“Do not wait until the conditions are perfect to begin. Beginning makes the conditions perfect.”
– Alan Cohen
"Tree" by Moses Farrow, Middletown CT
Today marks the shortest day of the year. A day where our bodies and nature are in their most restorative states. With the lack of daylight today, we are also marking the start of the Solar year where we can celebrate longer days ahead and the rebirth of the Sun.
This is a time of new beginnings! Much like we regard New Year’s resolutions, this is an opportunity for self-reflection and identifying with what works and what needs a little polishing in our lives. As Seneca said “every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” This is the ebb and flow of life; how we evolve, move forward, and transform. With balance, the ability to let go of patterns and habits that don’t suit our lifestyle anymore, and patience, we can manifest and cultivate the new beginnings our hearts are desiring! Maybe there are things you’ve started that you want to continue? Perhaps you have always wanted to start something in your life, but just haven’t yet. Whatever it is, how will you make it happen this year?
So what does this little lark have in store for new beginnings in the upcoming year? A few ideas:
- Most important: Continue building this community! Through sharing stories, photos, and ideas we are reaching so many more people than I had imagined back in July when I started this blog. I plan to redesign the layout to make it more user-friendly, categorizing posts, as well as posting more readers’ personal stories and perspectives from other health professionals to enlighten and inspire us all!
- Pay it forward. Recently I won a fun Holiday contest where I will receive some services and products from local businesses in my community. Having been so touched by this generosity, I was inspired to create a similar contest for my readers (near and far), focused around health and wellness (YES with prizes!!)! The catch: I have set a goal to reach at least 200 facebook fans or 100 subscribers to the blog before launching it- the more the merrier! Side note: the people and businesses that are donating their time and services as prizes are doing this out of the kindness of their hearts- how fantastic is that!? Please have your friends and family support this community through subscribing to the blog or “liking” the facebook page! Stay tuned in early 2012 for the details about TLL’s first Wellness contest!
- Expressions of Gratitude: There are new ways to express gratitude for nature, people, and self that I have yet to discover. I am open to these new ideas as I feel both gratitude and giving back build the foundation of relationship, community, and life. : ) How do you express gratitude?
Most important, I want to know what YOUR ideas are for your own new beginnings? Please comment!
Have a beautiful and joyous winter solstice day with gratitude, many blessings, love and LIGHT… TLL : )
The best expression of gratitude is to share yourself with someone else. When you share who you truly are, you are letting that person know how grateful you are for who they are and what they mean to you.
Ah yes! Sharing who you truly are not only shows how grateful you are for someone else, it shows how grateful you are for YOURself : ) Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
In this upcoming year my goal is to appreciate more. Appreciation has a higher vibration then gratitude and as we rise our own vibration we rise the vibration around us too. That means more joy, better health, clear communication for all of us. Its easy to appreciate the sunset, a flower, an ant – they are all miracles of the Mother Earth. Its easy to appreciate our home, pluming, the toilet – hey I don’t have to go out in the cold… I could go like this for a long time.
I appreciate your intention of healing, love and commitment to this community.
Happy holidays.
I appreciate your thoughts. Taking moments to look around at what we may take for granted (or not) is a beautiful way to raise the vibration around us. Open our eyes, take in the fresh air and recognize what makes our days flow with ease, convenience and, most important, with beauty. Blessings to you!
Wishing you a Happy Holiday Season.
Happy Holidays to you! Thank you for supporting this blog…
Hey there! I just wanted to let you know that I nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award, congrats! Check this entry for details: http://loveashley.net/2011/12/26/i-would-like-to-thank-the-blogging-academy/
Hope you are having a happy holiday!