What do you want? What do you really, REALLY want???

The year is drawing to a close and I’m finding that amidst the frenzy of consumerism, school parties, sick kids, wrapping of loose ends, and other attention thieves, a few moments of quiet reflection time is blissful. As my sick toddler naps feverishly with her head in my lap, I am enjoying the space to sift through the incredible range of interactions, experiences, and lessons that have seamlessly woven together over the past twelve months to form my experience of 2023.

Looking back, it’s astonishing to me just how swiftly time has passed, carrying with it a kaleidoscope of emotions, triumphs, challenges, and most importantly, growth. 

Perhaps you also experienced these moments of personal growth,  from intense emotions to instances where your resilience was tested, to periods of quiet introspection. Each experience, whether joyous or arduous, has contributed to each of our own unique narratives of 2023.

As I sit quietly, I reflect on what I am proud of accomplishing and watching others accomplish this year, where I have had the opportunity for my own growth, and where my journey within will inevitably take me in 2024. I think about my clinical skills, my faith and identity, participating hobbies and fun activities with friends, and mostly importantly, in the relationships I have with my family members as well as with myself. 

It’s truly been a great year, and a heavy year. 

1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ My team and I clinically supported just shy of 100 people this year, getting to be guides and witnesses on their unique health journeys. 

???? I have continued to immerse myself in challenging learning opportunities, and am nearly through certifications in a trauma-informed approach to hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA), addressing nervous system imbalances caused by trauma, and gut microbiome analysis using a whole-body terrain approach. Which I anticipate will be huge game changers for our clients in the upcoming year!! 

✏️ I ghost-wrote 2 courses for healthcare practitioners on microbiome and gastrointestinal health. I have another course coming out in early 2024 for clients to support hormone rebalancing in nursing moms. 

⏰ I struggled deeply with time management and the frustration that comes from not having enough hours in the day (IYKYK), desperately trying to balance work and the needs of my family and my own needs through a very stressful and chaotic year. I learned that sometimes the universe has other plans for how I spend my time than what I had intended, and also that I have to work *that* much harder to regularly engage in self-care (my top goal for 2024).

???? I explored within myself what it means to be truly safe from harm, what it means to be a part of a minority religion in the US, and what these concepts also mean for my children and my own spirituality. 

✅ I continued addressing some of the deeper subconscious patterns that remain raw and that I need to heal. Always painful work, but such a critical component of the self-care I need to incorporate to show up as my best self.

???????? My daughter started daycare (hence her feverish nap) and is beginning to explore peer relationships herself; I had a lot of bittersweet feelings around my baby growing up. 

⛳️ ???? My son learned to play flag football, and upped his golf game. And I got to cheer him on for his wins, and support him through his losses. (And I guess the football thing means we really are Texans, now, ha!)

???? My husband switched jobs and we adjusted to me working from home alone for the first time in 4 years. 

???? And on top of all of that, I was reminded that I’m just human. Over and over and over again. 

I would encourage you to create some space to do the same kind of reflection: 

Take advantage of this upcoming blank canvas. NOW is the perfect opportunity to ask yourself, as a client so succinctly, wisely, and cryptically stated to me a couple weeks ago, What do I want? What do I REALLY want??? 

To support your journey of reflection and introspection as you shape your goals for the upcoming year, here are some journal or conversation prompts to help you figure out where you’d like to focus on for growth. 

• What were the most significant moments or experiences from last year?
• What are you most grateful for from this past year? Most proud of? 
• What lessons did you learn in the past year, and how have they shaped you?
• Is there anything you’d like to change or improve upon based on last year’s experiences? What would you like more time to work on? 
• What aspects of yourself do you want to nurture or develop in the coming year?
• Which habits or mindsets do you wish to cultivate or leave behind?
• What are your top three priorities or goals for the upcoming year?
• How do you plan to achieve these goals, and what steps will you take?
• Are there any new skills or knowledge you aim to acquire?

Self-reflection cultivates deeper insights into yourself, offers lessons from past experiences, and realigns you with the path you wish to follow in life.

So, what do you REALLY want?