2012... who knew?

right, so... how many times have you heard "a new year, a new you?" How many times have you then succumbed to the sales pitch that followed... and proceeded to have a NOT NEW YOU? or worse, didn't succumb but sat around feeling guilty and worth less because you weren't ALREADY that you? Yeah... everything from Get rich today internet marketing to lose 100 lbs dieting... all aimed to tweak us right where we are weak and vulnerable and aimed, really, not at giving you a new you and a deeper sense of self but at your wallet. And the thing is... who doesn't want a bigger bank account, a slimmer body, a healthier lifestyle? Lord knows, I'd be right in line... if it were really about change. But the truth is, I don't really want a new me. I like the me I am. It took years to find her, to discover the paths she wanted to walk and get her moving on them, but I like her. Most of you know that I teach journaling workshops centered on the idea of talking to the "real" you... I believe that there is less a need for a "new you" than there is a need to discover and uncover the "real you." There's been a lot of talk out there about your "word for the year" (Much thanks to Ali Edwards for bringing her personal project into the world.) I chose the word "Surfacing" this year... a year long concentration on both the coming back up aspect as well as the clearing down to. For each of us, and for each moment and thing, there is a choice, somtimes with many options, sometimes with just a black and white option and sometimes it's a choice that doesn't feel like one-- option A. bad, option B. worse. I've spent a lot of time in the past year with many of the latter kind of choices... not much fun, but not powerless. So in this coming year, I am focusing on the necessary pairing down and the critical emergence from the muck. I have been working on the new Planet You workshops and am so excited about the new classes. I have been tagging along on Effy Wild's Book of Days project and am really enjoying the community of art-ers/ists and journalers. I am fighting my way back up-- and though the surface is still not clear, I am looking forward to breaking through again. You can sign up for the newsletter for Planet You and the Planet You shop by clicking the button on the right. Have a wonderful new year, and hey... let me know what word suits you this year.