You worked hard this year. Yes, there are areas in mind, body and soul that continue to – and might always – need work. But this week I invite you to reflect on the areas you bravely faced, sought help for, worked on and grew from this year. Yes, you have been rebellious and stubborn, but you have also been a seeker of the truth, a student of growth and change, often looking in the mirror for the problem and solution, willing to surrender to a power greater than yourself.

Gift yourself this week with awareness about and appreciation for YOU – not from the ego (“Look at me! Look at how great I am!”), but from your heart: “I worked hard this year, at times when I didn’t want to and in ways that were scary and confusing and painful.”

Think about all the times you wanted to quit – on yourself, others, God – but didn’t. Sure there were times you did quit, but take some time to reflect on how, when, where, why you hung in there and took the harder path this year – towards relationship rather than task accomplishment, towards faith rather than fear, towards acceptance rather than judgment.

Instead of focusing on what didn’t/isn’t working in your life, unwrap the gift of compassion for yourself and reflect on the courage it took to admit and work on your shortcomings this year. If this is hard for you, I invite you to put down the self abusive bat and pick up a pencil or crayon and complete the following:

This last year, I learned…

• I have courage to…
• I have strength to…
• I have wisdom to…
• I have faith to…
• I have support to…