“It’s safe and OK for you to relax and take in that all those things that happened, they’re over and you don’t have to be stuck there. ” ~from How to Wrap Up Loose Ends of 2016 and Start the New Year Fresh! By Tapas Fleming, Founder TAT®

I declare that I DISLIKE New Year’s resolutions.

And I dislike the pervasive marketing message “New Year, New You” even MORE! What was wrong with the OLD me???

What I DO like is opportunities to be reflective, fresh starts, setting intentions and creating visions.

I like getting really quiet and listening to my own inner wisdom guide voice, taking a deep breath and taking a step in a new direction.

I have some favorite New Year rituals that have replaced resolutions (that never really seem to stick anyway). And because one of the themes of The Creative Impostor is community, I decided to crowdsource some new new year rituals and exercises share with you and shake things up for 2017.

My Favorite Ritual: Gratitude 108

 

1. Take a sheet of paper or your journal and number it from 1 to 108.
   Or better yet, get a preprinted sheet here (because it takes a long time to write 108 numbers)!
2. Write down (without stopping) 108 things for which you are grateful. It’s just like a mad-lib full of nouns: could be people, places, things, ideas, experiences — just keep writing until you reach 108. If you get stuck, just think of any small thing that has touched you in the year. And when you reach the end, sit quietly, take a few deep breaths and notice how you feel.

 

How to Wrap Up Loose Ends
& Start the New Year Fresh!
Recommended by Ellen Katz from Episode 010

 

Ellen Katz, psychotherapist, musician, teacher and healer who was featured waaaaay back on episode 10 of The Creative Impostor recommends the following ritual from Tapas Fleming, Founder of TAT, a technique based in acupressure. 

1. Begin with TAT pose (pictured): Lightly place the thumb and ring finger just above the upper, inner corner of each eye and the middle finger just between and above the level of your eyebrows. Place your other hand centered at the base of the head with the thumb just above the hairline.
2. And then say the following out loud:

This is on behalf of all who’d like to benefit.

I love and accept you just the way you are right now.

I know and understand that things happened that led up to your being the way you are right now.

It’s safe and OK for you to relax and take in that all those things that happened.

They’re over and you don’t have to be stuck there.

You don’t have to keep your energy or attention focused there.

Thanks for everything you did for me.

I invite you to join me in the here and now, to relax and live a happy life.

I forgive everyone who hurt me related to this and wish you love, happiness and peace.

I apologize to everyone I hurt related to this and wish you love, happiness and peace.

3. Select and write down whatever you’d love to be, have or do in the coming year and say this out loud 3 times to yourself while holding the same TAT position.

 

Heart Quest Meditation
Featuring Lysa Black from Episode 028

 

I know sometimes that when I think about “what we want to manifest” in the New Year, it can get a little foggy or there are so many things competing for my mind’s attention — or I realize the thing I want isn’t really the thing I want.

To connect with your heart’s deepest desire, check out the Heart Quest Meditation from heart healer Lysa Black!

In this 34 minute guided meditation, Lysa will help you:

1. Call forward your most powerful lesson of the year ending
2. Clear the energy, experiences, people of the past 
3. Ground into the heart to find keeper of sacred desires. 

Lysa’s voice is so soothing and gentle you can’t help but melt into a deeper awareness about what it is you truly want in the new year.

Sacred Intention Challenge (starts January 3rd)
Featuring Charlotte Elea

Another way to get very clear on what you want in the new year is to set intentions.

Charlotte Elea is a member of a creative entrepreneurial mastermind I’m a part of called the Singularity Circle (helmed by Isabelle Rizo from Episode 026). Charlotte is an intuitive counselor and self-discovery coach who uses tarot, among other things to guide you toward developing your own intuitive strengths.

Charlotte specifies that an Intention is NOT a resolution and it is not a plan!

The difference is…

Resolutions are guided by surface level, ego-driven desires. Plans are driven by our busy, get-it-done cognitive brains. Intentions align your highest self with the potential of what you can manifest. Intentions tap into your soul’s desire to grow and evolve.

Charlotte is offering a FREE 6-day challenge for YOU that starts January 3rd that will walk you through the steps to create an intention that aligns your body, mind, heart, soul and spirit. You’ll create your intention from the inside out, diving deep to discover what you truly desire to manifest, so that you can begin taking aligned actions towards creating an amazing 2017. You’ll need your own Tarot deck so check out Charlotte’s list of recommendations! 

 

Reschedule Your New Year Resolutions!
Featuring Ruth Humphreys

 

Ruth Humprhreys — storyteller, presenter & coach of Magic Carpet Storytelling for Children and your INNER CHILD based in the UK— suggests that maybe January isn’t the right time at all for New Year’s Resolutions! Ruth writes on her blog…

Instead of starting New Years in January, consider starting these in March or April, do it at the same time as it feels natural to do spring cleaning. The Spring equinox would be good time to take advantage of the new energy.

If you feel you can wait until autumn or  even better want to give your Spring Equinox resolutions a boost, another good time to make ‘New year’s resolutions’ is actually the beginning of September. The association of the beginning of the new term for school or university means that this time brings a new energy years after we have left the classroom.

Ruth does recommend to make January “Joyous January” and find simple, inexpensive ways to “treat yourself in January to start the new year how you wish it go on.”

So however you decide to enjoy the holiday, be kind to yourself, consider who, what and how you’d like to be — don’t set yourself up for failure and disappointment!

And do check out all these wonderful visionaries featured in this episode!

Resources, Links & more!

• Andrea’s Facebook Group – The Creative Impostor 
• Chicago Offline Community – Chicago Women’s Creative Collective
• Opportunities to partner with The Creative Impostor & Chicago Women’s Creative Collective as a sponsor
• Andrea’s new Patreon Page (where you can contribute to the Women’s March audio documentary!)
• Podcast Envy – launch your own podcast! Find out how by booking a free call with Andrea
• TWO FREE AUDIO BOOKS & 30 day trial membership with Audible.com

Sponsored Partners

This episode is sponsored by Betsy Bash, a social media agency who can help make you the talk of the town (in a good way!)

CEO Lauren Ramsey is generously offering FREE 30min strategy consultations (for a limited time) for listeners of The Creative Impostor Podcast.

Book your call with Lauren here!

 

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This episode was mixed by Edwin R. Ruiz of Mondo Machine.
The Creative Impostor theme music was created by JoVia Armstrong.

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