The solstice is nearly upon us, and we are in the darkest days of the year here in the northern hemisphere. It’s the perfect time to turn inward and reflect on what has happened over the past year, and to begin to prepare for setting intentions for the new year ahead.

Jack Canfield, in his book The Success Principles, offers a visioning exercise which covers seven areas of a person’s life. I’d like to use those seven areas to offer some reflections.

1. Financial: We all know the financial markets have been on a wild ride for the past few months. Are you buying into the fear? At the beginning of the year I made a commitment NOT to participate in a recession. The result was that my business grew by over 50% from last year! What are you telling yourself about your financial situation? Would you like to tell yourself a different story?
2. Job/Career: Were you laid off from a job this year? Instead of lamenting your misfortune, use it as an opportunity to discover who you really want to be when you grow up. In these times, people are being rewarded for doing what they love with integrity. I’m not just talking about the economic times; I’m talking about the energetic cycle we are entering. There is very little tolerance for people who are not in alignment with who they really are and what they came to express in the world. Hone your vision of why you’re here and what you have to offer the world.
3. Free time: What do you do for fun? If you’re saying, “what free time?” it’s time to start creating time for yourself. Pick up that hobby you’ve been thinking about for years. The Universe doesn’t differentiate between giving free time, a healthy relationship, or money. Deserving is deserving, and if you’re telling yourself (and thus the Universe) you don’t deserve the little things like free time, don’t expect the bigger ones!
4. Your body/physical health: How are you treating your physical body? It’s the vehicle of your very existence; do you treat it at least as well as you treat your car? Did you make any resolutions in January about your physical health, and if yes, did you keep them? Whether or not you’ve kept any resolutions, now is a great time to take stock of your physical condition. What is it, and what do you want it to be? What are you honestly willing to do to maintain good physical health?
5. Relationships: Expect to hear a lot more from me in this arena in the coming year. What are your relationships with your partner, your children, your parents, and your friends like? Are they nurturing? What are some simple ways you can improve them? When was the last time you said “I love you” to the important people in your life?
6. Personal growth: What have you done in the past year to enrich your personal life? Is there a workshop you want to attend, or an uplifting book you’ve been meaning to read? Do you set aside time daily or weekly to meditate?
7. Community: How are you giving back to your community? How are you supported by your community? By community, I mean not only your physical location, but the members of online communities as well. I’ve recently joined Facebook and Twitter, and I’d encourage you to invite me to be your friend there.

Enjoy this time of reflection, honoring the cycles of nature by turning within. Wishing you all a blessed holiday season!