Creative Journey Coaching

A New Year; a new beginning.

In Scottish and British folklore, the New Year’s tradition of First Footing includes a stranger crossing the threshold at the stroke of midnight, leaving a piece of bread for comfort, coal for warmth and a silver coin for prosperity.

        What will your First Footing into the New Year bring? 

As a day of quiet reflection (after often a loud and raucous end to the previous year), consider your own first footing ritual: bake some bread for comfort, wrap yourself in something soft and warm to read on the couch or by the fire; count your blessings, if not your coins, as your abundance and prosperity .

Baking Bread: Consider the process of bringing together all the ingredients, mixing in just the right amount of each, kneading the dough and allowing it time to rise in conditions just perfect for it to do so. Then of course, the baking; the smell of the yeast fills the air. Lastly, the outcome, the comfort in cutting the bread, toasting or warming it, and slathering something wonderful on top; the first bite. Pure heaven in your hands.

How is your life like the baking of that bread?

What ingredients are necessary for a well-loved journey?

How much of each ingredient is required?

How much time is needed to process and grow?

What will the outcome be?

What will heaven in your hands feel like?

Wrap Yourself in Something Soft: Create a retreat, even for an hour or two. Shut off the phone, close the door and wrap yourself in something warm and comforting.  Read a book; listen to music or day dream.  Invite in only that which comforts and inspires you.

What will you choose to read? Where will it take you?

What music will you play? Where in your soul does the music resonate?

What will you choose to surround yourself? What softness do you want to bring into your life?

Count Your Blessings: It’s the perfect time to count your blessings or create a gratitude board or journal. Create something with panache; use colors and textures. Or if the idea of a gratitude journal leaves you cold, create a gratitude bowl with shells or stones or glass. Count them as all the things you’re grateful for as you run your hands through whatever you’ve chosen to represent your blessings. Take out one that speaks to you in the moment, name it and carry with you throughout the day as a reminder.

A new day; a new beginning.  There’re really no need to wait for the New Year and since it’s here, why not start now?