Not only are we in the winter season, we are also at the beginning of the New Year. Often winter is associated with going inward so that we become aware of our inner workings. By doing this we come to understand who we are, free up from old programs and for many begin a program of better self-care. For many the New Year also signals a time of initiating healthier, happier lifestyle.

I, like multitudes of others would make a list of resolutions to start at the arrival of the new year. The list would include all of those good for me things like get more exercise, eat better, quit bad habits and so on. Within a couple of month’s my list of resolutions would be buried under a stack of papers. When the list I had so diligently wrote out would come to my mind I would make excuses until finally the list was a long distant memory. That was of until the next new year was rolling around.

I quit making the new year resolutions list. Instead, I made an agreement with myself to all year long pay attention to me. I am now calling this the Practice of Me. This practice is not a laborious task, it is not a heavy list of must do’s or should do’s that only becomes a point of self-shame or frustration. There is no real timeline that I must follow. Instead this is a gentle agreement. One that I allow myself the time to stop and find out what is going on with me? What is important to me at this very moment? Asking myself what it is I am really feeling? What would be good for me. I ask myself questions and allow answers to come from within.

The Practice of Me has lead me to becoming more conscious of who I am in each moment. How I view myself, what my old behavior patterns were, why they were there and how they served me. The Practice of Me gives me the choice of initiating a new response, behavior or choice to change at any given moment. If for some reason, I stop a few days or a week down the road I have a chat with myself to see what is going on with me. I do not feel the old burden or shame of failing.  With the dialogue I am able to connect with myself and come to a better understanding of my process.   This allows me to find out what has been lying in the emotional layers of who I am. I can then support myself and choose to once again choose to begin what I had let fall aside with a new understanding of me.

I wish everyone the best 2016 possible and that this New Year is the year of YOU!