“Water only what waters you….Let go of anything That leaves you feeling thirsty.”

I have woken many a New Years day prepared to not think or vocalize another resolution that holds no purpose. I am resolute in this. Instead, I am sitting in meditation clearing it all out of my mind and body. I am pretty sure that 2017 was not an easy year for many. For some it may have even been horrendous. But the truth is so much of what comes into our lives is our own doing. Outside of illness and death, I myself am guilty of what I let in. Whether it be people, thoughts, actions or attitude. Being wise to the admission of these things, can highly affect our lives and at times for a long season.

I recently heard a Pastor speak about Peace. One statement stuck with me; 2016 was the preparation for 2017! The losses, the idealism of what we believed to be true, the disappointments, the struggle — All of if, a gift to the reality of what is and what is not.

Ways to stay intentional in 2018:

1. Start your day with Meditation — Instead of a resolution for an entire year, start your day with a small and feasible intention. An intention of soul caring that will carry you through the day. One small step to self care, goes much further than one large long term goal that can be an overwhelming feat.

2. Act of Charity — 2017 was a year of much sorrow, for many world wide it meant death, loss of home and even their country. The amount of homeless people on the streets continues to grow. Selfless acts of generosity spread goodness. Choose a way to help another person, an elderly neighbor who is lonely and may enjoy a visit, volunteering at a shelter, sponsoring a child in a third world country. We all have the power to make a difference. It may not feel like much but to one person it is everything.

3. Love yourself — Be intentional with good habits. Take a moment to jot down some areas where you would like to see change without being unkind to yourself. Life is short, this is not a dress rehearsal — stop habits that hurt you and do not feed your body and soul. The habits that we sometimes use to self medicate the areas of our lives that don’t further but chip away at us. Doing this will help bring fruition to all your other intentions.

4. Find your truth — Look at yourself and ask yourself “what is keeping me back and what is helping me move forward?” Know when its time to let go — of that relationship, that job, that habit, or even that state. Everything has a season….everything. Nothing is meant to last forever, change is an inevitable and healthy part of life. It propels us to seek change, to learn new things and grow. Change is growth. Don’t be afraid to let go of that job, person or situation that does not feed you. We need to be nurtured and fed to grow.

5. Do what you love — I remember reading “How to make a living without a Job” and one thing that stuck with me was, if you go back to when you were a child, the thing that you loved to do whether, writing, painting, building, dancing etc… those are the things that are truly our authentic abilities. As children we are so open and creative, seeking pleasure in things that make us smile. Revisit your inner child.

6. Set Boundaries – Learn to say NO. As humans we always want to please and not disappoint but the truth is, we often hurt our own selves in the process. Setting boundaries is a healthy way to be a happier and more generous person. When you give yourself space and allow yourself moments of self indulgence by saying, “no I choose to not do that today because I’ve made plans with myself,” you are preserving your own well being and therefore making room for others at another time. Which ultimately makes you a happier and more generous person when you do say “yes.”

To be intentional with yourself, especially when it requires making changes that may affect your relationships with others, may feel selfish. So often we are told that it is “bad” to be selfish, but this is not selfishness — this my dear friends, is Self-Preservation at its core. It is you saying “I am valuable, I am worthy and it has to start with me.”

Go out this year and be that you that you yearn to be my loves — shout it out and make it happen!

With Love, Light and JOY ~

Maria