Happy New Year!
What are you not changing? Are you finding new shores?
Please note: Crystals Multifaceted uses singular and plural pronouns to refer to herself/themselves.
While there is some debate about when to celebrate a new year we have collectively “agreed” upon January 1st. This is close to the darkest day of the year in the North which was December 21st. I find this time of winter to be especially beautiful. While I don’t live near snow there is a crispness in the air and at times I may find frost on the rooftops or the steam of my breath in the air. The sun has a different slant that I perceive as both a sharp brightness and at the same time as a soft, glowing. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area we are greeted with the falling and changing of leaves. This combined with the many colorful lights decorating yards and house gives for amazing evening walks.
Winter can be a time for pulling in, for resting, for bundling up, and taking time to reconnect with what is important. In the United States, there’s energy and some may feel the pressure to make a New Year’s resolution, to commit to change, find a new you. This month in the groups I facilitate our check-out question is: What are you not changing? As important as it is to look ahead at what we want to change, I think it’s equally important to look at what is working. What do we appreciate about our life and what would we like to embrace and stay the same? This isn’t about stagnancy, but rather about choosing how we want to move forward, taking with us the wisdom gained from the past.
I am also noting that this Substack has been going through a bit of a season of wintering or resting. My energy has been focused on the launch and maintenance of the new podcast on Spotify where I am release two episodes a month until I decide the season ends. You can tune into these here:
This has taken quite a bit of energy to get up and going and I am still learning the tech and making mistakes as I go. The consistency there has given me thought for how to modify the Substack and to look at what I want to stay the same and what may need a change. What has worked in the past? What have people liked? I welcome readers input as I make these decisions. How often would you like posts? Are there any topics you’d like to see in 2024? Also please let us know if you have a story of life interruption and would like to be interviewed on our podcast.
Also on a spur of a moment after watching several videos on print-on-demand and after a request for Therapist Interrupted T-Shirts. I (well my inner teens) launched an online store where people can purchase our art on mugs and t-shirts. It is a work in progress and a new adventure. We are excited as this is a way for some of the others of us inside, and especially some of our teens who are artists will have a chance to shine and expand their opportunity to be out in the world. We hope that our clumsy and learning as we go attempts to step out in new areas can be an inspiration to others who are looking for new ways to express themselves. It’s okay to be imperfect or to be in the messy middle as one of our guests, Emily, mentioned on the podcast.
You can find our store here:
https://therapistinterrupted.creator-spring.com
Today on my walk home from acupuncture, I found a beautiful picture on the sidewalk that said, “You can never cross the ocean, unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” As a therapist interrupted I didn’t feel I had much choice about leaving the shore of my clinical journey to dive headfirst into healing. When I left my old job, I let go of stability and work I loved for the hope of following my passion. I’m still finding my way and loving the work I do while at times worried that I wont’ make it to solid ground. I am still swimming, still making my way to an unknown shore. When I get there I hope to pass the picture along to another who is finding their way. As someone who’s somewhat learned how to swim in this sea of uncertainty or at least how to tread water, I hope that those who are struggling will be encouraged by my saying that your struggle matters and I’m sending out hope for finding new shores.
Wishing you all a Happy New Year, Happy Winter if you’re in the north, or Happy Summer if you are in the south.