As a young teenager, I can remember a new year’s eve where everyone gathered around in a circle to Welcome in the New Year and then sing Auld Lang Syne. From the first verse, I could feel the tears well in my eyes. My grandfather had died earlier that month and then everyone sang the first verse ……….. Should auld acquaintance be forgot And never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot And days of auld lang syne? Even today when I hear that song, I fight back the tears and think of FaFa, though I’m also aware that my answers to both questions is NO.
Remembering and Reflecting is how we learn and grow. It’s a way for us to know what is best for us, NOW. It’s a way for us all to REMEMBER that we are a very important person in our life and that its time for us to KNOW and LOVE oneself and our life. And if we have a challenge with any of this, then its time for us to decide what we would like to STOP, START and CONTINUE.
Otherwise, we may blindly continue with habits that are no longer serving us.
2020 has been a year of STOP. We have all been forced to STOP. Many people are still asking “when will life return to normal?” Though what is “normal?” I am sure that if we all shared our answer to that question, we would find that there is no such thing as “one normal.” As what is normal for you, may not be normal for another or for me. In late 2018, I decided that it was time for me to STOP drinking alcohol. It was a daily habit and to be honest, I was over having conversations, that many times I did not remember. I also knew that when your body is alcohol-free you vibrate at a higher level. Assisting me to be able to connect more easily with Dan, my son on the other side and other passed loved ones. I also knew that many relationships in this realm would also be enhanced when alcohol was not involved.
I was guided to read Alan Carr’s “The easy way for women to stop drinking.” Which gave me the insights for me to confidently inform my family and friends that 2019 was going to be my alcohol-free year. I figured a year was an ideal time, to create a new habit. Plus, it gave me the option to drink if I so chose after 2019! On the 30th December 2020, it will be two years since any alcoholic drink has passed my lips. And I can honestly say that I never crave it. Whilst initially most people wanted me to have “just one drink” with them, now they would be shocked if I did actually “have just one drink.”
For me, there are two things I will STOP in 2021.
Firstly, I have decided that I will purchase nothing new for me personally or the house apart from food. When I see something that I would have normally purchased, I will put that money aside into a bank account. There will be no withdrawals from this account in 2021. Though I AM allowing one exception. Which may or may not happen. You see my oldest son, Ben and his fiancé Rachel had to postpone their April 2020 wedding. They have not set a new date yet, so if they marry in 2021, I will be purchasing a new outfit (dress, shoes, bag, jewellery) ……… though that’s the only exception. Secondly, I will STOP eating sugar. Now I know that there are many hidden sugars in our food, though I will consciously cut out all SUGAR for 2021.
Will keep you updated throughout the year, on my progress. What I notice and in regards to the bank account growth. What are some things you’d like to STOP doing in 2021?
We create our life. We get to choose how we respond to life. We get to choose the way that we look back at days of auld lang syne. And especially the “2020” days of auld lang syne. For me, 2020 has been a brilliant year. It’s the year that I started saying what I felt. I started telling people that I loved them. Before, I would feel it and think it, though with the majority of people, I’d never say it out loud. 2020, assisted me to realise that we only really have NOW. That is all that we are guaranteed. This moment. Then if we are lucky, we have another and another and another. The pandemic has assisted me to realise to DO it NOW. STOP putting things off until tomorrow, do it now!
So, what is something that you’d like to START doing?
Now is the time. There is no better time than now. All you have to do is take the smallest step. That will start you in the right direction towards STARTING this thing you’ve been putting off for way too long. Simply choose to take affirmative and humble action, as who knows this small step may end up being the biggest step of your life!
One of the greatest part about taking the time to STOP and REFLECT upon your life is that you get to see what is really working out well for you. These are the things that you know are in your highest interest to CONTINUE doing. I know that I will always continue to learn new things. I believe that our life is a continual Journey of Learning. We don’t know what we do not know. Though lately I have been blessed to be guided towards reading books that I call “Knowing Books.”
These books contain information that I have never consciously heard or learned before though I have a KNOWING that what I am reading is FACT. Love reading, learning and growing. When we know better, we do Better!
I saw Nicole Kidman on ACTOR TO ACTOR. A YouTube series where two actors talk about their latest role and their career. I have seen Nicole chatting with a few actors, Russell Crowe, Ewan McGregor. In one of them she mentioned that she reads a lot. She said that when she was first starting out an Actor Mentor recommended that she read in her spare time. This will broaden your outlook on people, different cultures and the world in general. She credits this advice as assisting her to be a better actor. She mentioned that she always has 10 books on the go. She also said that when she started to say “NO” to roles as it did not fit in with her family, that was when she started to be offered the better roles.
I share that as saying NO is something that I have done for the past five years and will continue to do……………. I know this is something that is not always easy. Though when you do, watch how things work out better than if you had said YES! Another thing I plan to do is to continue writing my next book. The working title is “Loss & Grief Demystified.”….. How to STOP the numbness, pain and suffering after any kind of loss.
Watch this space as it will be released in early 2021
I could go on and on about the things that I will continue doing in 2021, with one of them being that I will continue to email you weekly. How about you, what are the many things that are working well for you and that you will continue to do in……………?
This brings me to the close of this week’s email and my final one for 2020. I know that 2020 was the year that no-one planned. Though there were many great things that happened this year. Just look around. At how quickly the earth began to heal when we all STOPPED. When businesses slowed down. When there were not so many planes in the air. When we all stopped driving and commuting.
Hopefully, you too were also able to heal and align all your areas of life. Creating mental, emotional, spiritual and spiritual wellness. Creating more loving relationships with family, friends, colleagues and strangers who have crossed your path.
Here’s to you creating a new year filled with all your Hopes, Dreams and Aspirations. May 2021 be the YEAR that you BECOME the PERSON you have always dreamt of BEING.
With that thought, I will say farewell for this week. Make every day Meaningful Memorable and Magical.
Stay well and always remember that there is great love here for you.
With Love and Gratitude
