Saturday, January 3, 2015

STARTING THE NEW YEAR


          Each December, right before the winter holiday break, a friend of mine used to ask the students in her high school creative writing classes to make three separate lists of the things they'd like to (1) stop doing, (2) start doing and (3) keep doing in the new year. Invariably, she found the majority of her students could readily identify a long list of things they wanted to quit doing, but found it much harder to create a list of positive goals they wanted to set. Moreover, very few could describe what they were doing well and wanted to continue doing. 

STARTING FRESH
            Does that sound familiar? Many of us are like those high school students: although we're quick to criticize our past and vaguely hopeful about our future, we generally don't give ourselves much credit for what's going well in our lives at present. 
            I believe that's why most people's New Year's resolutions are doomed to failure: because they involve a high degree of judgement and rejection of the past in favor of some elusive, golden-hued, hoped-for future that isn't really anchored in the present tense.
            Heading into the new calendar year, there is such a strong cultural bias towards making New Year's Resolutions, focusing on a fresh start, beginning a new diet, creating a budget, clearing clutter, finding a new relationship, etc. As laudable and desirable as such goals might be, I believe it's equally important to be grateful for those aspects of our lives which are currently going well. To be patient, kind and accepting of ourselves just as we are in the present tense, before trying to "improve" ourselves by creating a field of affirmation for a possible future. Only then do we have a firm foundation on which to build our field of dreams.

STARTING HERE
            That's why I hope you can join us for the first Sunday Morning Circle of the New Year, as we examine the subtle-but-important differences between setting New Year's resolutions and affirmations; between creating goals and holding a vision; between wants and desires. As we do so, we'll focus on embracing the goodness in our lives as the basis for a group process of writing letters of vision and affirmation to ourselves for the coming year.    
            Then, at the end of the morning, you'll be invited to place the letter you've written to yourself in a sealed, self-addressed envelope, which we'll hold for you throughout the year, then mail back to you in December.

STARTING THERE
            If you've already done this with us in past years, you know what a powerful exercise this can be - and will want to be there. And if not, you're in for a special treat. Either way, please do plan to be there and join in the process of affirmation with us. The first Sunday Morning Circle of the year has always been a powerful, high-energy occasion - but it should be extra-special this time, because we'll be meeting at our new location in the spacious, light-filled art gallery at Say Sí. What a great way to start the New Year! I sure hope you can join us there. I promise that you'll be glad you did!

With blessings and best wishes for a healthy, happy New Year,
          Rudi

PS:  Speaking of things that are going well, I'm delighted to report that we have not only met, but exceeded our goal of raising $8,000 through our Year-End Giving Campaign. As of December 31st, we had received $9,604, which enabled us to finish our fiscal year in the black and begin the New Year on a firm financial footing. Many thanks to all of those whose generosity made this possible, with special gratitude to Betty Franklin, our hard-working President of the Council of Stewards for initiating the Campaign and holding the vision!



 

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