On December 21st, the winter solstice arrives, a magical time when the sun begins its gradual journey back to bring us the delightful warmth of spring.
Predating Christianity, we humans have been doing battle with midwinter’s ominous gloom for centuries with solstice rituals of light and fire, celebrating the warmer, brighter days ahead. In Europe the ancient Yule festival survives even today, with the traditional Yule log, whose embers are believed to frighten away evil spirits.
Why not take your own winter solstice retreat and rejuvenate your spirit? Find a quiet place to spend a moment appreciating the miracle of our sun and seasons. Take time to contemplate your life. What is working for you, and what is not? What is missing? Is it meaning or fun? Is it the energy to do all of the things you still want to do? Is it love or excitement? Is it the motivation or resources to pursue your dreams?
What can you do to improve your existence today? How do others find inspiration to become more and not less as they age? Consciously working through core issues, rather than hiding from them, rejuvenates your creative flow and adds joy to your life.
Nothing happens without personal transformation
We all need to renovate our lives every now and then. The secret to positive transformation is remembering the child within. Why not try falling in love with yourself all over again?
Remember a time when you were full of curiosity and simply delightful? This was long before the world told you to settle down and quit being so full of life. Back then, every new thought felt like a revelation, and the world was your oyster. On your winter solstice retreat, spend time focused on how lively and alive you used to be. Then add on to that how amazing you have become over the past 20, 30 or 40 years.
What happened to that kid who loved life so much? What happened to that bundle of boundless joy and energy? The world happened. We learned how to act like adults, to become more responsible. There was no time for our glorious selves to blossom. We were too busy for that.
Could this be just the right time for your best self to start to shine through? Is it time to rediscover the positive, creative being you are inside? What do you love to do, but have denied yourself for ages? Is it drawing, playing music, watercolors, writing, hiking, dancing? Is it painting your surroundings in all your favorite colors? Start focusing on what is dynamic and creative within. What needs to come out now?
“It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory.” – W. Edwards Deming
It’s never easy to accept the need to change. That’s why so many of us have to hit rock bottom before we can consider changing anything. Why not try a new approach? Be open and ever vigilant of messages from your life, signs that shout: ”Some serious change is in order now!”
If we refuse to listen, that voice just keeps getting louder. Major traumas like divorce, empty nest, illness, or job loss, can be great motivating events in our lives. They may force us to finally step way outside of our box, stretch our comfort zone, dig in and start learning more about who we have become.
Here are a few important steps to consider when you hope to successfully change your habits, your mind set and your life. First of all, work at alleviating negative thought patterns. Internal self-criticism can defeat any of us if we do not battle it daily. Try to develop an attitude of gratitude. We sometimes cease to appreciate all we are given, because we are surrounded with so much abundance everywhere we turn.
Start exercising to build self-respect and improve your moods. Twenty minutes of walking outside in the sun everyday can improve your outlook dramatically. Then start single-tasking instead of overwhelming yourself with a gigantic to do list. Choose one important goal and spend time everyday focused on it with laser-sharp focus. Eliminate non-essentials from your life, and cultivate self-compassion. Develop these strategies into a daily routine, and within thirty days they will become new life habits.
Commit fully, in a public way to your goal, log your progress everyday, line up support for when you falter, reward every little success and, if you fail, figure out what went wrong, plan for it, and try again.
Start each day by asking yourself: “What do I want to happen today?” And this time ask for EXACTLY what you want. YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE!
