Welcome, 2021!
We have so many hopes pinned on this new year. It will take us a while to process and implement the vast need for social change and healing illuminated in 2020. Maybe in the past we’d say “that’s it” for last year and be quite glad to see it in our rear-view mirror. But this paradigm shift will require us to pause and take a deep respectful breath of hope knowing there is still a lot of patience and work still ahead as we traverse the in between time from what was to what will be.
The old way is being dismantled and being cleared away, and even if we’re not 100% where we hoped we’d be, we are still making room for more love, creativity, courage, compassion, hope…and joy. This and that will be true!
And, if there is one thing I know for sure.
How we consider and integrate the past has a huge impact on how we experience our future. “If we do what we did we’re gonna get what we got!”
It’s exciting to know that this new entrance to the Age of Aquarius ( finally that song makes sense!) is real and tangible and we’ve got an opportunity for real change for our communal body.
Imagining a New Kind of Year
Think of 2020 as a garden. We saw how unhealthy that garden was and so we were shown it was time to discover and pull out all the unhealthy plants. We ripped up the roots. We Roto-tilled that dirt. We fertilized the soil (whoo, boy, did we dump TONS of stinky, smelly fertilizer on 2020!).
We raked and prepped that soil, readying it for a new batch of plants. And,we’re likely still in the process as we cross the threshold of 2021 (after all-hello-we still have a pandemic and other huge problems to solve!) Regardless, we know a new garden and new abundance is what’s calling!
We can’t go and plant the same seeds we’ve been cultivating for a generation and expect something different to grow! If we want new results, we’ve gotta plant new seeds. And ask any gardener, and they will tell you a great garden begins with a thoughtful, intentional plan. So what’s your plan for 2021?
Start with a Dream
Are you the kind of gardener who will head to the nursery or garden center, fill your cart with whatever grabs your eye, throw them in the soil and dump a bunch of water on them? I can be like this! Then, six weeks later, I’ll wonder why nothing grew, or why the hostas took over everything else, or why the gardenia that looked so gorgeous on the tag isn’t growing in the weak Canadian sunshine!
The problem is, when we don’t take time to dream, to plan, to think it through, to be intentional about our choices, we end up with unimpressive results.
We don’t have to rush into ACTING and filling our garden before we take time to dream, to sit, to let Spirit speak to us, to quiet our minds so our hearts can be heard.
We can be present in the day without stress and anxiety to “make things happen now!”
You Have Time
Someone mentioned today they felt like they were “behind” because they hadn’t planned out the year yet. “I feel like I’m dragging my feet,” this sweet soul told me. “I am still a bit in shell-shock from 2020, and I don’t feel like I’m ready to put the next 12 months in ink!”
I told her what I will share now: Walking slowly and softly is the way forward.
If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that even the most thorough, thought-out plans mean nothing when the Universe has other plans! Work with your energy. Slow and steady, with breaks in between, might be just what you need.
Be gentle with yourself.
I love creating vision boards, and mind movies, and I use all kinds of tools to help me focus on my intentions but I don’t rush through them. I choose one, and make it a process, allowing the feelings, emotions, and energy I want to create in the new year to come into focus. In the past, I would panic if I didn’t have it all done by January 1st — like I wouldn’t know what to do with myself if I didn’t have the year all mapped out!
How You Feel Is More Important than What You Have
One thing that has become more and more clear to me over time is that how I FEEL in any particular moment is way more important than what I have. This is also important to the new paradigm we’re stepping into as we leave behind the predominant materialistic focus and welcome in a different set of values.
In my younger years, my vision board was full of pictures of Caribbean villas and recording contracts. But then I started paying attention to my emotions and my energy over time.
I realized that the villa isn’t my end goal: My goal is the FEELING I’d get from being there. Feelings of adventure, and freedom, and excitement, and fun.
The actual thing… well, it doesn’t matter. Those are energy states I can create no matter if I’m at home with my husband and dogs, or on a white sandy beach. My inner state is not dictated by outer circumstances. Affected, yes. Dictated, no way. I need to shift on the inside to be more resilient to outer conditions I may be unable to change. (Ah no beach in my backyard!)
Maybe in the past your vision board would have included pictures of really fit models running and doing yoga, yet in your mind you haven’t achieved that ideal. I would say that it’s not the BODY you want, it’s the emotions or feelings or energetic state that you believe having that particular body would give you. Maybe you would be more confident, or feel sexy, or desirable, or capable. You really want to experience what it’s like to love your body!
That’s really what you want: The energetic state of “I love my body”.
And that’s something I believe you can create now — you don’t have to wait to be a size 4-8-10 or whatever your magic number! This same principle is true in all areas of your life.
Stepping Forward into 2021
So, as you start considering what you want to create in 2021.
Here are some suggestions:
Take your time.
This doesn’t have to be rushed. Many times, I begin with a fuzzy idea of what my intentions are, and then everything comes more into focus as I give it time and space, or begin to work on making them real. It takes time and energy to step into your dreams!
Be intentional.
As we move into a new year and a new energetic space, we have infinite possibilities. ANYTHING may be possible, but we don’t have time or energy for EVERYTHING. We need to choose intentionally what we want to draw to us and experience in this new year.
Trust your intuition.
We often have long lists of the things we think we “should” want, like lots of money, that thin and sleek body, 10,000 followers on Instagram, whatever. Often, though, these are inherited desires that have little to nothing to what WE want. Clear away what others (family, partner, society) want for you to get to your core desires and values. (meditation and journaling are great tools for this!).
Create a different kind of vision board.
Try creating a vision board or dream board that is based on your desired energetic state, rather than acquiring possessions.
It’s natural for our brains to first turn to material objects since the physical is easier for us to imagine. But ask yourself, “What does this represent to me? What emotions or energy states would come if I had this object?” Then go right to that! What does this mean for me, what really matters? The physical object is just an intermediary.
Have fun and find joy.
Fun is such a critical part of all my spiritual growth. I have to laugh at myself and give myself chances to stumble, enjoying the process. Have a sense of humor. We are such quirky, lovable beings! Joy is essential too! It’s intangible but so powerful to place Joy in the center of your experience.
Above all, this is not one size fits all. The vision for your life is intimate and personal. Know that everyone’s outer conditions are so different. We’re not entering the Age of Aquarius all better and ready for action. Hope is real but the changing structures of society taking longer than you hoped can also cause you to get discouraged. Dismantling the systems of oppression, the shifting of our evolution of consciousness and the need for a huge outer overhaul is a LOT to take on.
BUT most importantly In the process of this transition, remember that you are the Divine! Changing the outer conditions as a whole requires the community, and in the process of working together to make a change in society for the better, your inner work is just as important. It’s where it all begins! You alone have this incredible power, and nothing is impossible when it comes to individual change. When you lead with that, choose from that and respond from that, you will know the Universe is guiding you with love, every step of the way, one step at a time for the highest good of all.
Hey! Want a step-by-step guided walkthrough of the process I use to create my vision boards? You’re in luck! Join me for this free event Jan. 18th-24th, 2021:
Colette Baron-Reid’s Vision Board Challenge: 7 Days to Create Your Most Inspired Vision for 2021
Click here to reserve your free spot!