A couple of months ago, I declared a deeper commitment to not letting anything get in the way of my morning spiritual practices, knowing this sacred time sets the tone for the entire day. Intentionally inviting the Divine into my life with a sense of purpose and appreciation for all things is a way to recognize the blessings, even amid obstacles. Choosing to feel grateful steers my focus away from the past and toward the present and future—bringing unwavering attention to that which I want to create. I can’t think of a better way to greet the day.

When entering a New Year, I like to take the time to reflect on the past 365 days, journaling my challenges and breakthroughs, and releasing anything that no longer serves me. This clears the way for activating fresh intentions, reminding myself to stretch and think big. Although we can’t control everything in our lives, we can make decisions that support us. We can set specific objectives, and we can control how we think and respond. Becoming more conscious and developing the discipline to pay attention to our thoughts can change our world.

In our feature story on page 24, “First Thoughts and New Experiences: Returning to Innocence Through Beginner’s Mindset,” Carrie Jackson suggests adopting the Zen Buddhist idea of shoshin, or beginner’s mind. Experiencing life with curiosity and openness, rather than holding on to old, reactive thought patterns helps us to embrace the world with a sense of wonder, paving the way for a more optimistic outlook. 

Years ago, I worked with a personal coach that gave me a powerful exercise to become more aware of recurring thought patterns and to shift my perspective. Upon noticing an undesired  thought, I now know how to immediately write down a powerful reframe, bringing to mind what I want to experience and create going forward.

Small tweaks that lead to big changes can be experienced in all areas of our lives. We live in these physical bodies that need to be tended to like a beautiful garden, and what we eat either supports our holy temple, or not. In “Serving up Happiness: Foods for Better Moods” on page 20, we are reminded, “In order to produce serotonin, dopamine and other neurotransmitters that are crucial for balanced mental health, our bodies require vitamins, minerals and other nutrients found in real, whole foods.” And so, each meal is our “nutrition prescription”.

Fine-tuning our intuition through meditation and stillness can help guide us in all areas of our lives. Our dear living host, Mother Earth, is speaking to us constantly, and her gentle reminders are becoming stronger. It’s time to wake up and remember how powerful we are in creating the kind of world that we all deserve. Here’s to rising to the occasion at a whole new level in 2025. It starts with each of us.

Happy New Year,