Hello Dear One,
It’s New Year’s Eve Day. It started off with a long sunrise flavored walk along the beach; perfect for year-end reflections.
I had just read a blog about using this last day as a time to consider what I was wanting to let go of from 2021 but that invitation didn’t captivate me. All my heart and soul wanted was to scroll back through the pages of the year and harvest gratitude. My early morning visit to the sunrise turned into a 90-minute walk of gratitude. Luscious.
For many folks, reflecting on what one is ready to let go of can be illuminating and powerful and a welcome relief.
The thing is, I have never had much luck in letting go of anything. Like the stickiest goop that stubbornly clings to each finger or the bottom of my shoe, the more attention I put on the letting go, the stickier those things become. I end up dragging the luggage of my neurosis and quirky habits right along with my good intentions of one day becoming perfect. That luggage has been my traveling companion for so long I wouldn’t recognize myself without it.
Tomorrow we will be on the other side of midnight. New Years Day! The optimism of a new beginning. There IS one thing I’ve been pretty good at letting go of, that’s making New Year’s resolutions; those inspiring “have-to-dos” that by mid-February or January 2nd turn into self-deprecation and guilt. I realized once again I would just be dusting off an updated version of the last year’s broken resolutions anyway.
Creating a New Year’s vision board, a type of grown-up wish list, is fun and extraordinarily powerful for many people; yet; I’ve come to appreciate that what has emerged from the lack of organized vision in my life has been beyond what I could ever have imagined, and always more interesting and extraordinary.
In spite of all that, I am very ready for a new year to begin and there IS one question I’m sitting with, one that ignited my imagination a few weeks ago. It’s a question from Elizabeth Gilbert:
What would I do even if I knew I would fail?
Now that’s juicy. And certainly more intriguing and valuable than the standard “What would you do if you knew you could not fail” inquiry.
What would you do even if you knew you would fail?
What has wrapped itself into your heart and soul with such delight, passion or yearning that any idea of success or failure has left the conversation. Yep. That’s juuuuicy!
All of that brings me here, sitting on my terrace, enjoying a breeze and wishing each one of you, your perfectly perfect way of saying goodbye to 2021 and hello to 2022. And may you find your own juicy questions.
With blessings, love and beautiful possibilities for the coming year.
Sharon
