One of my favorite poets, Mary Oliver, once posed the poetic question, “What will you do with your one wild and precious life?” I have found this to be a wonder-filled, thought and action-provoking question, and one that is particularly poignant as we leap into 2012 (which coincidently happens to be a Leap Year). Another similarly provocative question that I like to ponder around the New Year is, ‘What would you do if you had no fear and you knew that you could not fail?’
A colleague of mine (and an excellent writing coach), Andrea Costantine, recently asked the question, “What would it take to make 2012 your best year yet?” As I consider my answer to this question, I recall the notion that what you focus on expands. In other words, if I focus on what I fear, or what I don’t want (my “NO”), I will tend to move in that direction, and that will play a large role in determining what I create and draw into my life. If, on the other hand, I focus on what I love, on what is life-affirming, and on what I do want in my life (my ‘YES!’), that will be the direction I will tend to move. As my daughter, at age 4 wisely proclaimed, “Peace attracts peace.”
With this in mind, I challenge you to consider the following questions:
As you enter the portal of this New (Leap) Year, I invite you to discover your “YES!!!” and then take the leap!
Great questions and ideas. I particularly like the idea of identifying the “YES” and focusing there instead of focusing on the “NO”.
Great initial question to get us all visioning! And I really like the focus on expanding that which draws us, rather than expanding the fears that inhibit us. Thanks, Suzanne!
Great questions, Suzanne. I love Mary Oliver. Thanks for referring to her. The New Year awakens us hopefully to new possibilities.
I agree with Suzanne about focusing on what I want in my life vs what I don’t want. I see it as a question of being grateful for the good rather than resenting that which I don’t like. That keeps my energy positive and helps me build on what I already have. Of course, I also need to figure out how to shed or let go of the things in my life that do not feed me.