Reflecting on 2023
As we near the end of this year and the beginning of a new one, I can’t help but reflect on this past year. I love to reflect because much like journaling, it helps ground me in the present and helps me stay centered in my truth. It helps me remember where I’ve been and where I am going.
If I’ve ever celebrated one of your birthdays with you, you probably know the questions I always ask. Depending on the circumstance and who I am with, I’ll add a few or change them up a bit. I also like to think about these at the end of the calendar year. If you’re interested you can take a moment to reflect on your own year:
What were the highlights of your last year?
What did you learn?
What are you proud of yourself for?
What are you looking forward to in the year ahead?
Envisioning 2024
After I reflect on the year behind me, I think about the year ahead, and I ask myself how I want to feel.
How do you want to feel a year from now?
Last year, I wanted to feel appreciative, content, and accepting of how life is in the present moment, of the people I love as they are, of what I already have (rather than focusing on what I don’t have or what I want).
I love to think about how the dream version of myself would be in the year ahead and how she would feel. How would she flow through life?
My Dream Self is incredibly kind and loving towards myself and others and allows herself to feel her emotions fully. My dream self is present, appreciative, content, and accepting.
Dream Self Meditation
As I was reflecting on the last year with Caitlyn Casson, it led us to revisit one of our favorite meditation/ visualization exercises we developed for our recent retreat in Guatemala, known as “The Dream Self Meditation” (you can also use this meditation as a journal prompt, if you prefer). This had been a beneficial practice in both of our lives for many years, we blended our own versions of this meditation to create one for our retreat.
The Dream Self Meditation is short, sweet, and fun. It is designed to assist us in embodying our dream selves even before the dreams come to fruition, rather than the other way around which is what we are used to. This exercise emphasizes prioritizing how you want to feel and who you want to be over what you want to accomplish.
After you read each line…
(Pause) → Close your eyes, take a deep breath, soften, and envision how your dream self would respond.
Imagine the most expansive version of yourself, your dream self. (pause)
You have unlimited self-efficacy and confidence. All of your dreams are coming true. (pause)
So now, How do you walk and talk? (pause)
Do you treat yourself differently? (pause)
How do you treat your body? (pause)
What does your daily routine look like? Do you have one? (pause)
Who do you spend your time with? (pause)
What do you start doing? What do you stop doing? (pause)
How does your dream self handle stressful situations? (pause)
You don't need to wait for all your dreams to come true, you can be your dream self now. (pause)
Retreats
As Caitlyn and I were dreaming about how we wanted to feel in 2024, we envisioned the joy and wonder we would experience at our Morocco Retreat in May. Retreats have been in our dream self meditations for many years and it is incredible to bring that to life.
In addition to all the exciting excursions and daily movement we have planned, our retreats offer a unique opportunity to re-establish a connection with yourself and provide a much-needed reset. Space and time to reflect on how to act as our dream self first, and see what happens.
We have some spots left for our Morocco Retreat.
We have both private and shared rooms available and we have payment plans available upon request.
You can use the discount code YAY for $150 for any spot. Valid until 12/31.
Click here to join us in Morocco!