For me walking, running and hiking are my church, my meditation, my stress relief and my time for reflection. Exercise is the most effective hard drive (aka: BRAIN) reboot-er around. I get my best ideas, greatest attitude adjustments and some of my calmest, happiest moments in the quiet of the flow of movement.
The other day, on my walk, I was reflecting on the past year, 2013. Each year I give out Louise Hay I Can Do It 365 Daily Affirmation calendars and on December 31st it said, ” I bless this past year with love. I am grateful for all that I have experienced and learned. I release the past. Tomorrow begins a new adventure, and I look forward to it eagerly.” I love this and it made me think about all that I have learned this past year. I love the new year and focusing forward on all that I want to do, change, grow, learn, create, expand, and be grateful for but I love the idea of looking back on what great lessons I learned from the 365 days that came before. When we can look back and claim how we have grown and changed from the events that took place, we can smile from the good memories and find meaning in the challenging times. So, as I walked behind my neighborhood, on the wide open quiet streets of the Templeton countryside, I thought about all that I learned.
10 Things I’ve Learned This Year, plus a Bonus…
- I learned that change is uncomfortable and to truly change and grow into our greatest self and live our best life you have to step through some discomfort to the other side. It is often a place that we bump up against and turn back from the fear but when we pass through we grow, learn, expand and step into the next level of our highest self. But wowzie is it scary. I see this all the time in my work. People want something but they get to this place of discomfort and either step through, which takes huge amounts of courage, or they turn back and stay where they are. Know that if you are uncomfortable when you are trying to change, you are truly changing. Keep going, it gets easier.
- I learned that self-care is a constant balance and a process that is never-ending. It is a constant weighing and measuring, of stretching and saying yes or no, of checking in with our quiet selves to see what will best serve us in that moment. Sometimes self-care for me is taking care of someone else first and sometimes it is the difficult decision of saying “I can’t”, sitting with the discomfort but knowing that any other choice would be the wrong one. 2014 will bring me more opportunities to practice this as I have more to learn.
- I learned that giving to others and loving those around me is my greatest joy! It fills me up like nothing else. This is why I am here on this planet I am sure.
- I learned that I must have space in my day, week, month and year. My body will no longer tolerate a jam-packed schedule and I get reminders when I slip and forget to create space. Even if it is 30 minutes a day.
- I learned that the things I used to think of as things I should squeeze in between my “real” activities are actually the things that I want to be my main activities. I love to fix up my home (which is my nest, sacred space and one of my favorite places to be), bake on a Saturday morning, take a long hike, learn and grow my business and get my cozies on, pop some popcorn and watch a movie. I used to think that I should be doing more exciting things but when I finally allowed myself to just own that these things are my joy (in this time), I felt free and enjoyed them even more.
- I learned that so often my girls just need me to listen and not give them grand advice. I heard that kids (well, all of us) just want their feelings to be mirrored, then to be validated and finally to be given empathy. This to me was the greatest advice and in our most challenging moments if I can remember this, it works like a charm. I can feel their little bodies just relax and feel heard, understood and ok for what they feel. WOW!
- I learned that gratitude is the key to happiness. I have always been a grateful person. Since I was as little as I can remember, it was the littlest things that made me so happy. I remember feeling so grateful and full. But last year is the year that I realized that it is in gratitude that I am the most joyful and when we are in gratitude we are connected to God/Universe/Love/Whatever. Ahhhhhh… the best!
- I learned that happiness is just a thought away. I have always known this but this too was illuminated this past year. It is not our circumstances that create our deepest joy, it is our attitude. And the great thing about this truth is that we can always change our attitude, even when we can’t change our circumstances. That is pretty powerful. So in other words, no matter what happens in our lives, if we are grateful and keep a positive attitude, we can feel joy.
- I learned that the things that challenge us (whether it be our health, people in our lives, situations in our lives) are the very blessings that push us into places that make us grow and learn and if we didn’t experience these challenges then we probably would not have had the courage to change on our own. So the things that push us to our edge can be (if we chose to listen) the greatest catalysts for change in our lives.
- I learned that hiring a business coach was the best thing I could have ever done for my business and my personal life. Thank you Blaze Lazarony!! http://www.blazeabrilliantpath.com/ You are amazing and have blessed my life in SO many ways!! In this experience I learned that we all need a coach. Someone to cheer us on, a shoulder to lean on, a partner and someone who truly cares about us and wants us to reach our goals and dreams. Thank you Blaze!!
- And last but definitely not least. I learned (well, I have always known but am feeling such gratitude) that I have the most amazing clients, friends and loved ones. I get to work with people I care about deeply every day. I have friends that warm my heart and a family that is always there for me. Even though I have known this for a long time, it is these three groups of people who I want to spend my time with.
There is so much more that I learned but as I thought about it, it was the more challenging times of the year that the greatest lessons came from. Thank you 2013. I am a stronger, more confident, clearer person from all that you brought my way!
Take a moment to reflect on what you learned in 2013… I would love to hear about it. Happy 2014!