My Year of CHOICE

When the word CHOICE presented itself as my word for 2017 I was a bit confused. In the past, my word has almost always been a verb. As such, I kept trying to make my word CHOOSE. But it wouldn’t stick; the word was CHOICE.

As I look back over 2017 I can now see why CHOICE was the word. Over and over again the opportunity to make significant choices was presented to me. These choices shaped me in profound ways this year and I look forward to taking them with me into 2018.

Here’s a brief look at what my year of CHOICE looked like:

Releasing old beliefs

I feel like I’ve spent the last few years digging up all the beliefs that no longer serve me. They were either beliefs that I’ve held on to my whole life, like “my weight determines my value”. A belief borrowed from years of growing up female in a world that values only one kind of body-type.

Or they were beliefs that once served me but no longer serve me, like “I’m the behind-the-scenes girl and don’t need to be front and center”. Something that was once true but can no longer be true since I am the face of my business.

Each belief I looked at this year, and there were several, forced me to make a CHOICE.

The CHOICE in front of me was to keep them and let them limit me or let them go and discover what’s possible without them.

Some beliefs were easier to release than others. Some I’m still working with to ensure that all the roots have been removed. Either way, the CHOICE to let them go has brought a new sense of peace and freedom.

Taking responsibility

At one point this year, I found myself complaining about all the things that were on my plate. I was feeling overwhelmed by what I perceived as distractions and did a fair amount of moaning about it.

Then one day, I realized that I had made the CHOICE to say yes to every single thing that was on my plate. Not one item was forced on me; every single one was a CHOICE I made.

It was humbling to have that awareness. It was so easy for me to blame outside circumstances but the truth is it was my doing. Oddly enough taking responsibility for those choices ultimately freed up my energy.

I changed what I could change and made peace with the things that had to stay. The CHOICE to take responsibility for my choices was a big one for me this year.

Owning my gifts

This year I made the CHOICE to fully own my gifts as a teacher and speaker. I already know I’ll be deepening even more into my role as teacher and guide in 2018. But in 2017, I remembered that my gifts are Divinely given. They are not dependent on a particular environment for expression.

I spent the first few years of my business trying to be something I thought I needed to be in order to succeed. But this year has brought me back to who I truly am.

I remembered the things that bring me joy (like using my words to bring clarity and insight to my clients) and the things that I am naturally good at (like sharing my words from a stage).

I made the CHOICE this year to embrace all these things about me and not diminish them because they don’t look like they once did.

Going all in

In the fall a series of events forced me to look at what I was really doing in my business. I saw the very painful truth that I had not made the decision to go all in. I had been experimenting with my business, seeing if it could work.

But the mindset of experimenting meant that quitting was always an option. I fussed with the Divine that things weren’t working in my business when really I was the one responsible for what was, or in this case wasn’t, happening in my business.

I spent some time getting honest with myself about whether or not I really wanted to do this work. Going to my journal, where I go to process all of life’s big issues, what emerged was a renewed passion for this work I definitely feel called to do.

I made the CHOICE to stop experimenting and instead to go ALL IN! This CHOICE has been a game changer. Not necessarily because things immediately shifted externally but rather because it shifted something in me, which needed to happen.

I’m grateful for the events that led to this CHOICE.

A year of growth

This year really has been a year of growth for me. Most of it has been internal but I know for any change to be lasting it must begin inside first. I am thankful for my year of CHOICE. I think it has laid the foundation for a wonderful new season in my life.

Now I would love to hear from you. How was 2017 for you? Please share in the comments below or feel free to share on Facebook.

From my heart to yours,

P.S: The New Year always brings with it a chance to begin again, to make choices that bring about the changes we long for. But change is hard and scary. If you are facing a change in your life and want to feel supported while you go through that change I would love to talk with you. Click here to schedule a complimentary Courage Igniter Call with me.