It is the evening of January 1st in my world, and it has been a quiet day of reading, some snoozing, eating meals of left overs and doing the last bit of packing away of the Christmas decor. Being summer holidays down here in Auckland and with the bulk of the seasonal festivities now done, it is a chance to regroup before the working year really kicks off.
I’m sure that you will agree with me that this season of the year always stirs up so many mixed emotions though. Love, loss, triumphs, regrets and often periods of deep questioning such as “who am I at this stage of life?”
“Am I doing what I really want to be doing with my life?”
“Will I ever be able to live the kind of life that I truly desire?
“Is it possible to have the kind of relationship that I long for?”
By midlife, we are all pretty aware that there is no magic wand that can be waved to make life perfect. I hear stories all the time from clients I work with and from the ladies in the Rocking Midlife group that are nothing short of heartbreaking. HOWEVER, I also hear how so many of them have picked themselves up from times of being rock bottom, how they have fanned a tiny spark of hope in their hearts into a huge flame and have gone on to live lives that are full of purpose and impact.
So how did YOU feel at the end of 2017?
To be honest, I found it a very hard few weeks of conflicting emotions – one of the reasons that I was quieter than usual online. Regardless, I still love the energy that comes with a New Year. There is a sense of hope, purpose and renewed excitement that I grab on to – even when I am not “feeling it” personally as I know that my emotions can change with positive input. By purposely fanning my own tiny spark of hope, I put action to my belief that it will IGNITE into a flame of renewed passion for my purpose in life.
And you can too!
If you are feeling down, here are some tips to help feed your soul:
- Find great books. Don’t know where to start? Look at what your online and real-life mentors are reading.
- Find wise friends and mentors and ask them questions.
- Discover inspiring podcasts and listen to them daily.
- Find online and offline community groups that are full of the type of people you want to be like.
These are all conscious actions to make regardless of how you are “feeling” – and their consistent application will create positive changes in your life. It’s exactly the same principle as exercising to bring health to your body – something that you do even when you don’t “feel” like it – right?
Determine now that regardless of what has happened in the past, life CAN be better, more purposeful and more fulfilling. Let’s fan that spark of hope into life and together, let’s IGNITE our 2018!
love
Happy New Year! May it be a good one for you and your family and friends. ♡
Thanks for your comment on my blog post Michelle, and wishing you and your family a wonderful New Year too!
Cat xxx
Thanks!!
I will take this to heart…
Cheers Belinda!
It’s YOUR year girl!
Cat xxx
Happy New Year, Cat! What a beautiful site!
Thank you Linda and Happy New Year to you too! x