Yoga Mind Year-End Reflection Worksheet
Days away from a new beginning, let's look at where we've been.
Hello dear friends!
This may be my favorite week of the year. The rush and excitement of the holidays is over, and the rush and excitement of New Year’s Eve is yet to come. What a lovely in-between space for contemplation.
Having worked in the magazine industry for years, around this time the headlines invariably read New Year, New You! I found this kind of insulting, the same way I bristle a bit when I read about things that promise to “change your life.” I don’t want a new me; I want a really good version of me, my true self, but not essentially different. And I don’t want to change my life. I’m quite happy with who I am, who I’m with, and what I’m doing. (Sure, I’d love it if our cat Norman was a little more into his litter box, but there’s always hope!)
This is what Yoga Mind is about: you. Getting to the real you, the true you. It’s about a shift in perspective. Here’s an example. This morning, I realized something amazing: my life is simple. Before, I’d been making myself crazy by thinking everything was so complicated. The ego wants to think it’s important, and a “complicated, crazy life” must mean the life of someone important, right? Um…not really. Things in my life have changed, yes, but I confused change with complication. When I tried to explain to a friend how complicated my life was, I heard myself, and I thought, That doesn’t sound so complicated. The choices are pretty clear.
What a relief.
The tools in Yoga Mind helped me see this. My hope is that this program of 30 spiritual tools will help you have similar shifts in perspective. You don’t have to become a “new you” or “change your life.” You can try breathing with intention to start your day, some contemplation, creating space for quiet time, and seeing what happens.
Things can be that simple. Not always easy, but maybe simpler than we think.
Your Yoga Mind Year-End Reflection Sheet.
I talk about contemplation a lot because in this fast-paced, immediate response, one-click world, we’re being trained to react, rather than to consider. We can bring more contemplation into our lives through reflection, and this time before the new year is a great space for that.
The Yoga Mind Year-End Reflection Sheet is a way to contemplate where you’ve been this year and where you are now, with a little preparation to ease into the new year. You can download it and print it out, or, if you need more space for writing, use the questions as prompts.
Yoga Mind 2024: Final details.
Welcome to our new Sangha members! We’re all so glad you’re here. Yoga Mind 2024 starts in just a few days, on January 1, so here are the final details before we begin:
If you’re a paid subscriber, either at the monthly or annual level, you’re registered in the program. You’ll start receiving Yoga Mind newsletters on January 1. Free subscribers, you still have time to register; just upgrade to the paid level. (For anyone feeling financially challenged, email me at info@suzancolon.net with YOGAMIND2024 in the subject line and I’ll comp your Yoga Mind program, no questions asked.)
Get your notebook ready. It’s helpful to note important moments, realizations, tools that are working for you, questions, and more in a journal. This can be anything from a fancy notebook to a .99-cent composition book. I like starting a new Yoga Mind program with a fresh notebook so I can track my progress, and I encourage participants to do the same.
What to expect: Weekly emails on the spiritual tools outlined in Yoga Mind. There will be breaks between sets of tools for a rest and catching up. Each month, we’ll hold Sangha Sessions on Zoom. Sangha Sessions will be held at 9 am ET on the last Saturday of each month.1
Questions? Reply to this email or write to info@suzancolon.net.
Friends, I want to thank you for a wonderful year of connecting through this newsletter. When I started writing here in February, I didn’t know what would happen. We’ve gone through some twists and turns together, and I think we’re coming into a good place—back where we began. And now, here’s to a fresh beginning. I wish you all a wonderful new year, and I’ll see you on January 1 for Yoga Mind 2024.
Have a peaceful, easeful, joyful day,
Suzan
If you’d like to share any part of your Year-End reflections, or what you’re looking forward to in the new year, please leave a comment.
This post is available to all, so please feel free to share with anyone who could use a deep breath.
For the comfort and privacy of participants, Sangha Sessions are for Yoga Mind participants only and will not be open to the general public, nor will they be recorded.
I am loving how many people are mentioning/writing about it the pause of this week of the year. I wish we collectively did this every season!
I am looking forward continuing the work of understanding me and feeling comfortable in my own skin. I've shared this program with others !