As January and February slip behind us, and we creep further into 2021, the goals/hopes/dreams/aspirations of the year ahead can already feel a little murky and perhaps even forgotten.
But that is ok, because every day we start again.
I’m not a big one for grand dramatic New Year’s resolutions, but I do like to set an intention or find a concept for the year ahead that I will imprint into the forefront of my mind and allow to settle into my consciousness. It works like a compass and when I feel a little lost or overwhelmed I’ll come back to the intention/concept and gently reset my course.
This year for me it’s ‘FAITH’. To be honest, I'm still in the process of figuring out what it means to me, but I've been calling the word into meditation, sounding it out, rolling it around in my brain and body and the marination of that feels good.
I have a feeling faith isn't something that can be cognized. We can try and work on or cultivate more of it in our lives but I have the sense that much like acceptance, faith happens spontaneously. You can't force yourself into faith. It’s a little bit about surrendering to what is and a whole lot of softening any expectations around shoulda-woulda-coulda.
"Having faith in someone commits a part of our energy to that person; having faith in an idea commits a part of our energy to that idea; having faith in a fear commits a part of our energy to that fear. As a result of our energy commitments, we – our minds, hearts and lives – become woven into their consequences." - Caroline Myss
However, this is the concept that resonated for Me. There will be something that feels right for You. It could be Trust, Relaxation, Kindness, Honesty, Courage, Generosity…. It really is a bottomless list.
I have been practising mediation for nearly a decade now and I have found incredible comfort in carving out a quiet time each morning to set the tone for the day. Nothing else sets me up quite like it for the day ahead. In doing so I commit to myself and my intentions.
I rise before everyone in my household wakes and sit quietly. I write and then meditate. My ‘word’ for the year (which is technically a lot more than just a word but a way of relaxing into life) often drifts into my mind and resonates through my body.
In daily life I’m using ‘FAITH’ to influence the decisions I make and it’s helping me step into new and uncomfortable things and trust that everything is evolving exactly as it is supposed to, no matter what the circumstances. You can do the same for any of the words above, or whatever has bubbled up into your mind.
Let it shape how you move, talk, think, act and all the decisions you make in your life.
Let it be your compass for 2021.
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Claire Robbie is a Master Teacher at The School of Modern Meditation. She runs retreats, workshops and courses around the world but is based in Auckland, New Zealand. She’s also the creator of The Reset Strategy – a 90-day programme helping people reset their relationship with alcohol.