
Being...intentionally present.
Being...compassionate to myself and others.
Being...the change I wish to see in the world.
Being...patient with my parts.
Being...

How will you "be" today?

🦋
Mari

Message from Mari…

Welcome! I support therapists, coaches and healers reach their professional goals and business visions. I am here to help you create a practice with diverse income streams that are profitable, interesting, joyful and fun! You are welcome to read what other colleagues have kindly shared about my support here. If you’d like to schedule time together, you may do so here.

Warmly,
Mari