Happy New Year!

2010...a new decade (yes, I'm in that camp!), a new year. I, for one, am very glad to see the end of 2009 and a brand new calendar with fresh, unwritten pages.

While it's really just another day on the calendar, it's a benchmark and a way to start with a clean slate. Having a ceremony to mark the passing makes it more meaningful and solidifies the changes you want to see materialize.

Last night as the old year was coming to a close, I wrote out words on small pieces of paper that represented what I wanted to leave behind; a state of mind, a way of being, a paradigm that I wanted to shift. I had a small candle and a fireproof dish (I am nothing if not practical!) and slowly lit each one afire and really held that intention in my mind as I saw it slowly disappear in a trail of fire and ash. It was so powerful that I woke up this morning literally feeling lighter in spirit. The state of mind I was living in yesterday seems very far away and small, a distant memory. I feel ready to tackle the world!

What is it you want to leave behind? What could you accomplish if you didn't bring your baggage with you everywhere you went? Small carry-ons only, please! Make a list, create a ceremony and leave it all behind. Clear the decks for the new year, the new you!

Blessings!