Sacrifice and 2020

“BE LIKE A TREE AND LET THE DEAD LEAVES DROP”

- RUMI

Truthfully, I don’t really like the word sacrifice.  

Mostly because it’s a misnomer and an old word that means old things.

Sometimes we are under the impression that we must sacrifice something in order to get something else.

The word “sacrifice” is what we commonly assign to brave people who are willing to give up something they are accustomed too.  In ancient times, it meant something a lot harsher, like killing an animal as an offering, burning a person at the stake or perhaps adopting some painful personal action that somehow represented a spiritual act of humbleness.

 The 21st century version of the word “sacrifice”

really means a willingness to let go of old things so that we have space

in our brains to allow better things to flow in.

Over lunch a few weeks ago, a wise friend of mine reminded me that even in autumn a tree doesn’t have to work hard to let go of a leaf.  It just does.  Letting go is not as hard as we make it out to be.

 I’ve been making small shifts for a few months now – less swiping right to see the news on my phone and stopping delightfully (often mid-day) to take in a delicious variety of some new tea.

What I’m slowly understanding is that nothing - and I mean nothing - is important enough to take away my peace of mind.  I have come to understand that I deserve some calm and ease simply because it feels good. 

But it’s up to me to make the internal changes no matter what the circumstances dictate. 

Focus in on the small moments.   Let go of the old memories that hurt and the old patterns of behavior that you know aren’t useful anymore.   Do some forgiving and just let these things gently fall away.

Like many of you, I’ve been feeling the shift of a new decade on the horizon.  So, as we lock into a new decade and jump back into our music and those things that make us happy, prime yourself first with small changes that feel good.  

Your brain and body will thank you for the small shifts of change you make – for the tiniest of sacrifices.  

 What’s important for you?   What excites you in 2020?   What do you want to do?

 I think you know the answers.