Here it is, the end of 2011 and the beginning of a New Year!  It is such a special time of the year, that we are reminded to stay awake to the powerful energy of transition.  It is an opportunity to learn lessons, to let go, to celebrate, and to step forward with intention.  As I do each year, I invite you to join me in a year end exercise.  Relax and reflect with me on the journey of the past year and all it has brought our way.   On New Year’s Eve I will sit down and journal.  These are the questions that I will answer and I invite you to do the same:

FOR 2011:

How have you been challenged?

How have you grown?

What experiences were new for you this past year?

What important lessons have you learned?

What will you let go of that no longer serves you?

How have you been blessed?

Who will you thank?

Take time to mindfully answer these questions and you will be rewarded with the depth and richness of life and inspired to move forward into the New Year with more clarity.

For 2012:

How will you become more mindful in 2012?

What states of being will you cultivate?

How will you most joyfully give your gifts to life?

What are your top 5 priorities and values for life going forward and how will you honor them?

What are your intentions for your health, relationships, career, creativity, adventures and joy in 2012?

How can you love more?

If you take the time to answer these questions, you will be richly rewarded with mindful purpose in the New Year.  And if you share your insights, thoughts, questions, or ideas – we will all be inspired!  Thank you and May you be blessed with a prosperous and joyful New Year!

Forgiving can sometimes seem impossible. Some crimes just are so egregious we really struggle to find a way to forgive the perpetrator, right? If someone is so completely “wrong” then why should I forgive him or her? What if they just keep doing the same awful things again and again – how can I forgive that?

Take a moment to think about what the word forgiveness means to you. What is your definition of forgiving?

The New Oxford American Dictionary that is built right into my MacBook defines forgiveness as: to stop feeling angry or resentful toward (someone) for an offense, flaw, or mistake.

Now let this definition sink in a minute. Forgiveness means to stop feeling angry. What a great idea that is! What if we re-phrase the question “Can I forgive him/her?” and instead ask “Would I like to stop being angry?” The answer is almost always YES! Of course, this is easier said than done. Forgiving may require learning new skills to process anger until we are left with peaceful feelings – but it’s worth it!
Read more of Forgiveness: The Ultimate Act of Self-Care

I agree with Jacob Glass that gratitude is the mind’s natural anti-depressant. “Gratitude is spitting in the eye of the ego. It’s throwing a bucket of water on the wicked witch….If you never remembered any other spiritual practice in your life, gratitude would be enough.” (from his new book The Crabby Angels Chronicles“.

Got Goals? Stay motivated by focusing on your values and intentions!

We are all values-driven, meaning we seek to live a life that is aligned with our most important values.When you set a goal, make sure achieving it will be an expression of your deeply held values.First, identify your highest values.Then, determine how each of your goals will be an expression of your values.

For example, if your goal is to own a home this year and you highly value relationship, personal growth, and leadership, consider all the ways owning a home aligns with your values:Will it enhance your relationships?How does owning a home support your personal growth?Will achieving this goal provide opportunities for leadership?By tying the goal to as many values as possible, you add strength to your motivation.On the other hand, by doing this exercise you may discover that the goal does not align with your vision of your true self!You may also get a clearer picture of goals you do want to attain. Read more of Values-driven motivation – Mindfulness & Goal Setting

To support your mindful transition from 2009 to 2010….

Please share your favorite Tolle quotes – or any others!

Enthusiasm means there is a deep enjoyment of what you do plus the added element of a goal or a vision that you work toward. … You will feel like an arrow that is moving toward the target – and enjoying the journey.

Knowing yourself deeply has nothing to do with whatever ideas are floating around in your mind.  Knowing yourself is to be rooted in Being, instead of lost in your mind.

Joy does not come from what you do, it flows into what you do and thus into this world from deep within you.

No matter how active we are, how much effort we make, our state of consciousness creates our world, and if there is no change on that inner level, no amount of action will make any difference.

What you react to in another, you strengthen in yourself.

The source of all abundance is not outside you.  It is part of who you are….The acknowledgment of that abundance that is all around you awakens the dormant abundance within.  Read more of My favorite Eckhart Tolle quotes

Phoebe Chongchua, Editor of LifeFitMagazine.com, spoke with Brook around New Year’s about Setting Intentions.  You can listen to the interview here and learn some strategies to gain clarity, joy and meaning in your life!  Self Improvement never seemed like so much fun!

If you are ready to re-vision your life and need some coaching, you can experience Brook’s work by listening in on Ring In 2009!  Any day is a good day for personal growth!