This time of year is an awesome opportunity
to not only dream of new adventures but to reflect on the ones that have
passed. New Year’s Eve is synonymous with resolutions, goals, and intentions –
creating a strong vision for the year ahead.
But what if you chose differently this
year? What if you realized that everything you are in this moment, everything
you have and do right now is enough? I know it doesn’t always feel this way…but
that’s when the practice of Santosha, or contentment comes in. I find it very
tempting around this time of year to dwell on what hasn’t happened in my life or get fired up on making new goals a
reality in the next twelve months. Santosha doesn’t mean sitting around idly
watching the world go by, rather it means accepting and appreciating who and what
we are already. Don’t get me wrong – I love a good vision board! It’s
incredibly valuable to write down and set our sights on what we'd like to
see in our lives. But to what extent do we keep pushing, striving, and reaching
without having the balance of present joy and gratitude for what we have
already experienced?
Tonight, the eve of 2018, I’ve decided to
focus all of my attention on being grateful for what I have in this moment.
Not who I want to become or what I’d like to accomplish, but appreciating all
that the past 33 years has given me. The moment that all of those other moments
has brought me to – being happy with exactly who and where I am, with exactly
what I have – flaws, missed marks, unaccomplished goals, unrealized dreams, and
ALL.
