As another year draws closer to its end, I find myself reflecting on the things I have learned in 2013. I find it a lovely exercise to pause and reflect at the end of the year, and start planning for what I want to manifest next year.
1. I can write, and people enjoy reading it!
2013 was the year I became a published author. This has been a dream of mine for a while now, and I always had a feeling I had a few books in me ready to be written. I am pretty damn chuffed to be one of 33 amazing, inspirational authors in the bestselling series, Adventures in Manifesting. My book is called Soulful Relationships and is in its “pre-launch” stage as we speak with me currently selling a limited number of signed copies prior to the book being launched worldwide on 12 December. Winning!
2. Love isn’t always enough.
I used to think that as long as there was love, you could make it work. But it takes more than just love to make a relationship work – it takes two people who are both committed to making it work, and it takes hard work and good communication when the sh*t hits the fan to pull through it together.
3. When life is really good, I get complacent.
This is when I need to be even more aware that I need to continue with my usual practices of self love rather than forget about doing them – my walks on the beach, watching sunset, doing my affirmations and meditations.
4. You don’t have to make positive thinking such a hard task.
When I first started learning about the power of positive thinking all those years ago I used to think that if I experienced a negative thought, then I was supposed to counteract it with the polar opposite positive thought. However, sometimes the gap between the negative thought and opposite thought is just too big for you to get your head into the positive thought. The biggest thing I have learned around changing my thinking this year has come from Abraham-Hicks, where they state that if you’re thinking negatively around a topic, then “go general” with your thinking to move towards a more positive state of mind and shift your vibration to one that is a higher, more positive vibration. We tend to get really specific about our negative thoughts – e.g. “how will I pay that $170 gas bill when I have no money left over from my wages” – next time this happens, if it is too hard to think the opposite positive thought e.g. “my bills are always paid on time” then instead, go general – “I don’t know how, but everything will be ok, everything always works out for me” and watch your vibration shift.
5. Ho’oponopono is powerful. REALLY powerful.
Ho’oponopono is a Hawaiian problem solving process used to release memories that are experienced as problems. It is basically a prayer/intention that you say when you have a problem or conflict with someone. Try it the next time you have an issue – bring the problem or the person into your minds eye, and repeat to youself “I love you, I’m sorry, please forgive me, thank you.” I have used this a lot this year and it really does help to dissolve the conflict energy and refocus your attention on more positive energy.
6. Fun isn’t a priority, it should be the priority
I had some pretty hectic, serious things occur in my life and in the lives of those around me this year. And what I noticed is that in order to get through those times, it is imperative to have as much fun as possible. It is too easy to forget about fun completely when the proverbial is hitting the fan left right and centre, and when you are stressed out to the max fun may not be high on your list of priorities. But seriously, if you can pull yourself away from all the drama for a day and spend a day doing nothing serious and just having fun, life will change for the better.
If you would like to reflect on 2013 and start mapping out your 2014, I would highly recommend Leonie Dawson’s Amazing Biz and Life year planners. I used these last year and they are amazeballs! Just about to print my 2014 calendars and workbooks. They are supercheap and so colourful they are loads of fun to complete.
