life design
Transform Your Life With Sustainable Resolutions
Every new year, I hear my clients complain about what they hope to change about themselves, what they want to change about themselves, or what they should be changing about themselves.
I then ask them why they are not claiming their power to change right now?
You do not have to wait until the New Year or some other major life event to make a change in your life. Once you’ve decided on a new path or course of action, the key is to stick with it for the long haul, taking small steps every day.
The Japanese call this kaizen, a philosophical concept that emphasizes continuous improvement, often in small increments. The idea is that by making consistent progress, even if it is just a little bit each day, you can eventually achieve significant results.
Sustainability should be the ultimate goal of whatever you decide to change in your life. While New Year’s resolutions are all noble and lofty, you have to acknowledge the inherent resistances and blockages you carry within and agree to be patient with yourself in order to ultimately get there.
I’m still working on some New Year’s resolutions I made in 2016. Do I look back in horror and say, “Why is it taking so long?” or “I really should be doing better!” Sometimes, yes! Do I use that as an excuse to backslide, fall off the wagon, or throw in the towel? Not at all, mostly because I’ve come to realize that if I hadn’t decided years ago to make those resolutions to make powerful changes in my life, I’d still be where I was, or worse. I’d be living a life of regret, not progress.
Free Yourself From Karmic Debt This Year
With the start of a new year, many of us are eager to set new financial goals and improve our overall financial situation. For those struggling with debt, the new year can be a great time to take control of your finances and make a plan to get out of debt.
But there is more to our life journey than financial debt. There is also the much more important soul debt known as our karma. A debt that for some of us may require much more urgent attention.
Karmic debt is the result of all the negative actions we take in this life, and in past lives, that have consequences beyond our present existence. If we accumulate bad karma through actions that cause harm to others or ourselves, we will experience negative consequences in this life, or in a future life. These karmic consequences will in time manifest as difficulties, challenges, obstacles and sufering in our lives. Similarly, if we accumulate good karma through deeds that benefit others, we will experience positive consequences such as abundance, happiness, health, and success.
If you feel persistently stuck in some kind of negative cycle, burdened by what feels like repeated bad luck, hard times, or difficult relationships, karmic debt is most likely playing a role. Breaking these patterns requires that you take responsibility for your misdeeds or inappropriate actions in the past.
Get Ready For A New Year Of Boundless Joy!
As we stand on the precipice of a new year of endless possibilities and limitless potential, I invite you to join me on a journey of self-actualization, spiritual enlightenment, and unwavering hope and optimism in 2024.
This year, let us embrace the transformative power of positive thinking, the resilience of the human spirit, and the boundless divine wisdom that lies within each of us. Let us throw off the shackles of self-doubt and negativity and embrace the extraordinary potential that lies within our souls.
Most importantly, let us strive this year to stay in our joy as much and as often as possible. For true joy and inner peace come into our hearts only when we invite them into our consciousness. Happiness does not just come, we must choose to seek it.
As we embark on a new year full of promise, let us also remember that we are part of a network of interconnected beings, each with a unique purpose and a vital role to play in the grand tapestry of life. Let us foster compassion, empathy and understanding and create a world where love and kindness prevail. Let us be kind, compassionate and generous, spreading love and light wherever we go.
Good Old-Fashioned Human Connection
Recently I met up with a good friend whom I had not seen in a long time. Our friendship began nine years ago when I lived in another province of Spain, adjacent to the one where I now live.
Of course, since I moved, we see less of each other. Once in a while I drive over to see her, and a round trip takes me about two and a half hours.
She is a vibrant, kind woman who, along with her extended family, helped me through a particularly difficult time a few years ago. They always made me feel very welcome when I lived there and tried very hard to persuade me not to move away!
She can be great company, but lately she has not been as present as she was when we first met. You might have guessed why. Yes, indeed, social media on her phone has become a major new focus for her. It has become a significant distraction during our visits in recent months.
Knowing how kind, generous and caring she truly is, I do not take it personally. I realize that, like many people around the world, her social media messaging and texting became an important substitute for the lack of personal interaction and social connection during the isolated, lonely times caused by the recent pandemic. For many, it has since become a habit and a new way of life, and for some, an addiction.
A few days ago, thankfully, she had an epiphany for which one can only pray. Instead of her constantly scrolling through her phone, we spent some quality time together for a change, strolling around town, eating lunch, and talking non-stop like we had not seen each other in years!
Finding Your Superpower Within
Within you is a secret reservoir of untapped strength, a magical source of resilience, a mental and emotional fortitude waiting to be activated.
This inner strength is not a fixed trait, but a dynamic force that can be cultivated and nurtured through conscious effort and self-awareness. We all have the superpower of a cosmic hero within.
Vulnerability
The path to uncovering our inner strength often begins with embracing vulnerability and acknowledging our imperfections and shortcomings.
It’s about recognizing that we are not infallible, but rather perfect spiritual beings in an imperfect human form, each with our unique blend of strengths, weaknesses, and karmic lessons to learn.
This willingness to be vulnerable allows us to shed the masks we wear and connect with our authentic selves, our soul identity, the core of our being where our true strength resides. It’s in this space of authenticity that we can begin to identify and cultivate the qualities that empower us to meet life’s challenges, face our karmic debts, and pursue our soul plan aspirations.
The Universe Always Has The Better Plan
Our journey through life is constantly changing. Whatever circumstances you find yourself in today is temporary. In time it will change. It may not change overnight, or within weeks, months, or even years, but it will change eventually. For change is the only constant in our co-created existence.
Since change is inevitable, it makes sense to embrace these energies of ongoing evolution, expansion and transformation. It really makes no sense to live in constant resistance to the universal flow, for it is a tragic waste of our creative energy as co-creators and detrimental to our soul purpose and karmic growth.
Living a conscious life in harmony with the cycles of life and in sync with the creative pulse of the universe is one of the most empowering and karmically liberating things we can do for ourselves in this lifetime.
While many of us tend to think we have the best plan for our life and that we know exactly what is best for us, we often do not really understand what will best serve our highest good. But God, Source, Spirit, the Divine, always knows what is best for us, and sometimes it is not what we originally had in mind.
We have to admit to ourselves that we tend to have a biased way of wanting things to work out, and that sometimes it may not be in the best interest of all parties involved, or even ourselves, on a soul level.
Finding Your Joy In A Fast-Paced World
Finding happiness, joy and inner peace can be challenging in today’s fast-paced, ever-changing world. The constant influx of new information and misinformation, societal pressures, and the rapid evolution of technology can leave us feeling overwhelmed and disconnected.
But amidst the chaos, there is actually a proven way to cultivate a more joyful state of being that transcends these external circumstances. It is no secret that cultivating some form of spiritual practice can greatly transform your life.
One powerful way to invite more joy into your life is through a gratitude practice. Take a little time each day to reflect on the positive aspects of your life and acknowledge the many blessings you enjoy. This essential spiritual practice will shift your focus from what may be lacking in your life to the true abundance available to you, fostering a much more positive mindset and attracting more prosperity and well-being into your life.
The great country-western singer Willie Nelson once said, “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around. He is not the only public figure to attribute at least part of his success and fulfillment to an attitude of gratitude. For example, Cathy Hutchison writes that many wealthy people have a gratitude practice, including Oprah Winfrey, Tony Robbins, Cindy Crawford, and Chris Pratt.