have a clear beginning,

middle, and end.  Life

is about not knowing,

having to change,

taking the moment and

making the best of it,

without knowing what’s going to happen next.

Delicious ambiguity …

-Gilda Radner

After completing the exercises from New Years Ritual Part 1 of 2, I realized how important it is to take inventory and review the year past. When we see the present clearly, let go of what no longer serves us, take with us what does, acknowledge and assimilate our learning, we have room within ourselves to create what we desire.

And now I give you Part 2.

What you will need:

-2-3 magazines

-a quiet space

-scissors

-glue

-an 8×10 piece of paper or bristol board to glue your pics and words on

-a journal or some paper to write on

-a pen or pencil

First, give yourself the space and time to do this in the most sacred way, where you will be quiet enough to hear your most inner desires. You might want to light a candle, play some soft music or burn some incense. Set up your space in a way that feels nurturing and good to you.

Step 1:

Begin to imagine it is Dec 30, 2012 and you have had the most extraordinary year of your life. What did the year look like, how did you feel, what did you do, what didn’t you do? Allow yourself to open up, to dream and to hear your spirit. Breathe, breathe, breathe. Give yourself at least 5 minutes to envision and then take out your paper or your journal and begin writing what this most extraordinary year looked like and how you were able to obtain it. Write down all the insights you gained, all the milestones you achieved, all the feelings you felt. As you are writing be sure to write as if all this has already happened and keep your words in the past tense. Do not use “I hope”, “I intend” or “I will”.

Step 2:

Using your magazines, cut out:

1) Words that will reflect your most extraordinary 2012 (can be an affirmation, a quote, words that have strong meaning for you)

2) A picture that represents how you nourished and took care of your body in 2012

3) A picture that represents how you nourished and took care of your spirit/soul in 2012

4) A picture that represents what you thought and believed about yourself, your abilities and the world throughout 2010 to make it so spectacular

5) A picture that represents how you showed up in the world

6) A picture that represents how you connected and were of service to others

7) A picture that represents how you feel on December 30, 2012

TIPS for the exercise:

-Ask yourself if this is really your vision or is it what you feel like you or your life “should” look like? Are you visioning using the beliefs and framework of your parents, teachers, friends, culture etc? or is this truly what you want for you?

-Don’t hold anything back – let your imagination run wild. When impossibilities, I cant’s, I should’s, I shouldn’ts, I could have’s, I would have’s or any other disempowering thoughts come in, acknowledge them and give yourself permission to let them go for this exercise

-Dream the unthinkable, vision without limits

Give your soul this gift, the gift to explore your deepest desires and most of all have fun in the process!

May 2012 be your most extraordinary year yet!

This is a great time of the year to spend some quiet time reflecting over the past year. Before deciding how you would like to proceed and make the most of 2012, it is imperative to take a moment and reflect on 2011, taking into account all that stands out in your mind and all the amazing life learnings; the things that have worked and the things that haven’t. By reflecting on your year, remembering all your valuable learnings and the new wealth of knowledge gained, you are able to bring this wisdom with you and forge ahead into 2012 with gusto, passion and clarity. It is a time to review your internal settings and modify them to a setting that moves you forward into an inspired, empowered future.

Here are some questions that you can use to help you dig deeper into your own personal reflection for 2011:

What was your highlight(s) in 2011?

What was your challenge(s) in 2011?

What are you most proud of and what would you like to acknowledge yourself for in 2011?

Who did you enjoy spending time with this year? Who didn’t you enjoy spending time with this year?

What behaviours, habits and actions proved harmful this year? What behaviours, habits and actions proved helpful this year?

How were you of service to others? What felt good and from your heart?

How much love did you share?

What brought you the most joy this year?

What did you feel most connected to? What did you feel least connected to?

Is there any unfinished business you can clean up before the year ends? Something incomplete, unresolved communications, etc?

What structures did you have in place that supported you? What structures did not support you?

What attitudes, actions, habits and behaviours do you need to let go of this year to step full force into 2012?

What attitudes, actions, habits and behaviours do you need to take with you into 2012?

What was your biggest learning this year?

List 3 words to describe 2011.

These questions will give you an opportunity to take away valuable learnings from 2011 that will support you into an incredible 2012.

Stay Tuned for 2012 Intentions…..

Here is an amazing bunch of questions that will take you through the steps to owning the light you think you are not:

First, say to yourself, I am willing to feel __(choose a quality)__ (ie. valuable, beautiful, smart)

Look for times in your life where you have demonstrated this trait and felt this way.

How does believing yourself not to be this serve you?  (ie.  does it keep you safe, does it make you right, does it give you an excuse, etc.)

By believing that you are not this, how is your life affected?  What are you missing out on?

What are you afraid of finding out if you start to believe that you are _______________?

If you decided to own this trait and believe this to be true of yourself, what would open up for you, what would be available to you?

What is one action that you can take this week to begin owning this quality in yourself?

Choose a statement of self-love that owns this trait (ie. I am beautiful, I am courageous, I am valuable) and repeat it over and over to yourself all week long, every hour if possible, write it stickies and put them around your home, your car, your computer etc.

Watch your self-confidence heighten and your world open up!

Have fun!

In the spirit of owning your big bright light,

Jenn xx

The good news:  these are merely thoughts, opinions and beliefs we have about ourselves and thankfully they CAN be changed. They often operate at an unconscious level and most of the time we are not even conscious of what we are thinking and saying to ourselves.

