It is a new day, a new month and the beginning of a new year. How much more of a clean slate can there be?

But in order to know the slate is clean, is fresh and ready for new items to be put upon it, I still have to remember, think about and reflect on the what I’ve had previously. I, for one, would love for all the crap I’ve been dealt, been through and witnessed be left at the closing of the 2021 door. However, there’s something to be said about that ‘stuff’. Did it hinder me this past year? Did it help me along? Has this stuff created opportunity for me to learn, to grow, to be?

I had a big year of ‘story-searching’. What I mean by that is I really was able to sit and listen and observe my surroundings, inside my mind, my heart, see through others’ lenses of what was handed to them this year. 2021 was a shit storm. It was for many a complete melt-down, over-haul and topsy turvy adjustment of what our life was to what it is now. But what I learned from all of that was, a true unveiling really, that I am capable of changing the direction I want to go in. I made choices to pull back from people and situations, I made choices to go all in, I made decisions that impacted others and I made decisions that didn’t. I asked questions, I held shit in, I had blame for others for things that happened and I had shame and self-blame of other things. My voice of doubt came out to play often; ‘you can’t do that, who do you think you are?” My voice of reason also came out, I believe I can and here’s why. Some days I relished in the fact I was introverted as I didn’t have to engage with what was going on out there, other days my voice was in harmony with my community and friends. I spent hours, days even in reflection of what was going on in the world, why are people being unkind to one another (Families and friends especially), where was my place?

Here’s what I learned. My voice of self-doubt has a purpose, it is to challenge old stories I hold onto that justify what is going on around me right now. My voice of reason has a purpose to keep me on the path of permission to change the story. 2021 really helped me believe that if I don’t try the soup, I’ll never know what it tastes like or if I’ll even like it. The same to be said about just doing, seeing what happens. There were days I empowered others in my work, and helped to tear down walls. There were other days where my voice of self doubt asked am I really any good at this?. I changed directions.

I want to tell you, that 2022, is a new opportunity. I don’t know if we can call it a clean slate as we still have some floating stuff that is around us that is required to be finished, un-tethered or dealt with. We don’t always cut the cord completely or with utter confidence. But I would encourage you, for your New Year’s change (not resolution, as I believe they are too temporary) to pause once a in a while, breathe into your lungs, connect with your body, allow your mind to slow, listen to your heart beat and ask yourself…is this the right direction? Do I feel empowered with this decision or do I feel this will hinder me? And then, practice gratitude for what comes up when you listen. 2022 is an opportunity to use what you learned in 2021 or previous years of how to grow into who you want to be. 2022 is an opportunity to really drill down into who you are and make the changes. 2022 is an opportunity for you to find new opportunities. 2022 is an opportunity to change directions.

Happy New Directions to you!