And we begin again. At least that’s what the calendar says.

I kind of love and hate the New Year. I mean, hate is pretty strong but… of course it’s great because it’s a new beginning for everyone, a chance to ‘start over’ with a ‘clean slate’, do things this year differently than last year. But somehow it ends up getting built up so much, and we try to do everything differently all at once, that we set ourselves up for failure… we forget that habits are hard to create, and when we are anything but perfect we stop, and then wait again until next New Year for a new round of resolutions. If anyone is questioning my observation, hit the gym for a few weeks in January, that place is jam packed and by mid-February, March at the latest, things are back to normal and the regulars are relieved to have some space again. I guess I just think it’s funny, and somewhat arbitrary, to make big changes or commitments just because we start the calendar again. Personally I prefer my birthday for all of those crazy shenanigans, it feels more special that way.

I love every opportunity for a new beginning, for ‘starting over’, maybe doing things differently than before. Creating a new habit, doing something better, improving and growing in some way, I can’t get enough – I am just a rebel about it happening on January 1^st. A few years back I decided, no more resolutions, no more trying to make big changes all at once, and gave myself every January 1^st off from complete transformation to wonder woman version of self until further notice.

I am actually in the beginning of a pretty big journey with my Self. Really diving into this philosophy that everything is energy, learning more about the spirit, the body, what energy feels like, when it’s your energy or someone else’s energy and also what all that looks like in the physical world – like your house, as an example. It’s amazing.

As I wander further and further down this road, discovering what is really ‘me’  and what are just ideas that other people have of  who I should be – I’m realizing a few things that I want to share on the first day of the new year.

1. Your energy is magic and unique, and it will never invalidate you. If you are feeling – insecure, doubt, fear, inadequate, invalidated… you get the gist – that’s not you. It’s someone else’s energy in your space.

2. Forgiveness is a super power. We all have things from the past that, when we think of them, trigger strong feelings like we are re-living something all over again. This means that some of your energy is still stuck back in that moment – that moment when someone did something to you, or you wish you had reacted differently, or hadn’t said something, or had said something – forgiveness, of yourself and others takes your energy out of that moment and brings it into the present, so that you can have it for your life – right now.

3. Amusement is also a pretty awesome super power. The more amusement I bring into my life, the easier and more effortless everything becomes. Amusement also helps you see the magic in everything. If you can have amusement when someone is really pissing you off, not just at how horrible they might be, but at just how much they are getting to you, you win every time.

4. You are perfect, right here, and right now. For me, as I’m sure for a lot of other people, this one can tough. We are conditioned to be constantly looking forward, constantly be ‘improving’, and constantly be comparing ourselves to others… which on some level is telling your body that you aren’t good enough, right now. I can’t really speak for men – because I’m not one –  but also as women somehow somewhere along the road we are taught that it’s not okay to like our bodies, ever. Screw that. I love my body. It’s the vehicle through which I experience my whole life – and I wouldn’t trade it – big caboose or straight blonde hair – for anything. If someone doesn’t like it, they can look somewhere else.  But whether it’s your body or anything about your life, there is beauty in where you are – right now – even if you don’t want to be there forever. Really the only thing we have is right now, and who wants to constantly be unhappy with that?

So in wishing a Happy New Year I would like to say that I think you are beautiful, and if you don’t like something, about your body or your house or your job or your love – use your super powers of amusement and forgiveness to make whatever changes you want, or not – because you can do anything, even if it’s not January 1.