Starting Anew
As I’m writing this we’re at that bizarre space between Christmas and New Year where nobody knows what day it is, we’re experiencing all sorts of emotions off the back of Christmas and we’re facing our plans, or lack of them, for New Year’s Eve. And of course the other thing some of us plan…New Year’s Resolutions!
I heard an interesting fact about New Year’s Resolutions whilst watching the We Don’t Die Sunday Gathering, a wonderful non-denominational service run by Sandra Champlain, as I do nearly every Sunday. Less than 9% of people actually manage to keep their New Year’s Resolutions. And when I was reading a bit more about it, I found out that most people only make them because they feel pressured to do so!
Making A Change
Most people make a New Year’s Resolution based on something they want to change. Maybe we realise that something needs to shift in our priorities, so we put “Find a new job” or “Spend more time with friends and family” on the list. We want to change our appearance or our spending habits so “Losing weight” or “Saving money” get added on there too.
One of the reasons that so many of these resolutions don’t happen is because of where they come from. If we set them from a place of guilt, we’re setting ourselves up to fail already. The phrases “I should” and “I need to” are my two least favourite phrases in the English language as they make us put pressure on ourselves! And as soon as we veer off the tracks, we feel despondent, we feel like failures, we vow to do better next year, next month…it’s a vicious cycle!
If we recognise that change is necessary in our lives, putting it off to a set date like New Year, or the first of the month, or Monday etc. probably means we don’t really want to do it. It implies that we don’t really want to change. Which is understandable, as change is very very hard!
Setting The Date
Through the years, I’ve had a great interest in Wiccan beliefs, and have read a lot of books on Witchcraft practices. The cycle of the moon is what many witches set their routines by. The Waning moon is seen as a good time for releasing, expelling what we don’t want anymore, and the Waxing moon is seen as the time to cast spells that bring us more of what we want, a time of gain and increase. And the New Moon is seen as the time to set intentions, set goals.
I’m certainly not going to debunk these theories, as I’m a big believer in the power of nature for healing and for inspiring us, and the connection that many of us feel to the Moon is a wonderful feeling. Setting intentions on a New Moon or on the first of the month makes sense, as it helps us have that feeling of a fresh start. We feel a little bit more of a push. However, if we’re using “Well, I’m waiting till the next New Moon to start that” or “It’s the first of the month next week, I’ll start doing it then”, we have to recognize that there might be a little bit of procrastination going on!
Harnessing What We’ve Got
If we’ve identified that we want change in our lives, that’s a little bit of inspiration right there. Something has triggered us to say, “I want more/less of that.” Sometimes we sit on the sofa and suddenly have a marvellous idea of something we’d like to write or create so we vow to start it next week. But by that point, a lot of the time, the idea has lost most of it’s sparkle. We’ve found reasons not to do it.
We can to learn to harness our own power in the moment. To feel that desire for change, a desire that’s born not out of envy or guilt, but a desire that’s born out of what our Soul is truly in need of, what our hearts are telling us to do. That in itself is far more powerful than any New Year, New Moon or Monday! Of course change is hard. And if we do feel a bit hesitant about starting, if we do feel that we need that extra boost, this is where the power of prayer and the Universe can step in. Write down your idea, your intention, close your eyes and ask your Guides, your God, the Universe, the Moon, whoever or whatever you feel drawn to to help you make these changes or create that Big Idea with a capital “B” and a capital “I” that you’re holding onto! And then get started! If you feel wobbles along the way, if your motivation begins to waver, close your eyes and go back to that moment when you asked for that help from the Universe, and see if they send another wave of inspiration for you to ride! And if they do send it, dive in and make the most of it!
And if there’s a Something in you calling you to make a change but you don’t know exactly what it is yet…don’t fret. Sit with that feeling, maybe start journaling, and open your mind to what the Universe might be nudging you to change. The only person who can take responsibility for that change is you, but remember you have a whole team of unseen helpers in the Spirit World who are cheering you on and giving you their full support!
Happy New Year x
