This is usually around the time where everyone is setting intentions, writing out their resolutions, and getting themselves hype for the new year ahead. There’s a certain feeling about a new year that makes most of us feel excited and refreshed. Did something stupid last week? Hey, just leave that mess in 2017. It was last year, anyway.
This week, I want to touch on some basic principles that you all can follow as you make strides in the year ahead. Nothing crazy, just a few things to keep in mind that I’ve learned and want to share with you.
1. Don’t take anything personal
Last year, I read a book called the Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. The most important agreement that stuck out to me was to not take anything personally. Basically, it’s not all about you. Often, other people’s actions impact us, making us feel as if somehow we were the cause of them and played some part in their behavior. The truth is, each person is their own separate entity. All decisions they make have to do with their thought process, their issues, and their own emotions. For instance, if a someone you went on a few dates with suddenly stops replying to you, it has nothing to do with you and everything to do with them. No matter how hard, try to train your brain to not take offense when people make decisions you don’t agree with or feel like should’ve been dealt with differently.
2. The energy you keep is the energy you will receive
Have you ever had a bad morning, which turned into a shitty afternoon, and even worse evening? That’s because you let that one event in the morning determine the outcome of your entire day. When things happen that upset us, it’s so easy to fall into the “my life sucks, wow I’m so unbelievably unlucky” narrative. In reality, all you’re doing is calling more negative experiences into existence. The more optimistic and positive you are, the more likely you will welcome experiences into your life that match how you already feel. The Universe will always match the vibrations you put out, so pay attention to your thinking patterns and how you speak. It all makes a difference.
3. In order to manifest, you must let go of the outcome
It can be real easy to set an intention and put positive thoughts towards that, but after awhile you’ve got to let it go. When manifesting, the key to making it happen is actually to release any attachment you have to the outcome. Believe me, some of the best things I’ve manifested have come from me setting an intention, sending some good vibes into the Universe, and completely forgetting about it. It can be pretty tough if you want something to happen really badly, but the point is to practice not putting too much energy into one thing and instead letting the Universe work its magic. It’s best to try manifesting with something you aren’t incredibly attached to first, then work your way up to the big stuff.
4. Change can begin any day, at any time
Listen, you don’t need a new year to start making changes. All it takes is a little intention-setting and some commitment. You know when I made the biggest change in my life? Smack dab in the middle of Fall 2016. I broke out my bullet journal and started writing down how I was going to start living a better life. From then on, everything moved right along. It’s not the time that’s important, it’s how much you believe in yourself to make that change. The more you believe and manifest positive change, the easier it will come.
5. People show you exactly who they are, you just have to pay attention
Have you ever looked back and realized that a person showed all the telltale signs of their true character, yet you somehow missed it? Yeah, me too. It can be so easy to ignore little comments or behaviors, attributing it to something small and unimportant. The reality is, your intuition will always be on point. That guy who joked that he was “kind of a f*ckboy” actually turned out to be one, didn’t he? That friend who said she sucks at keeping secrets told yours, didn’t she? Throughout life, one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that people can be quite obvious about who they are. It’s us who makes them into someone else, who we want them to be. The next time someone does something small that doesn’t sit right with you, take note and pay attention. It could very well save you some time and energy in the long run.
That’s what I got for ya. So go out there, and keep these principles in mind as you welcome what could be your best year yet. May 2018 bring you all the light, positive energy, and happiness you can handle.