Here we are at the end of another year ready to begin a new one. I have a theory that how we start the new year sets the tone for the entire year. It’s based on the same idea that how we start our day sets the tone for our whole day. Do you jump out of bed when the alarm clock goes off and run from activity to activity all day? Or do you wake up gently and allow yourself time to ease into your day? Do you check your phone or email right away to see what’s going on in the outside world, or do you take a few minutes to check in with you and find out what’s going on in your inner world? When I check in with John first, I feel much better prepared to handle whatever is happening in the outside world. Whatever is going on out there can wait fifteen or twenty minutes.
Each day, the first thing I want to feed my mind is something peaceful and loving, so I read a section or the lesson of the day from A Course in Miracles. Once those beautiful words have been planted in my mind, I begin a fifteen or twenty minute meditation. I put my earbuds in, set the timer on the meditation app on my iPhone, resist the temptation to read any new text messages, then open my meditation playlist to allow soft, celestial music to play in my ears for the next fifteen minutes. Sometimes I let myself stay in that mode for a few minutes after the bell chimes if I’ve had trouble quieting my thoughts early on or if I feel like I want a little more time immersed in the Love of God. That’s how I think of meditation. I leave my worldly concerns behind for a while and join with the Light. When I emerge I feel calm, refreshed, and ready to start my day.
On the rare occasion that I don’t have time to do this, I definitely notice the difference. Even small things can irritate me. Just the other day I had to get up very early to catch a flight home from Houston. I did not make time to read anything in the Course or meditate that morning. When I arrived at the airport I found myself quite annoyed that my flight was delayed just ten minutes. Sitting on the runway for an extra forty minutes in a center seat with a crying toddler behind me certainly did not improve my mood. Because of the delays, I literally had to run off the airplane and get right back on another one. I was so tired and aggravated I could barely muster up a little gratitude for the fact that the gates were right next to each other or for the blessing that I made my connecting flight! The little gratitude I had soon faded once the second plane filled up and the smell of sour milk reached my nose. I don’t know what caused the odor, but I had to breathe through my coat for much of the flight. I was not a happy passenger. Had I made time for my peaceful morning practice, I think I would have been much better able to deal with the challenges that day.
I invite you to take a moment to consider how you start your day. Do you have something inspirational to read by your bedside? Do you have at least five minutes in the morning to be still and see yourself immersed in Light? Now take a moment to think about what you have planned for New Year’s Eve. Are you doing something you love with people you love? Are you doing something out of obligation? How will you feel in the morning after those activities? Is that how you want to start the new year? What do you have planned for New Year’s Day? If you want to experience something different in your day and in 2018, all you have to do is make a few different choices. Don’t worry if you miss a day or can’t start on the first of January. Whenever you choose peace you are off to a great start!
I love this quote from A Course in Miracles about the New Year:
So will the new year begin in joy and freedom. There is much to do, and we have been long delayed. Accept the holy instant as this year is born, and take your place, so long left unfulfilled, in the Great Awakening.
Would you like to begin the new year in joy and freedom? If you live in South Florida, please join me for Family Constellations on Saturday, January 6 from 2-5 PM at Urban Namaste in Fort Lauderdale. If you can’t be there, consider scheduling a private session in person, by phone, or via Skype. To help you have the best 2018 possible, I am offering a 30% discount on private sessions if you make the purchase before January 7. That brings the price down to $105 for a ninety minute session. Those sessions will be scheduled after January 7 when I return to Fort Lauderdale. For those in the Houston area, I have a few appointments available January 2, 3, and 4. Go to my website to take advantage of this very special offer. Please send me an email once you make your purchase so we can schedule your appointment. You will be amazed at what is revealed and healed during these powerful sessions.
Life Coaching is another great way to give yourself a fresh start in 2018. Take advantage of the current rates before they go up on January 1. You can sign up for a single one hour session or give yourself the gift of a four, six, or eight week coaching package. Read what others have to say about their experience on the testimonials page of my website. I would be honored to work with you if you’re ready to take some action steps towards the happy and healthy life you were meant to live. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me by email.
Wishing you a great start to each and every day and to the New Year!