reflection, intention, action

while leading the pre-holiday self-nurturing hip tranquil chick workshop last week to a group of fabulous women, i was reminded how important it is to surround oneself with creatively conscious and aspiring women. the gift of choosing to spend your time with people that encourage, uplift and inspire can have incredible effects on your life. at the workshop we spent time reflecting on their current level of satisfaction in various areas of their lives, setting action steps for the new year to determine ways to increase areas that felt low, and then writing the action steps down on notecards to keep the dreams visible.

with the approach of the end of 2004 and the clean slate of a new year, i wanted to write on how powerful taking time to reflect, set intentions and take actions can be. we all have dreams, we all have opportunities, and we all have the ability to make things happen. albeit, somedays you may not feel very in control over your life - car breaks down, beau disappoints, pet gets sick, etc., etc. we've all had those days! however, it is important to bounce back, learn what the struggle has to teach and move on. without taking the time to reflect, life becomes a series of wheel spinning with no plan in sight. yoga teaches us to be conscious, to notice how our actions affect others, to become courageous by challenging ourselves, and practicing off the mat also incorporates these lessons.

the holidays are right around the corner, along with a brand new year! a brand new year that brings a lot of new beginnings. remember though, that new beginnings are offered every day. each morning you are given a fresh canvas on which to paint your life. you choose the paint colors, the strokes, the pace, and the other players on this unique work of art. take time over the lull of the holidays to reflect on lessons learned in 2004, write out what you accomplished and what you have to be grateful for, write out or collage what you want 2005 to look like, set action steps on how to get there (i.e., i want to be in a loving partnership. action steps: let friends know i'd like to meet some interesting prospects, join an online dating service, join like-minded social groups, volunteer with causes close to your heart), and post these action steps where you see them every day!

i was recently in a workshop where the facilitator said that he began each day writing out his life goals and made decisions on how to spend his time based on these goals. why spend time doing things that aren't bringing you closer to them? yes, we still have to get up in the morning, get dressed, feed the dog, go to work, etc. but, can you see how these mundane tasks bring you closer to a goal? you love companionship that the dog brings, you enjoy expressing creativity in your style, you want to be comfortable financially or grow professionally so you go to work (or you begin looking for something new in 2005 if this isn't the case)....

begin to make conscious choices. take time to reflect, set intentions, and begin to take actions. reflection and intentions only carry us so far, we also have to be action minded. remember however, that action isn't helpful if it isn't done out of reflection and intention. we don't want to spend our lives on a treadmill. your life is a work of art, begin treating it with the delicacy and creativity it deserves.