Send Your Thoughts Before You
I begin with gratitude to everyone for your patience and support. You may have noticed that I missed last month’s blog. I was very sick toward the beginning of November. Between recuperating and the Thanksgiving holiday, I decided to simply take a break. I want to thank those of you who missed my delivery and thought to reach out.
Remember when you were a child and blew on a Dandelion to make a wish?
As we bring 2017 to a close and begin a new year, I want to share with you some practices that I have been doing for several years now that may be of use to you. Mainly, these habits center around the concept of Visioning. Because we are very close to the New Year, these final weeks can be a crucial space to set the stage for the coming year to begin powerfully.
Although at this time of year many people become swept up in buying gifts, decorating, baking or cooking decadent foods to indulge and celebrate Christmas, or securing cool tickets to ring in the New Year, being distracted by these festivities doesn’t always serve us in the grand scheme. Yes, love and enjoy your families and loved ones, of course. I just want to encourage you to carve out a space and make use of this time to also focus on setting your intentions for 2018. You have a precious space in these December weeks to pinpoint what you truly want.
The greatest athletes employ a mental technique of positively seeing in their mind’s eye a rehearsal of their performance many times before the actual moment. Our brains don’t know the difference between the rehearsals and the real thing. In fact, envisioning success beforehand creates synapses in our mind that select for our ability to do it better. The process of doing this, repeatedly, helps us to relax in delivery when the real time arrives.
Likewise, I believe that the act of naming and setting our intentions through ritual, focusing on identifying what we want to create–beforehand–helps us to hit the ground running to accomplish our goals, in setting aside specific time to develop your plans. For many years, I have been in the habit of scheduling spiritual readings to wind out the year and reviewing astrological readings to become aware of what lies ahead. These specific customs might not be right for you, but establish your own tradition if these things I’ve mentioned don’t work for you. Many people pray, visit sacred spaces, take an annual hike to clear their head, make vision boards, visit the beach, or even simply write a list. Whatever you choose, you will be that much closer to the realization of your dreams for taking the time to mentally rehearse the vision of your life. Send your thoughts before you to prepare the way.
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As for me, I am using these last weeks of 2017 to finalize the recordings for my album and begin artwork for the cover materials. I am excited and really looking forward to sharing the completed album with you in early 2018!