Packing For The New Decade.

As I laid on my yoga mat, eyes closed, body warm from a strengthening yoga class, silent night lightly played in the back ground. My yoga teacher’s calm, soothing voice mentioned the fact it would soon be the end of a whole decade. For some reason this hadn’t quite come to my attention yet. So there I was, lying on my mat on the 17th of December with the dawning of a new decade just around the corner. Lilley went on to encourage us to think about what we would like to leave behind in this decade; something that no longer served us. And then to think of something we wanted to make sure we took with us moving forward. I struggled to answer the two questions on my mat that evening but have been thinking about them a lot since.

So much has happened in the past ten years I can safely say I feel like a completely different person. My name has changed, my profession has changed, my city has changed, my beliefs have changed, my dreams have changed. I have changed. The happiest day of my life happened in this decade and the worst day of my life happened in this decade.

Thinking of all of this has illuminated the next ten years with urgency and importance. You see, I turn forty in 2020. I will be looking down the barrel of fifty when the next decade ends. Now, I have done a lot of waking up over the past few years, so believe me, I feel blessed and happy with my age but I’m well aware the clock is now ticking on me making the difference I truly want to make. Unfortunately, age is still an obstacle for women out there in the big bad world, so our forties are precious and life defining. I’m grabbing my forties by the horns and making the most of them.

So I am thrilled to say I have a plan for the 2020’s. It’s not fully formed but it has a strong foundation and very simple pillars in place to build upon. You see, the thing I’ve decided to leave behind in this decade and not pack for the next, is self-doubt. Good bye self-doubt. Now, I know it will still try to visit me from time to time but I’m not going to be as good a host as I was before. What will I be taking with me into the new decade? Well, a wise woman from my past used to say, “Anything can happen if you let it” and I finally understand what these wonderful words mean.

So what will you leave behind from this decade? It could be a habit, a feeling, or even a person. And what’s at the top of your packing list for the leap into the next decade? That thing that will serve you well. That will make it possible for you to be the best version of yourself in the approaching brand spanking, shiny, new decade.

I believe it’s important to take the time to reflect. Every day we learn more about ourselves and the people around us. It would be a shame not to study these lessons so we can improve and alter this journey called life for the better. The belief we can shape our future when we pay close attention to our gut,  our inner voice, or whatever you feel comfortable calling it, is in my mind, the most powerful and potent potion to make the next decade one we can all be proud of.

So, I wish you “happy packing” for this next decade. Shed the things you no longer need that drag or slow you down and enjoy picking out your precious cargo and carefully folding and wrapping it for the journey ahead.

I wish you a truly happy new year and a healthy, vibrant, peaceful new decade.

Namaste.

Laura