Welcome to the New Year

2013 is going to be beautiful.

Before I close all the 2012 books, I'd like to say thank you thank you thank you to everyone who participated in 25 Days of Kind-Chi. It felt so good to be a part of it, and I love you all. We touched a lot of people. I heard so many feel good stories, but I know there are a ton more that I haven't heard of. Knowing there's a little more happy in the world is so comforting, and it's thanks to all of you.

Now, it's time to go into full gear!
I quit my job right before the holiday season, and decided that this year is about forwarding this movement. Going to give my entire self into this concept of Spreading The Chi and see where it takes me.

A huge part of that is going to be the Mindfulness event. I'm looking at April/May time slot wise. Which means it's time to start feeling people out for participation. If you know anyone who may be interested in being a part of it, or if you're interested yourself, please please email me!! I would absolutely LOVE to hear any and every suggestion. And I'm looking for all kinds of people. Musicians, speakers, wellness practitioners... Hit me with ideas, and we'll brainstorm.

Also just putting this out there - I'm going to need a substantial speaker system that can work outdoor and that can plug into an iPod. Any ideas?

I love you guys for reading this. Worry not, my friends, because this thing is going to take off like wildfire this year. It's the year of the chi.

Re-Creation

- A little housekeeping. Spreading The Chi's facebook page is doing a 25 days of kind-chi group, and you should join. It's becoming pretty fun. Okay. Back to the post. -

I'm about to hit you with a super cliche statement that is about as lame as it is true.

Life. Starts. Now.

The past does not exist past it's ability to effect how you view the present moment. That is entirely in your control, though more often than not it takes time and practice and patience.
But the point is, your life is and only ever will be right now.

So what are you doing?
What aren't you doing?

I recently made a pretty major change, and in the fresh start I saw so so many beautiful opportunities it was overwhelming. And I realized that if I keep doing the same blah-de-blah living I've been doing, I'm going to find myself craving a fresh start all over again! So what's the solution?

This morning I went to church and I listened to a sermon about using the holidays as a time to check in. To "take inventory" with your self, with God, and with others. Which immediately brought me to the three Kai Chi Do connections, self source and others. Now, I don't know what words work for you, and I don't claim to know what's best for everyone, but I can tell you this. When I allowed myself time to sit down and check in with my whole being, top to bottom, inside out, I realized what I needed more of and I realized what I needed to phase out.

But let's backstep for a second. Before you find yourself re evaluating, take a moment to be completely honest with yourself. What is holding you back right now? What is in the pit of your stomach? That thing you just wish you could make go away and your life would be perfect?

Why is this negative for you? Is it not a good situation? Or is it not being handled as it should?

Now comes the hard part.

Fix it.

Whatever it is, however scary, fix it. Cut the part of your life out, or change the way you do something drastically, or eliminate a way of thinking that you've ignored for so long. Free yourself, because no one is going to do it for you.

And then, suddenly, you have the big open space in front of you. You're looking at a blank and beautiful page.

So my strategy is to make two lists.

First, make a list of things you want to bring into your life. Put everything on the table and re do your priorities. What do you miss? What is that thing you find yourself thinking about all the time? "I need to read more" or "I don't call my sister enough." Maybe its something you've never tried, or something you want to do more of. A habit you want to get into. It's important that this list stays positive. Don't shoot yourself in the foot by bringing it down already. This is your chance to lighten up.

The second list is a bit trickier. This is a list of things you want to "phase out". Now again, stay positive. Don't use "stop" or "don't" or "eliminate" words. Instead, make a kind and non judgmental list of things you don't feel are helping you in life anymore.

During my Kai Chi Do training I learned that the easiest and most comfortable way to remove negativity from your life is to squeeze it out with positivity. Make it so there's no more room for those things you don't want, instead of just trying to cut them out. When you replace them first, you don't get left with empty space that you need to fill.

The last step is simple, and also difficult. You've made your game plan. Now take a deep breath, and go for it. You've already laid out a straightforward map of what you do and don't want. And it won't change in one day. But slowly and confidently start molding your life into those lists. Because your worth it. Because life is today, and that piece of paper is going to get filled up whether it's with what you want or it isn't. Don't keep wasting days that don't line up with the truths you just wrote down. That's your heart. That's what you want, you said it yourself. And there is nothing stopping you.

I love you all. Godspeed.