While I’m excited for what the new year will bring, I really can’t forget to acknowledge all that I’ve learned this year - there’s been a lot :-). And the holidays are always a great marker and reminder for how far we’ve come. You see, it’s really those moments of self-discovery that allow us to head into the next chapter of life, feeling confident and motivated. So to finish off strong, I’d like to share with you the 7 things I learned this year that I’m taking with me into 2020 (and I hope you will too)!

1. The power of community

That feeling of fellowship you get from sharing common interests, goals, and like-mindedness with others is something that has started to become stronger and stronger over the years. Although everyone is going about life in different ways, it is the compassion and understanding we have for each other that brings us all together.

You start to see that life is not a competition when each and every one of us has something powerful to contribute. That’s exactly why I’m so grateful for the entire Mind Movies community because we are really like family around here. From everyone using the Mind Movies app, to those that participate in the weekly USM calls, to joining in on the conversation on Facebook, I just want you to know that I see you and I hear you - you are the reason why I get to do what I love.

Community is an integral part of Mind Movies, and this year has been an incredible reminder of that. The individual work everyone does is the reason why we’re able to continue growing this awesome community. And I can’t forget my Mind Movies team - the hardest working team out there :-)… Glen and I are so incredibly grateful for each and every one of you!
 

2. My soul family

And speaking of family, I will be away from mine this year, but get to spend it in the US with my soul family, who are, in essence, the spiritual equivalent to my birth family in Australia. When you live so far away from home, you truly come to understand how important the people in your life really are. I am incredibly grateful for them, especially all of the supportive women in my circle that help fill the support, joy, and love in my life - and that’s intentional and truly the most amazing gift this holiday season.
 

3. To (actually) embody surrender

Surrender… This is a big one. Intellectually, I knew what it was to surrender and could happily describe it. But it wasn’t until I actually practiced and embodied it that it all became clear.

Surrendering to how something (or someone) is going to show up in your life, what it looks like when it does, and how long it’s going to take, are all part of that embodiment. I found that trusting that everything is happening in divine timing, exactly how it’s supposed to, is truly embodying what it means to surrender. When stuff shows up, that’s not necessarily what I want, I’ve learned to embrace that it was supposed to happen… and that made all the difference for me this year.
 

4. To trust

At the top of the year, the ability to fully trust was challenging. Even in the right environment and with the right tools and mental know-how, I was still feeling stuck. I would create the perfect space to do my meditations and allow messages to come through to me, but at the end of the day, I would second guess them.

You see, I was second-guessing myself, so I had to make a switch. I had to mindfully start trusting the messages coming through to me and act on them. And the results of that alone have been game-changing. It may seem like a gut reaction to run or try to escape the unexpected, but you’ve got to face it head-on and work through it. That’s learning to trust and ultimately live life on purpose with intention.
 

5. To celebrate all wins (no matter how big or small)

2019 was a busy year for me, full of travel, renovations, along with big and small milestones. What I’ve grown to realize is that it’s so important to take a moment and recognize all wins in life as they’re happening. A small win is still a win, so if it’s important to you, recognize that it matters. Life can get very busy and seem like time is flying by so quickly, and after turning 50 this year, I promised myself to remain grateful for all of the little moments that we can sometimes let fly under the radar.

And we all know how home renovations can go, but this year I moved into the condo of my dreams. It was a long process with slight delays and little setbacks here and there, but I made sure to celebrate each win as it was all slowly coming together. And the icing on the cake is being able to enjoy Christmas in my beautiful place with my first Christmas tree in ten years! Can you believe it? :-) Celebrating wins like this is the reason I’ve been able to welcome so much more happiness into my life.

6. To say no (and be okay with it)

As I mentioned, there’s been a lot of travel for me this year. I still pinch myself for this ability to see and explore new destinations. But with so much travel and one too many bouts of the flu, I knew I had to listen to my body and mind to make sure I was protecting my energy and well-being.

When you start living life on purpose, you unlock the personal power within you to get really clear on what you want. And I realized that it’s okay to say no without feeling like you’re letting anyone down. Feeling like you have to say yes to everything can often drain you of your spiritual energy, so turning down certain opportunities or experiences is really a matter of putting yourself first. And we all know that communication is everything, so there’s always a way to be clear about asking for what you do or do not want while being kind, but also while being firm.
 

7. To love my inner self

So one of the last little holiday tips I’ll leave you with this year is that to love yourself, you’ve got to love the inner child or divine part of you. And it wasn’t until only recently that I was able to reconnect with her… my inner child. And I must say, it feels pretty amazing!

I set up a love altar in my home, practiced my meditations, and began to fully accept, feel, and understand my raw emotions. I realized that the love I needed to give to my inner child is what unlocked the loved I needed to presently and wholeheartedly love myself going forward. So it was just a matter of connecting with her (my divine self) to see that.
 

So with these 7 things I’ve learned in 2019 to start the new year, I hope you are able to see how much you matter. When going about life, it can sometimes be hard to uncover yourself from the limiting beliefs we are so accustomed to. That’s exactly why I like to take inventory on my life at the end of each year to make sure I’m not secretly poisoning myself with self-doubt and negativity. So, I want to leave you with this powerful meditation pack to help ward off those limiting beliefs you may be experiencing. It’s going to help you feel more confident, more empowered, and more YOU! So I hope you are having an incredible holiday season and here’s to a limitless you in the new year!