How do you celebrate? Wining and dining with friends, having a good time together? Going to a show? Maybe a more expensive gift or experience that you allow yourself?
Here we are in the traditional time of year for celebration with Christmas and New Year approaching fast. For many people, there's a rushy element abroad as they feel the pressure to finalise things for the year, prepare to be jolly and generous at Christmas before New Year comes along, with its invitation to turn over a new leaf and make a fresh start. What a huge amount of pressure can build up on people!
Is there an easier way? Might a different understanding help? I say a definite YES! Consider these:
- Remember you are closing a cycle as a year ends. To close something well, make a list of the achievements of the year. The highs are obvious AND navigating the lows is a different type of achievement. List them all. Savour them. This list reflects your harvest for the year. If possible, share this list with a friend.
- What have you planted this year? Make a list of the seeds you've planted - new insights you've gained, new relationships, new challenges undertaken, new skills you've started learning, new habits started etc. Spend time with this list. It's a pointer to where you're heading in your life. Share this too.
- Who do you want to thank this year? Make a list of the people who have helped you during the year. Colleagues, family, friends, unexpected strangers. Bring them to mind and FEEL the gratitude in your heart for what they have given you. If possible, let them know how grateful you are for the part they've played in your year.
Attending to these steps, you can FEEL the deep energy of celebration naturally arising. It's the joy of Life on the move in your individual life. I find when I follow these steps, my heart comes to rest because I've done what's most important about celebrating. Then I'm ready to party and really enjoy myself!
Enjoy our Celebratory edition of Awakenings, with Rachael's blog on her recent experience and our Highlights of 2015 slide show. From all of us at Riverdell, we wish you a wonderful celebratory season and look forward to being with you in 2016.
Here's to the ease in Life,
Love and blessings
Andrew Horwood |
Program Director
