As I write this, it is the first new moon of 2024. It’s very tempting to make resolutions this time of year. Have you ever said to yourself, “New Year, New Me”?
The thing about this phrase is that it often leads to feelings of frustration and remorse when, for whatever reason, our resolutions fall by the wayside at the first hurdle. It is no coincidence that gyms are crowded at the start of January but much quieter by February.
You don’t need to create a new you because you are already fabulous and beautiful.
I love the word fabulous. Its roots lie in the Latin word fabula, meaning “story or tale” (according to the Online Etymology Dictionary, etymonline.com). You are a direct result of the stories you have been telling yourself so far. The words you use matter. And the words you tell yourself and allow yourself to absorb are especially important.
For hundreds of thousands of years, ever since humans learned to talk, we have been telling each other, and ourselves, stories. We are hardwired to listen to them, to share them with others, and tell them to ourselves.
Stories can teach us, inspire us, make us laugh, frighten us, give us hope. Think about how a child absorbs a story: their attention is laser-focused and they immerse themselves in it whole-heartedly and willingly.
Adults do this as well. I’m particularly good at it. For a long time I was particularly good at telling myself a parking story every time I drove anywhere:
“I’m no good at parking—it’s always so stressful. Why are there never any parking places right when I need them?”
Guess how enjoyable I found parking?
Things started to shift when I decided to tell myself a new story:
“I always manage to find the right spot at just the right time.”
Rather than winding myself up into a hot mess before I even get out of the car, I now allow myself to believe in a new parking story. It works every single time.
By making that one small change, the rest of my journey is transformed. And not just my journey but those of my passengers as well. And, when you think about it, aren’t we all passengers? Traveling together on this fabulous planet of ours, spinning through the Universe at hundreds of thousands miles per hour, let’s enjoy the ride.
So at this time of year, when people like to focus on detoxing after the festive excesses, think about choosing words that will feed and nourish your soul. Feed these to your subconscious. Focus on the good thoughts and let go of the ones that don’t feel good. Tell yourself a new story before you go to sleep and when you wake up first thing in the morning.
I invite you to focus on this phrase instead: “New Moon, New Beginnings.” Every lunar cycle brings a new opportunity to breathe, reboot, and start again.
May this be the start of a brand-new adventure for you and your fabulous, beautiful soul.
