Kickstart Your 2017

Hey, its Leigh Ann here with What’s Up Wednesday. We’re now getting down to the short strokes of the holiday season. And I just wanted you to maybe take a moment to shift your attention to look at what you can actually start creating now for a really amazing kick start to 2017.

And I know a lot of you are thinking, 2017, Leigh Ann? I mean, I’m just in the day to day of getting through these last couple weeks of the holiday season. I can’t even think about 2017. But I really want you to challenge that mindset. Shift that mindset just for the next couple of minutes. So that you can just take in some of the ideas I have and see if they resonate for you or not.

So, how are you feeling at this present moment? I know this time of year it brings so much emotion up for people. In fact it’s a very, very difficult time of year. People have so much feelings of stress, stress and time. As well as stress with money. People that don’t have family feel really, really lonely at this time of year. And there is so much expectations around the holiday season. So it creates a lot of overwhelm. And exhaustion for a lot of people.

So I want to talk today about, instead of trying to push aside those feelings we may be feeling, to try and keep it all together for the holiday season, I really want you to actually look at honoring those feelings. Like right now.

So for instance, if we continue to push aside these feelings, if we’re feeling totally stressed and overwhelmed, we know eventually they are going to come out, right? And they could potentially come out Christmas morning with the in-laws. And we don’t want that, do we? No! So let’s like, we’re feeling a certain way, we’re feeling stress. Like I got no time. Let’s just delve into those feelings. Because guess what? If we try to put on the brave face, those feelings are still operating below the surface. And they are basically attracting similar energy.

So if you are feeling overwhelm, you are going to continue to feel more and more overwhelm. So I have got a couple of suggestions for you to help you to just stop and honor the feelings that you are having. Because we don’t want to carry that into the holiday season. And we don’t want to carry that into 2017. And if we don’t deal with them right away, we will, right?

So here’s a couple things I like to do. Get out in nature. You could go for a cross country ski if you got snow, like up in the mountain area. You can go for a nice brisk walk. Or if you have really got a lot of anger and things going on, go into the forest and shout out at the trees. And just get that emotion moving out of your body.

Some of the things I like to do, instead of lashing out at people in your life, go and retreat to your bedroom and have a pillow fight with yourself and just get it all out. And I guarantee you will start to laugh and you will shift your energy.

Some other things you can do is journal. Write things down. But move through those feelings and honor yourself. And when you start doing that, you can start bringing in that wonderful energy you want to create for 2017.

The other thing, and some people might think I’m a Scrooge for saying this, but I recommend taking down your Christmas decorations before the New Year. And some people might say, Leigh Ann, I just put them up. But it really does make a difference for when you wake up January 1st. just imagine, what do you want to wake up like on January 1st? You want a clean slate, you want a fresh start. You want to be able to move forward and not have that holiday hang over carrying forward where you are like oh my gosh, I got to take down all the decorations. And all that kind of stuff. So I highly recommend taking your decorations down before the New Year so you can focus on you in the New Year.

Another thing I really love to do is to plan a year end ritual. And this could be by yourself or this could be with your family or your friends. But basically take some time, and I like to do this New Year’s Eve. It could be in the day or in the evening. But take some time and just reflect on the previous year. You know? Just take a few moments and acknowledge the challenges you’ve gone through. Celebrate the successes that you’ve gone through. And just take a year in review. And at that time, too, it’s kind of nice to jot down some things you want to let go of. Or not might but you want to let go of. Maybe there are things in your personality that you are not liking that you want to set aside and let go of for 2017. Or maybe there are situations in your life you want to change. But take a few moments and jot them down. And I highly recommend, if you have a fireplace, write down what you are letting go of and flip them into the fire and burn them. it’s really powerful.

And at the same time, once you’ve done that, start considering what are the things that I want to bring forward in my life for 2017? What are my desires? What are things that maybe I put off this last year that I really want to put forward in 2017. So write down those intentions. And keep them. And you’re 97% more likely to succeed if you A. write down your intentions and goals. And B. share it with someone. So share it with your friends and family. So this is a great thing to do at the end of the year to kind of wrap it up in a bow and be ready to move into the energy of what you want to create for 2017.

And then, the last suggestion that I have is, and I’ve done this before, we didn’t do it last year, but we’re going to do it again this year is have a gratitude jar. And just take a few moments to write down in your day to day, have it in a central place where everybody knows, with a pen and little slips of paper. And when good things happen, just do a one liner and write it down. And put it into the gratitude jar. And the beauty is, at the end of the year, when you’re doing your yearend ritual for 2017, you can take out that gratitude jar and do the year in review by looking at all the beautiful things you are grateful for. And just steep yourself in that beautiful energy of gratitude. Because that is such a high vibrational energy that makes you feel really good.

So those are my tips. If you like what I’ve said here, please share it with others. Because I know this time of year is a bit crazy. And sometimes people just need a little inspiration and support. The other thing is for 2017, I’m doing Busy Lizzy Makeovers. So if you feel like you need a Busy Lizzy Makeover, please message me and let’s get you into that. And then we’ll kick start your 2017 to be your best year yet.

So I’m going to sign off for the rest of 2016 with What’s Up Wednesday. But I’m going to be game to start the first week of January. And I hope you can join me then. But until then, Merry Christmas. And Happy Holidays. And thanks for joining me. Mwah.

Photo by Sam Beasley