I've been enjoying hibernating and reflecting on 2015. It wasn't an easy year for me and I've been looking forward to starting over with a new plan for 2016. I've been working through some online courses and books on creativity ahead of this year's workshops. On my workshop, 'Rest with Nature' on January 23rd, we will be taking some time for creative reflection so I though I would do some of my own.
Over Christmas I read Elizabeth Gilbert's 'Big Magic' which is a great reminder of the wonder of creativity and to tap in to the joy of it. It's got good advice for moving forward with your creative work and for riding out creative block. It linked in well with another book I read not long ago called 'Playing Big' by Tara Mohr which deals with how we can often hold ourselves back. In that, there are some exercise for helping yourself to move forward. When I worked through these, the mantra 'Believe in Yourself' kept coming to me. I will be using that as my affirmation for 2016.
Coming in to this year, I worked through Susanne Conway's 'Find Your Word' online course to find out where I should focus my energy this year. I came up with the word 'Believe'. I usually choose a word for the year and in the past few years they have been passive. 'Acceptance' is one that has popped up, usually about accepting my dual responsibilities of work and family. This year feels like a move forward. My word is more active and hopeful. It's about believing in myself and the roles I juggle and also about believing in my creativity and being present - filling my creative well and feeding my soul. And its about believing in the future and working towards some new goals. I'm going to take the time to write as I find that I connect to myself and my creativity when I write and I'm going to take some time away from home to get lost and find new places.
And as I reflect on the word 'Believe', I keep coming to the words, 'Leave Be'. I'm reminded of the prayer:
"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."
And so I am going to try to worry less, to stop battling with life and to be less hard on myself and to let it be.
Whatever you have planned for the new year, may 2016 be creative and fulfilling. x
