“The unexamined life is not worth living.” – Plato

I know we’ve chatted a little bit about goals and goal setting this year already at Yogue, but the newness of this year is still with us and I’m happy to share some insights and experience from a fantastic writer, yogi, activist, eco-designer, enlightened dynamo and friend of Yogue, Kimberly Wilson, a.k.a. The Tranquil Hip Chick. Here’s what she has to say about the magic of the start of this year.  Grab a pencil, notebook, a cup of hot tea and read on for some inspiration.   Also, watch this space for a review of her books.  Thanks Kimberly.

A Fresh Start.

It’s that special time of the year where you may take a step back to evaluate where you are, where you’ve been, and where you’re heading. Each year I love to list my past year’s highlights, lessons learned and dreams for the new year. This offers an opportunity to take stock annually to ensure movement in the right direction. Pull out your journal, kick up your heels, grab a mug of tea, and let’s indulge in a dose of reflection.

What are your 2009 highlights?

Can you bring them together in visual form? Collect photos from your adventures and make a collage or desktop. Doodle the highlights, mindmap, or simply list them. A few of my 2009 highlights include learning about mindfulness-based stress reduction, spending 10 days in Paris, leading retreats in Costa Rica and New York, returning to school to pursue MSW, Tranquil Space Foundation’s film festival, celebrating Tranquil Space’s 10th year, penning Tranquilista, releasing a 4th yoga to go CD, and celebrating 5 years with my supportive beau. All in all, a productive, blessed year.

Now let’s list your lessons learned.

You know the ones – those ongoing “opportunities” disguised as “challenges.” What lessons are you taking away from your experiences this year? For me, I plan to keep working with my 2009 word of the year “spaciousness” and remember it when over-scheduling or over-committing, declutter daily, savor the simple things (lesson brought back from Parisians who you’d never catch with a to-go cup). Keep these lessons in a prominent space that you can reference often.

Now it’s time to look forward.

What do you want 2010 to hold? When you ponder what you want your life to look like December 31, 2010, what do you see? A new career, an adopted pet, a new city, a continued relationship. Take a moment to collage, draw, dream, or paint it. Cover your new planner with images that speak to your vision.

A few of my dreams include: More strategic use of time and energy. Design new e-course based on Tranquilista or living your yoga. Set up my etsy store. Daily meditation. Host monthly dinners at chez moi. Return to dance. Daily sun salutations. More you tube videos. As we cross the threshold into a brand new decade, I wish you oodles of tranquility. Raise a glass to 2009. Honor your efforts.

Choose a word to focus on in 2010 – my attachment to “spaciousness” will continue.

Relish in being uniquely, fabulously you. As Buddhist monk Pema Chodron reminds us, you are perfect just as you are. I like to think that we can simply add dashes of enhancements (like the boosts we add to our smoothies at a juice bar) through practices of reflection, intention, and action. Let your life sparkle and shine in 2010.

To learn more about Kimberly and her hip yet tranquil endeavors, please visit:  www.kimberlywilson.com