No amount of regret changes the past

“No amount of regret changes the past, no amount of anxiety changes the future, any amount of gratitude changes the present.”

Ann Voskamp, Canadian author, blogger, and memoirist

Image from Unsplash by Brett Jordan

During the holiday season, many people reflect on their lives. Given our amazing time-traveling minds, we easily bounce between past events and future possibilities.

Narrowing our focus on the here-and-now seems to be a wise choice to make the kind of changes we intend.

Embracing our thankfulness for all the big and small things in our lives can turn even the grayest skies blue.

EXERCISE:

What are some of the wonderful aspects of the present moment?

How can you share your feelings of gratitude with others to change things for the better during the holidays and throughout the new year?

“When the music changes, so does the dance.”

“When the music changes, so does the dance.”

—West African proverb

Image from Unsplash by Mitchell Orr

For most of us, it has been quite some time since we’ve gone anywhere to dance. Weddings and other large gatherings where we celebrate and let loose with our best moves seem like distant memories of better times.

It feels like we’ve been engaged in a kind of musical chairs where the chairs are being removed and the music of change starts and stops without notice. We’re all on heightened alert, anxious about staying in the game and securing our seat.

As we look to find our footing in the new year, many of us are beginning to feel the beat and rhythm of new opportunities and possibilities to dance again.

EXERCISE:

How can you make and listen to the music of a better future for yourself and your communities? Where can you discover and create new opportunities to dance and celebrate your life in the year ahead?