Ahead there is a new path, do not be afraid, you have not passed this way before.
It is finally here, 2013, a new year holding unlimited promise for a bright future.
I can’t say that I was sad to see 2012 go away as it was a challenging, hard and often depressing year.
The holidays proved to be one of the hardest times I have ever lived through, the grief was hard to keep in check and some days I simply could not do it.
So on New Years Eve I made a promise to myself that I would again do the burning bowl ritual.
I wrote all my excuses, grievances, fears and regrets on pieces of paper and offered them up with much thought, a prayer and burned release at midnight.
One by one I let go of all that was holding me back, keeping me down and blinding my sight for the future. I am free. The ashes of what once was are gone, scattered in the wind. I am thankful. I am at peace where I am, with who I am and with my past. I am ready to move forward, to embrace the future whole heartedly.
What are your goals? Have you made New Years resolutions? Have you created a calendar, set deadlines to meet along the way?
This year I decided resolutions are not enough. This year I made commitments to myself instead. I will eat healthier. I will exercise regularly and take my health seriously. I will take more calculated risks. I will be involved in community and charity work. I will make a difference. I will take an active part in life and not just exist, but live, really live.
Whatever you resolved to do, or change this year, take a moment to reflect, to plan, to decide, to set goals, and celebrate when you reach those goals, find ways to hold yourself accountable, or find a partner so you can encourage and hold each other accountable along the way.
Life is more than just struggling to make ends meet. It’s more than going to work and coming home at the end of the day. Life is more than routines and schedules. Laugh, play, strive, struggle, encourage, have faith, love, and reach out to help others along the way. Live. Happy 2013, may this new year bring you more joy than you’ve ever known.
Cherry Coley (c)
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SpilledCookies 
i did a burning bowl ceremony also, for the solstice, with my husband and youngest child. I’m ready for a new year too!
It’s an amazing way to prepare for the new year! Glad you guys got to enjoy it together too!
You wrote “I wrote all my excuses, grievances, fears and regrets on pieces of paper and offered them up with much thought, a prayer and burned release at midnight.” What a great idea. I think I will have to do this sometime in near future. There is a lot weighing on my heart these days.
Kathy, mine too. I do the burning bowl twice a year, but you can do it however it suits you. For me, the action of writing down my problems, or things I want to change, praying over them and then setting them on fire in an act of letting go of the past or issue is an amazing way to release that feeling of being weighed down. 🙂
I completely agree with you that life is a journey. I have a blog, which I named My Journeys in Sight! I am sorry for your grief and hope that 2013 is a better year. I think writing about our journey in life does yield great insights and I look forward to reading more of your writing.
Thank you so much! I look forward to checking your blog out. 🙂 Thank you for stopping by.
Always an inspiration. Happy New Year:-)