Christmas Eve 2013 I decided to limit my commitments and shift my focus to foundations and maintenance. I set out to sort, straighten, shine and standardize my world. Clean up my messes. Stop being so random and start developing stablizing routines. Change habits that don’t serve me. I started out thinking I’d let myself have a whole week to do this. Then I gave myself two. Eventually I realized what a Herculean task I had taken on, and gave myself a year. Much of it wasn’t pretty. Hercules began his mission by cleaning stable dung. Well, you never know how much dung there is until you stop reaching out and instead, turn in and start cleaning.
That year ends now. And guess what! I need six more months!
It’s exciting to look back and see how much I accomplished. It’s humbling to see how far from my goals I still am. I had a bad digestive attack today. That was one of the things on my target list to correct. On the other hand, when I want a clothing item I can find it pretty fast. Actually, I can find most anything I want quickly now. No digging. Yay!
Goals give direction to decisions we make day to day. And my goals did just that. I don’t have the level of order I hoped for. Some metaphorical dung still remains to be cleaned. But my world has transformed. I did that! And I am giving myself another six months of building foundations as priority. I’m also nurturing my inner Achiever a little bit at a time to prepare myself with the warrior energy I will need for the next chapter of my life. But foundations still trump. I’m getting a bit tired of being so responsible. I’m looking forward to the next stage. But I am called to complete this stage before moving in to the next.
I’m doing this for me. I’m also doing it for everyone else who was affected by the “dung” and disorder that my outward focus ignored, and for everyone else who will be served by the next chapter of my life, offered from strong, clean foundations.
We’re going to a candle-lighting ceremony and that will feel like a celebration of this amazing year. It makes me feel like getting out the little guitar and my red striped pajamas and singing. I am grateful to myself for the gift I gave myself over the last year. Thank-you, me! It just keeps getting better. Wishing you blessed new beginnings, on track and in tune with your calling.
