Three Promises For The New Year: My Spiritual Journey

Last year I wrote a yearly recap called Five Things I Learned In 2016. This year instead of reflecting on the past year, I want to set new promises and intentions as a new year unfolds. It seems like a similar practice, but the two perspectives are fundamentally different. Here is why.

I’ve always been a reflective and introspective person. And I saw this as a good thing. Until life held a mirror to my face and forced me to see what I didn’t want to admit. I was spending too much time in my head and just following along a path that someone else had paved for me. Too much reflection, not enough intention and action, like an overanalyzing but blind sheep.

Too much reflection, not enough intention and action, like an overanalyzing but blind sheep.

The mirror also showed me that I tend to get trapped in the remnants of the past and end up repeating the same story over and over again in my head. It’s something many of us struggle with, and I want to finally break out of this cycle this year. I’m ready to write a new story. 

So instead of reflecting about the past like last year, I’m going to make new promises. I’m ready for my new story and I’m ready for it now. Not tomorrow or next year, but now.

I’m ready for my new story and I’m ready for it now. Not tomorrow or next year, but now.

Without further delay, here they are- three new promises for the new year. I hope my list inspires you to create new promises and intentions for the year whether you’re reading this at the beginning, middle or the end of the year.

It really doesn’t matter, because you can write your new story NOW.

1. I will stop repeating the same bullshit story.

I’ve been really into listening to podcasts lately, the ones about metaphysics, spirituality, healing and developing your intuition. I don’t know anyone else who are drawn to this kind of hippie, new agey stuff so I keep it a secret. (Well, now it’s on my blog so it’s not so secret anymore.) I’ve been meditating more too, during which I’ve been experiencing gradual spiritual shifts.

Anyway, I was listening to a podcast that discusses how we get trapped in old modes of thinking, bound by stories of pain, heartbreak and trauma. We all have pain and trauma from the past and we tend to get “stuck” there in feelings of self-pity, sadness, victimization and anger. Sometimes we may not even know we’re stuck because we’re so used to being there. It’s our comfort zone.

Sometimes we may not even know we’re stuck because we’re so used to being there. It’s our comfort zone.

This year I’ll stop repeating the same bullshit story. I will let go of the stories that have weighed me down- stories of people, experiences, feelings and circumstances. I’ll stop renting out space to people who don’t belong in my life.

I’ll stop renting out space to people who don’t belong in my life.

This year I’m leaving everything that no longer serves my highest good. This includes family and friends who hurt us, old modes of thinking, old traditions, old beliefs.

Hey same bullshit story, thank you for being a part of my life and teaching me the lessons I needed to learn. But I’m done with you now, it’s time to leave.

2. I will create my own spiritual path guided by my intuition

Growing up in a strict religious family, I was bound by many dogmatic traditions. This includes rigid doctrine, authorities I’m called to obey, rituals I’m called to follow, scriptures that are misinterpreted by well-meaning people.

Now don’t get me wrong. I appreciate and revere Christianity dearly. I have a close relationship with God, Jesus and Mother Mary. I’ve been a part of many good and loving church communities my entire life, over 30 years to be exact. I met many amazing religious leaders who taught me great things about God’s love for us as well as all the profound messages in the bible. I understand why certain rituals and rules are set in place, that they are meant to keep us safe and protected because it’s too easy to stray off the path when we’re alone.

But you know what? We’re never alone. We never were alone. God was and is inside each and every one of us. Not everyone’s journey looks the same, and this is where I stand today.

God is inside each and every one of us, from beginning to end.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, I thank religion for being my strong foundation, for keeping me safe, guarded and protected. I’m grateful that religion does this for millions of people all over the world. Religion is invaluable and necessary to mankind, as it sets a strong moral foundation and safe boundary for many of us. Religion teaches us to worship, pray and honor God, which are important facets of any spiritual journey.

But this year, God is asking me to trust Him as He is taking me off the beaten path. I think He is asking me to meet him in a deeper and universal way now, and I finally feel ready. The truth is, He has been calling me this way my whole life since I was a young girl, I just didn’t listen due to fear of the unknown.

Little did I know that the fear of the unknown can be a powerful force that keeps us stuck. And God can turn that fear into a miracle. 

Until now, I let others define God for me. Now I realize, I’ve known God my entire life.

Until now I let others define God for me. Now I realize, I’ve known God my entire life.

This doesn’t come as a surprise however, because my whole life has been about walking down unfamiliar roads and having to find meaning and faith in my strange journey. And I express them in words, like I’m doing now.

So there you go, my friends. I’ve finally come out of the closet. I don’t talk about this much in the real world, so consider yourself a part of my inner circle. 😉

3. 2018 is going to be my best year yet.

(And it will be your best year too, if you let it.)

This sounds like an overly ambitious promise, but it’s a promise I know I’ll keep. 2018 is going to be my best year yet because this is the year when I’m finally free to be who God designed me to be. And it will be your best year too, if you allow change to enter your life instead of being stuck in the same bullshit story.

2018 is going to be my best year yet because this is the first year when I’m reclaiming my roots. Not my physical or cultural roots, but my soul level roots. This is going to be exciting friends, and I will share my journey whenever I’m called to do so.

“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” – Isaiah 43:19

I’m walking off the safe and paved road, into the wilderness. I do this by choice, by soul calling. Finally I feel free.

Is there anyone else on a similar spiritual path as me? I’d love to hear from you. You can always email me or leave me a private message. 

Do you have new promises and intentions for the new year? If so, what are they? Even if you don’t share them here, why don’t you write them down in your private journal?