As the holidays roll in and the end of 2011 approaches, I am taking time to reflect on the previous months to kind of bring myself up to speed with where I am in my life and how I feel about different issues. It helps me find clarity and new resolve as I enter a new year of possibilities. I sit in meditation and just start thinking back. How are my relationships?
- It is a time to release outdated friendships that cause me more pain and anxiety than joy.
- It is a time to feel and show gratitude to those people who have been there for me time and again.
- It is a time to take a hard look at what kind of friend I have been for others.
Once I sift through my anger, guilt and eternal gratitude for those closest in my life, I move on to look at work.
- It is a time to really look at where I am in my career to determine if I am happy, fulfilled and on track with my desires.
- It is a time to reflect on how much of my life I am putting into our work, and to decide if I am here to work in order to live or to live solely to work.
- It is a time to feel out my goals for the year.
- It is a time to wonder if I should try something new. How hard would it be to just walk away? How much do I really love what I am currently doing?
Being a typical Virgo, this part takes up quite a bit of my time. I tend to delve into my work so hard that I neglect simpler things, like my health. It takes a seriously conscious effort for me to loosen the reigns and just relax.
Once I sort out my relationships and work issues, I move onto me. Yes, I should put myself first, and that is at the top of my list of things to improve on in 2012. However, for now, I come in third.
- It is a time to think about my overall health looking into my eating and exercise as well as any lingering issues I have ignored.
- It is a time to sort out all the stresses in my life and find healthy ways to release them.
- It is a time to understand which stresses I cannot release and learn more effective ways of coping with them.
- It is a time to really sit with how gracefully I am willing to age, and if I am willing and able to handle the increasing upkeep of my youthful appearance. (Part of me wants to embrace maturity while the other is frantically making their next hair appointment because I spotted a single gray hair)
This annual time out for reflection really keeps me in perspective. It shows me where I still have room to evolve and where I am ready to surrender into a new chapter of being. In the immortal words of Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” I have no intentions of missing anything.
