I walked by the Ocean on the first day of 2021 thinking about new beginnings. My phone was still buzzing with incoming messages and notifications from my friends.
Most everyone was relieved that 2020 was over as if all struggles would have magically disappeared with the 12th strike of the clock.
I thought of all the wishes for a different, less challenging year, filled with laughter, joy, and peace.
I hoped with all of my heart that those wishes do come true – for the sake of all who suffered so much, those who are lonely, those who don’t have support or someone to listen to and love them to healing.
And I felt something in our collective energy – when we all hope and wish and pray for the same thing – moving us toward it. I smiled.
That’s why it’s good to have a new year. It’s one day when we all agree we’ll leave the past behind and try to make a better future.
I looked at the sun that burned through the clouds making what was supposed to be an overcast day in Hilton Head, SC, into a perfect, warm, and bright day.
Its reflection on the surface of the slow-moving Ocean sparkled like diamonds, showing off that a ‘beautiful life’ is only a mindset away (regardless of the crises that we may be experiencing).
I stopped and looked around – nothing that I saw indicated that it was January 1st and that something was behind us or that a new chapter, somehow better, was ahead of us.
Not the sky, the clouds, the sun, nor the Ocean. Not the dogs walking quietly by their owners nor the children playing in the sand.
And yet, everything also did! The constant process of leaving behind and beginning anew was in every wave smoothing out the footprints in the sand, in the ebbs and flows of the tide, in every movement of the sun in the sky that would soon set and reappear in the morning.
It is all so beautifully, masterfully orchestrated… it all follows a sacred, divine order in which all is good. We just have to lean into it and trust that it (God) will carry us through, no matter what.
I closed my eyes and made my own intention for this year:
to ‘let my hair down’ and be free from any expectations.
Follow my own pace, not the maddening race that surrounds me.
Begin each day with courage and hope, open-minded and open-hearted, and end it with gratitude.
Practice self-care (meaning taking time to process my experiences, resting, and getting quality sleep), so I can feel healthy and energized to make music, write, coach, and be there for my kids.
In two weeks, I’m taking another life-coaching training that focuses on mind-body-spirit well being, and I’ve already started digging into some of the teachings.
I loved the suggested practice of starting your day with a short meditation – or prayer, and bringing your intention for the year to your mind… and then releasing it to God (or a higher power).
It may seem like morning prayers. The difference between petition prayers and intention is that an intention is more about setting up a direction in which we’d like to grow. It opens up endless possibilities – and eliminates disappointment or resentment.
I’d love to hear from you:
What is your intention for this year?
What will your daily well-being practice look like?
Let me know!
Wishing you a healthy and peace-filled New Year – full of courageous growth, healing, and love.
Music
I posted Keep Your Head Up on my social media – I think it’s a perfect song to start a new year with. Especially with these lyrics:
WITH THE PAST BEHIND US
WE CAN HAVE THE LOVE WE DREAMED OF
LET GO AND BE FREE
Story
You’ve all probably heard about the devastating earthquake in Croatia that happened on December 29th. Thankfully, my mom, my family, and friends were unharmed – with an exception of the trauma they have experienced, especially after the bad earthquake they had back in March.
Everyone is on edge. People can’t sleep, and if they do, they sleep in their clothes, with a bag packed and ready by the door
Many villages around the epicenter – which was at the town of Petrinja – are destroyed and a huge number of people lost everything.
I exchanged messages with my friend, Ivanica, who lives in Croatia. It went like this:
If you feel compelled, you can donate here. Thank you!
She has many passions and is dedicated to helping others while also creating an enriched life for herself and her three sons.
When Tajci is not on the road performing gigs, she volunteers with local organizations dear to her heart, spends time with loved ones (often involving music!), and collaborates with other artists to bring creative projects to life.
Tajci’s most recent projects include a meditation CD, an annual retreat & sea cruise in Croatia (that she organizes and hosts), and a multimedia CD/book (Un)Broken: Songs My Father Taught Me.
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