The End of the Year Is Quite Over

I love the end of the year. I love taking stock of what has been, and envisioning what could be. I love figuring out the right gifts to give, then seeing the face of the person opening them. I love making cards and cookies and bad table decorations. The whole thing is just an awesome love-fest to me -- even the slightly tortured family dinners where you're forced to make conversation with your cousin's wife, and then you realize that you both have Wicca in common!

Most of all, I love hitting the Reset button, for that's what the year's end really represents -- a passage through love, thanks, and a bit of darkness (those family dinners again) into fresh new possibilities. Which is why every New Year's Eve we have a ritual of saying out loud to whomever we're with what we'd like to create for the coming year. The good news is even if you did this at the beginning of the year and have long forgotten your purpose of the task, you can start again...now!

While it seems very simple, this is actually quite a powerful exercise. There's something about saying such things out loud that is uncomfortable . Does this mean I HAVE to do it? What if someone important hears me say this? I'm going to feel so dumb! And what if ... gasp ... I actually accomplish it!

Well, I say the more vulnerable the better. Bring on the doubt and hesitation, for then you're truly dancing with the big boys. That's when your vulnerability and your power are both cranked up to max. Your embarrassment is a sign that you are on the right track, and you not only need to speak your intention, you need to write it down in detail and create an action plan to go with it.

All you have to remember is that aliens did not plant this dream or vision in your head -- you did. You have this idea or interest because you are meant to pursue it. Perhaps it will manifest as you imagine it, or perhaps it won't. At any rate, it will continue to annoy you until you take it on and explore it. And it could very well be the catalyst to the more joyful life you deserve.

The year's end is your chance to clear out the clutter, redesign your life, and move forward in a refreshed, positive direction. Forget about resolutions. They are grim. guilt-laden tasks traditionally used to bash one's self with come mid-January. Instead, I invite you to take some time and take stock. Begin to dig into what you'd really like to have in your life in '08 now that the holidays are long over.

Finally, I want to thank you for your readership this year, your support and sharing of my work, and the hundreds of emails you've sent telling me your stories. You are the reason I do what I do, so keep on dreaming and venturing forth. Let us see what we can create together!