Sitting in front of a blank page to start from scratch to write anything, paint or draw anything completely fresh and new sometimes can cause a feeling of overwhelm and blockage right from the moment when you start to look at the paper.

I was in the same kind of mood when this year started.

The last twelve months have been so demanding and challenging, with many dark lows to walk through and only a few highs to balance those. I didn’t feel like being ready to give all-in to this new year ahead.

What is this year asking from me?
Am I ready to cope with all the unpredictable turns of the road ahead of me?
Should I change something in my daily routine?
If yes, what?

„Nothing listens as well as a blank page.“

— Shaun Hick

Conscious transition

Although I attended a four-day workshop to transition from the old year into the new, I missed the part to release the old before asking for new inspiration and plans. I felt like I needed more time to digest all that lay behind me.

Usually, at the beginning of a new year, people ask you to make plans or even have a brand new plan already and ambitiously jump into the new year.
But that doesn’t feel right for me.

Of course, it is essential to detach from the old and not look back to walk your path in beauty light-heatedly. But for me, this requires honouring what was first.

For me, it feels crucial to look back and honour, digest and evaluate what I have gone through to create the necessary space for something new.

Newness - what is that

In fact, I sat for quite a while with the thought of what newness is.
What does “new” mean in its essence?
Where does it start?
Where is a point to start anew?
How does it feel?
What conditions are there or are required to come to that state of newness?

I wrote in my journal that the state of newness means nothingness first. In some areas of your being, there must be space, some sort of emptiness, a vacuum with the tendency of soaking in something.

Though opposite to the effects in physics, I feel that this emptiness, this nothingness needs to fill gradually and slowly. For sure, you can fill it in an instant. But is that what rushes into it really what you truly want to evoke for this new year?

I need more time to profoundly feel into my inner needs to slowly discover how it may feel for me to ask things to come into my life.

Those who rush into the new year with plenty of ambitious new plans often find themselves overwhelmed and frustrated, giving up after a few weeks. I invite you – and for some of you, I give permission – to take the pressure off and allow yourself to stay in that state of transition for longer than only a few days.

Take your time to honour your past year, allow feelings of grief, sadness, frustrations and regrets to be there. Feel them fully – maybe write the attaching stories in your journal. And then wait until you feel the true release.

There is no need for a rush.

ALLOW “SLOWNESS”

Allow the transition to be slow. Withdraw yourself if you feel you need that. It is about you – not others.

Insights don’t bubble up when your system is overloaded. They need some time and space to come through and you need some awareness to catch them. And eventually, you may discover some open space within you and a feeling of being ready to evoke and receive something new.

Every day starts a new year.
And so, define what “new beginning” means for you. What conditions need to be there to allow a new “thing” to enter the space? - and allow this process to evolve slowly.

Have a beautiful New Year 2022.