It is said that we have about 60,000 thoughts a day and 95% of these thoughts are the same thoughts we had yesterday. With that in mind – can you imagine the things you are telling yourself over and over again every day?

Self-defeating thoughts are not loving, they do not support or reflect the love our precious being deserves.  It is when you bring awareness to these thoughts and begin to notice them that you can change them. When you notice what you are telling yourself, you gain the ability to make a different choice.

We all need to hear how special, loved, cared for, wonderful, good enough, wonderful and safe we are.  Can you imagine what would open up for you if you chose loving thoughts about yourself rather than fearful or self-defeating thoughts?  What would be different in your life?

This week tune into your thoughts.  Begin to notice the things you say to yourself on a day to day basis.  When you catch yourself beating yourself up or making yourself wrong, simply take a breath and say to yourself, I choose to see myself in a loving way today and I am willing to think loving thoughts about myself.

Sending love to your precious minds and your thoughts,

Jenn

xx

How many times do you say the words “thank you,” in a day? We often take for granted the many gifts and miracles we are blessed with in each moment of our lives. How often do you thank your mattress for your good nights sleep?  How about your legs for all the thousands of miles they have carried you? How about your eyes for allowing you to see and read this post?   How your electricity bill for the light you received this month? Or your jacket, your mitts and your hat for keeping you warm in the cold weather?  Your friend for lending their ear?  And my favourite, for those of you with dogs, how about thanking your poop bags for being in your pocket.

Have you ever said to yourself, once I get a promotion, get a new boss or if I’m in a new relationship or I get another job or a new client or a new car or a different career or a new outfit or even move to a new city… then I will finally be happy and feel satisfied. Does this sound like you?  And then once you attain whatever it is that you wanted you still feel a void or a need for something more in order to feel complete. I’m certainly familiar with this feeling. Many of us feel our lives would be better if we changed, achieved, attained or gained something different or new.

When you come from a place of gratitude you feel abundant and blessed with the everyday miracles in life. You are able to enjoy the greatness and gifts of every moment. You feel thankful for exactly what you have and where you are at, even if it means giving thanks to your toilet bowl scrubber when cleaning your toilet.

At times, when I feel down and in a rut and things aren’t happening like I think they “should” be, I get out my journal and make a list of all the things I am thankful for. Usually within minutes, I begin to feel better and my faith starts to kick in again. When you focus on what is missing or what you are lacking you bring yourself down. By focusing on what you are thankful for you allow more things to be thankful for to come into your life.

This week, challenge yourself to take a few minutes each day and write a list of 5 things you have to be grateful for in your day and watch your relationship with life transform.

Thank you for reading this,

Jenn xx

Even though I claimed I was “feelingless” – they came out all over the place… at the stranger in the car in front of me, at loved ones, through judgments, self abuse, self-sabotage etc. By acknowledging and expressing my feelings I learned to hear their messages and began to trust them to do their job – to guide me and clean me out.

When feelings are not tended to they act out.  When we don’t acknowledge them, they end up coming out in ways we probably don’t want them to.  Many of us feel that the pain of listening to our feelings is far greater than the ways in which we cover them up.  When we allow ourselves to feel them, we are able to make choices that empower us.  When we stuff them and cover them up we make disempowering choices that do not feed our soul.  We become confused, mixed up and terrorized by the behaviours we have constructed to keep ourselves from feeling our truth.  In fact, processing our feelings is what will set us free.

One of the most important relationships you can develop is one with your feelings.  All our feelings are okay.  If you learn to listen to them, express them and understand what they are trying to tell you, they will be one of your most valuable inner tools.

This week, I invite you to get to know your feelings. Here are some questions that will help you to get in touch with them.

1. What are your beliefs about feelings? (ie. do you believe some feelings are ok and others are not?)

2. Do you have a prominent feeling? Are angry most of the time? Sad most of the time? Happy most of the time? Are there particular feelings you are experiencing on a regular basis?

3. Are your feelings authentic? Do you hide them or cover them up? Are they out of control and coming out sideways?

4. How do you express your feelings? (ie. when you are having strong feelings, what do you do with them?)

5. Where do you experience feelings in your body? Notice when you feel sad, frustrated, angry, shameful, excited, happy, content, peaceful – where in your body do you feel these feelings?

6. Check in with what you are feeling right now.  Is this feeling trying to tell you something?

Have fun getting to know your feelings, invite them all in and allow them to move you to an empowering place.

In the spirit of processing feelings,

Jenn xx

 
Be patient, be calm, there is no rush

Pace yourself, listen to your body, there is nothing that needs to be done

You are cherished, loved and strong; there is nothing you can’t handle

Never beat yourself down

Feel your spirit, trust your heart, you can survive anything

There are many times when frustration, inability and anxiety wears you down.  Fear will never hold you back

Do not panic if things become chaotic, you will be ok

Do not waver if you feel you have slipped.  Forgive yourself

Falling only means to pick yourself up and keep going, learn from the mistakes, do not bury them ashamed

There is so much in store for you, so many options, and so many opportunities

Your family, lover, children, pets; each hold a place for you in the future

Nurture, don’t harm.  Let the body be.

Your body is fragile and innocent, punishing it is not the answer.

It requires its own tender care, loving patience and gentle support.   You need to tend to its needs.

Ignoring the body only leads to bigger problems

You have already been through so much

Every battle you fought, you have won

Have faith; there is a place for you in this world.

Do not give up!!!

This week, write out your voice of love on a blank page of paper.  Read it every day at least once for the next week.

From my loving voice to yours,

Jenn xx