The Journey Within: 2022 in Review and Looking Ahead

For many of us, 2022 was a year of highs and lows. We finally managed to move out of the Covid tunnel only to be challenged on the other side. You may have felt pulled between wanting to escape reality and wanting to be completely in the driver’s seat. Money bounced through crypto crashes, recession and Wall Street highs and lows. We saw governments, corporations and hierarchies shaken up. It affected us all on a personal level as well as on a collective level, causing us to feel ungrounded and uncertain about things we never thought to question before.

What are we meant to learn from all this?
Best-selling author and international speaker Caroline Miss counsels us not to take anything personally. For example, if you recently lost 10% of your financial portfolio, it likely happened to millions of others around the world. So, it’s not personal. No one singled you out. In spiritual lingo, it didn’t happen to you. This mindset would be assuming the victim stance. Rather, it happened for you — for your development and growth. So, what is it that you learned from this financial loss? What can you do to turn things around or to minimize the same thing from happening again?

This mindset puts you in the driver’s seat. You now have choices as to how you choose to react to the situation. One little word — to versus for — changes the scenario and its energy. That’s the difference between victimhood and resilience.

Release, Recommit, Reclaim
So, with this in mind, try looking at areas where you felt stuck in 2022: work, health, learning, relationships, spirituality, contribution, wealth, wellbeing and adventure. Pick one for now and apply the following formula to gain closure:

1. Release: What can you let go of? Maybe it’s a disempowering or limiting belief, how you beat yourself up or a self-defeating situation. What did you hope to accomplish that you didn’t in 2022?
2. Recommit: What do you want to recommit to that is empowering or important to you? What did you not accomplish in 2022 that you want to try for in 2023? Leave the “shoulda,” “coulda” or “woulda” out of it.
3. Reclaim: What cherished value or part of yourself was lost in the struggle? How could you bring it back? Think of one tiny action you can take that is manageable and measurable. Make it something you really desire rather than some lofty idea you “think” you “should” want. Keep it simple and something you can do immediately so you are guaranteed success.

Remember, what you focus on grows. For instance, focusing on winning the lottery is just a way of copping out of what is really important to you. Dreaming about winning a lottery doesn’t get you anywhere. Focus on what you know in your heart works for you and helps you achieve something meaningful and worthwhile. What will help you grow and develop?

What do you want closure from?
Perhaps, you chose “work” as the area where you feel stuck. Here is an example of how this formula may be applied:

1. I am releasing how I compare and measure my success and progress to the success and progress of others.
2. I am recommitting to happiness by expanding my view of what brings me happiness in life (not just work) and pursuing what excites me.
3. I am reclaiming my curious and ambitious spirit as well as my love of learning, growing and manifesting.

Expand on each of these until you reach the simplest action step you can take to get excited and ensure success.

We can’t always control what happens in our immediate world, however we can always control how we react to it. Do you believe it’s happening to you or for you? What is the lesson you need to take away in order to learn, grow and move forward?

We’re starting the New Year 2023 with Mercury (planet of communication) and Mars (planet of motivation and action) in retrograde. So, there is plenty of opportunity for reflection between now and January 18, 2023. There is no need to rush into your 2023 goals. With 2022 coming to a close, this is the perfect time to review our values and beliefs, what we want to release from 2022, what we want to recommit to and carry forward in 2023 and how we are going to do that so we’re ready to plunge into 2023 with gusto come January 25.

May you be blessed with everything you need to feel loved, cherished and abundant throughout 2023.