Someone asked me the other day, if I had any goals for the year? “Goals??” I said, with a look of shock and dismay. We seem to go through this goal-making ritual every year, with great determination and I suppose a dose of unrealistic expectation. Which is why I wince at the idea of “goals”. I know, I know, I can hear you folks grumbling already about the importance of setting goals and having expectations etc. etc., but “Goals” sound so corporate, so structured, so impersonal and perhaps too concrete. My stuff?? Oh I’m sure, but I wonder if there are others out there who feel the same way?  I’ve become infatuated with this idea of “possibilities,” as espoused by my Moodi friend Kelly. Yes, I’ve mentioned this before but I’m really warming to the word. It’s friendlier, doesn’t feel as structured or rigid and isn’t loaded with the potential for real disappointment. Some of you brave folk will mock these sentiments as semantics, general dithering on my part, and a very right brain approach to looking at things. Perhaps, but please also consider that a tweak in the way we consider things can truly make the difference between a good day and a bad year!

Indeed, I balk at the idea of too much structure and any hint of external control (and yet I married an engineer!!!)  Goals, seem to fall into that category for me! How many of you have actually written down your “goals” for the year only to find that you’re off track or feel as though you’ve let yourself down within days, weeks or months? Especially those dang weight loss goals!!! Often these unfulfilled goals and expectations tend to have a debilitating effect on moods, emotions and self-perception. So this year, how about exploring the idea of hopes and possibilities….kinder, gentler and perhaps a lot more attainable?

My hope for this year, in this quest to lead a vibrant life, revolves around health and being healthy on multiple levels. The first being emotional Self-care, and the second being health. Both will require discipline, but I’m committed to letting these evolve through the year as opposed to hammering out “goals and a plan of action” at the outset. I know myself well!! It will feel overwhelming and restrictive. So Instead, I’m hoping that perhaps clearly visualizing my hopes and aligning them with mindful action, will yield better results than in the past. It already feels a lot more energizing and hopeful!

My hope for the Mood Indigo tribe is similar, in that I hope you will take better care of yourselves both emotionally and physically.  So start by taking a good hard look at the cosmetics you slather on your skin and the food you put in your bodies and then begin a real dialogue with yourself.  Check out my 20 minute heart centered meditation/visualization to help ground and center you while filling you with lightness and expansion. And remember, you don’t have to change everything all at once…start small and explore all the possibilities.  A lot of us are focused on the toxic chemicals hidden in our food system and don’t fully realize what junk goes into the stuff we slather onto our skin.  I’m hoping you’ll stay tuned as I explore some of these with you.

Do those sound like goals?? You tell me!