​2025 is Coming—What Will You Leave Behind and What Will You Embrace?

Image by PIRO from Pixabay

There are moments in life that naturally invite reflection. While the end of the calendar year is one of these, other moments—such as quiet evenings, the lunar cycle, birthdays, and holidays—also offer opportunities to pause and reflect.

As we approached the Full Moon in November, I was reminded of its power to illuminate what truly drives me. I’d like to share the process I went through in case it’s helpful for anyone reflecting at the close of the year.

Understanding Our Why

For me, understanding my “why” is key to living a fulfilling life. As Colette Baron-Reid has said, when we are clear on our purpose—our “why”—our intentions align naturally and become magnets for positive change. What truly matters to me isn’t just the reason for my existence; it’s the compass that guides me through life’s complexities. It connects me to my purpose, empowers me to contribute meaningfully, and ensures that I’m living in alignment with my deepest truths. Without clarity on what matters, I risk wandering aimlessly, disconnected from the joy and meaning that make life rich and worthwhile.

Though I’ve explored my values and beliefs many times, this time, I felt it was important to check in with fresh eyes and an open heart. So, I asked myself three key questions:

1. What truly matters to me?
   This question helps identify core values—the things we can’t compromise on—and anchors our “why.” For me, these include health, family, reflection, and the desire to contribute meaningfully to the world.
2. What am I ready to release to make space for growth?
   Letting go of old beliefs, habits, or expectations clears the path for transformation. Personally, releasing past emotional burdens has opened up new possibilities for me.
3. How can I align my intentions with my heart’s desires?
   This question bridges where I am now and where I want to be. By aligning intentions with my heart, I ensure my actions resonate with who I truly am.

What Truly Matters to Us

Reflecting on our “why” can reveal the essential pillars that shape our lives. When I took time to scribble mine down and then asked ChatGPT to help synthesize them into categories, this is what emerged:

• Health & Vitality: My physical, mental, and emotional well-being are the foundation of everything I do. Without them, I can’t fully engage with life.
• Time & Space for Reflection: Quiet moments to connect with myself fuel creativity, clarity, and a sense of purpose.
• Family: I am deeply committed to supporting my children’s health, education, and emotional development, providing them with stability and love.
• Partnership: A strong connection with my partner brings joy, mutual support, and companionship.
• Community & Connection: Nurturing relationships with friends and family fosters a sense of belonging and joy.
• Beauty & Practicality: A balance of aesthetics and functionality in my surroundings uplifts me and promotes sustainability.
• Safety & Belonging: A secure home and connection to the land ground me, providing a space for relaxation and renewal.
• Exploration & Comfort: Traveling to new places excites me, but I also value the comfort and security that come with these experiences.
• Contribution: Using my skills and experiences to create meaningful change is an essential part of my legacy.
• Growth & Expansion: I am committed to ongoing personal growth, integrating past experiences to live authentically and embrace life’s transitions.

These pillars guide my decisions, priorities, and how I choose to spend my time. By recognising and prioritising them, I’m created a framework for living intentionally and authentically, ensuring that each step I take is aligned with what truly matters to me.

Letting Go to Grow

​Growth often requires releasing what no longer serves us. For me, this means letting go of self-sacrifice, guilt, and old emotional burdens. Prioritising my well-being has taught me that self-care isn’t selfish—it’s essential. When we release the urge to “fix” everything, we create space for clarity, ease, and joy.

Key Questions for Letting Go:

• What am I ready to release?
  Letting go of outdated beliefs, habits, or external expectations clears the way for growth.
• How can I create space for ease?
  Shifting from “doing” to “being” aligns us with our true desires and restores balance.

Practical Practices for Releasing

Releasing can be tricky, especially when ingrained patterns have taken years to develop. There are often many layers to work through, and as we’ve spent years ingraining these patterns, the process requires a great deal of kindness and patience with ourselves. It’s not about quick fixes; it’s about gradual transformation. Here are some suggestions that can be helpful, especially when you notice old, redundant patterns emerging:

• Rituals: Write down the emotions or burdens you want to release, then burn or bury the paper as a symbolic act of letting go.
• Visualisation: Picture setting down a heavy backpack of burdens and walking forward, free and unencumbered. Imagine the weight lifting with each step.
• Affirmations: Phrases like "Carry the lessons, not the burdens" or "I am free to live lightly and fully" can be powerful tools. But for me, simply having a conversation in my head, speaking to myself as though I’m someone I love and care for, is just as healing.
• Somatic Healing: Practices like yoga, breathwork, or mindful walking are excellent for releasing tension stored in the body. For deeper work, I also turn to specific meditative practices like The Completion Process or parts work to address more profound emotional issues.

Releasing is a process, not a one-time event. Each small step we take creates more space for clarity, growth, and connection, even if the changes are subtle at first. I have to remind myself of this constantly, and to be patient with myself as I navigate this journey.

Aligning Intentions with Our Heart’s Desires

Connecting with our deeper "why" helps align our actions with what truly matters. When our intentions are clear, even the most mundane tasks can feel purposeful. Reflecting on these deeper motivations has reminded me of the incredible power of intention.

For me, my "why" is about living a life of vitality, connection, and beauty, embracing each moment—smooth or bumpy—as part of the journey. Yet, balancing this vision with everyday responsibilities can be challenging. Tasks like car maintenance or paying bills can seem like obstacles, but I’ve learned to view them as essential parts of the foundation supporting the life I want to live.

Steps to Align Intentions

1. Tune In Daily: Start each day with stillness and ask, “What do we truly need today?”
2. Reframe Tasks with Your "Why": See mundane responsibilities as the scaffolding for our vision. For example, “A well-maintained car supports my family’s stability and access to meaningful connections.”
3. Simplify and Delegate: Enlist help, automate tasks, or let go of unnecessary commitments to lighten our load.
4. Batch and Limit Tasks: Group similar activities into focused blocks of time to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
5. Create Meaningful Moments: Use “hidden” time—like commuting or cleaning—to listen to inspiring podcasts or practice mindfulness.
6. Protect Time for What Matters: Carve out even small daily or weekly blocks for reflection, creativity, or rest, and guard this time fiercely. We should not be trying to create our best life with the dregs of what’s left after fulfilling our duties. This is a key duty.

When we approach our responsibilities with intention, we shift from resistance to alignment. Each step we take supports the life we’re meant to live.

Your Invitation to Reflect

As the New Year approaches, I invite you to reflect on your own “why.” Ask yourself:

• What truly matters to me?
• Why do I care about what matters to me?
• What am I ready to release to make space for growth?
• How can I align my actions with my heart’s desires?

These questions hold the key to unlocking your purpose and living a life that resonates with your deepest truths. I encourage you to take this moment to reflect, journal, or share your insights with a community. May this moment of reflection guide you toward greater clarity, connection, and joy on your journey forward.

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