Kick-start 2013 with yoga and writing

Question for y’all: how DO you start off each new year?

Are you a planner? Someone who makes never-ending New Year’s resolutions? Or do you fly by the seat of your pants, no plans at all?

Honestly, before last year I swung between making New Year’s resolutions that I mostly failed to do much about and doing nothing. No planning or hoping or wishing at all!

I don’t mind telling you that both of those options offer little in the way of fulfilment. Setting yourself up for failure is what most of us do, and it sucks.

And let’s face it – over or under doing it both = setting yourself up for failure, right?

The first time I ever did any sort of realistic planning is when I signed up to do a Hatha Yoga studies course, which accidentally led to becoming a qualified yoga teacher!

It was quite unexpected, but just looking forward and planning for something I was interested in opened new doors I had no idea were coming.

Then last year, I got a little more serious about this planning game. Still thinking, of course, it was just a bit of fun. Nothing that could yield any results!

Two Words Project

Last January I joined my friend Nadine Fawell for her Two Words Project workshop.

It was brilliant! My words for the year were Healing and Acceptance: two themes that were important to me as I struggled to re-build my health after a debilitating diagnosis of Hashimoto’s in 2011.

Without making an essay out if it, let me tell you that setting Two Words for your year is an elegant way of engaging your sub-conscious to work with you, not against you.

From feeling like a decrepit old woman in 2011, I ended 2012 as a vibrant and energetic person. The difference was clear. Of course, there’s a lot of work that went into making that happen, but setting Healing as one of my intentions, I certainly gave myself the heads up on what I wanted to do

It’s also kind of like New Year’s resolutions for the lazy. You can spend a half day in the workshop thinking about how you want 2013 to go and it’s almost set and forget. Somehow, challenges relating to your two words STILL turn up for you to deal with.

This half day workshop is happening again mid-February in Melbourne on Sunday 16th February.

Involving both yoga and a reflective writing process, you’ll leave the workshop with Two Words that ZING when you think about them (that’s how you know they’re your words!). The zingy factor is, I think, what helps create traction in your life for change around those areas.

If you’d like to attend, you can sign up on Nadine’s website. I promise it’ll be well worth your time.

Light Up Your Life ecourse

Last year Nadine spent some time making an extended version of the Two Words Project, and created the Light Up Your Life ecourse.

Based on the same principals as the Two Words Project, it’s run over four weeks and asks you to take a more in-depth look at what’s really going on for you. It includes a little yoga philosophy, video content and a whole bunch more (if I know Nadine!).

Using the metaphor of the phases of the day (dusk – night – dawn – daylight), the course will take you through the process of reflection of what’s already been, sorting out what you want/don’t want in your life, and planning and integrating all the new goodness you want for the year.

It actually starts this Monday 14th January and runs over four weeks. It’s not too late to join us, and as per the Two Words workshop, you can sign up online for Light Up Your Life.

I’m very excited about LUYL and I’m signed up, ready to go for Monday.

So come on you guys, try either of these courses for an excellent start to 2013 with yoga, writing, and self-nourishment.

~ Amanda