If knowledge and foresight are too penetrating and deep, unify them with ease and sincerity.
~ Xun Zi
Are you a resolution setter? Or is part of your New Year practice to select a guiding word for the year? My approach for the past several years has included choosing a focus word, doing a general review and some planning ahead with a nod to my core desired outcomes and feelings. This year I had the space and time to delve in more deeply and so for 2016 I created a more intentional practice. I added more structure around the sort of haphazard ways I typically welcome the new year and it turned into a deeply meaningful solo retreat; mostly spent in silence, mindfully planning and compassionately reviewing and being present in my intentions.
I gathered my talismans, some solidly seated questions I wanted to answer and my planner. I also worked in a bunch of fun intuitive journaling exercises, some run time, a couple of yoga sessions and a soak in the tub with a Lush bathbomb I’ve been hoarding for forever.
As I worked through my Qs for the year ahead like: How do you want to move through your year? What do you want to create for yourself, What are your goals and how do you plan to arrive there, my word began popping up right away. I realized I’ve been working at creating more ‘ease’ for some time.
I’ve been narrowing my focus to painting and moving away from design projects. It’s long been time to be at ease in my turtle shell around my naturally methodical way of getting things done and I deeply crave more ease around showing up and being seen.
My big AHA was seeing that creating ‘ease’ might actually mean more planning ahead in some cases, and showing up just as I am in others.
So I’ll keep showing up as my sometimes shy, socially awkward self and easing off in my concerns around disappointing others, or fears around judgement or looking like an ass. I’ll be making choices in the interest of what best serves all concerned in any given situation with less girding for complications. I’ll be carving more time out for planning ahead And I’ll keep painting towards mastery.
Well, I’ll be easing into it all, anyway.
Happy New Year
X’s
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