***How To Empower Yourself for the New Year

This is the time of year when people get off the proverbial treadmill of their workday world and allow themselves some time to reflect on the past year - what they accomplished, what they didn't, what was good, and what wasn't so great. Too often people feel like they've fallen short of their expectations of themselves and spend the time beating themselves up over mistakes, missed opportunities or what 'could have been'. Perhaps this is why many people fall into a bit of a depressed state at this time of year. Their Inner Critic is celebrating the holidays with a good dose of self-judgment, blame, criticism and added drama.

If this sounds familiar to your experience it is time to put the Inner Critic to bed for the year. Give him a sippy cup and a bankie. It's time to let your Inner Wizard come out and play. Your Inner Wizard, the voice of your truth, intuition and inspiration, knows that mistakes are opportunities to learn and grow. Missed opportunities provide more gifts in the lessons they provide. Empowered Inner Wizards focus on what "can be" instead of what "could have been".

It's time to Empower your Inner Wizard. Let him join the party. As you slow down the pace, rest and relax over the holidays, have some fun with your Inner Wizard. Expand your vision for 2010. Reach deep within you to ask your Inner Wizard the following question:

For 2010:

If I got really radical today, stopped fearing the consequences, let go of any doubts about my ability to succeed and enthusiastically set out to be what I was born to be, what would I be doing?

Once you have your answer you have your intention for 2009. Write it down! Tell others about your intention to hold you accountable. Empower your Inner Wizard to guide you, give all of your energy, attention and focus to that intention, take action as guided by intuition. Mindfully speak and act with purpose and in the direction of what your heart is calling you to become and you will absolutely turn that dream into a very real experience.

I asked myself that question. I was not surprised at the answer. It was something that has been nagging at me for a long time. The funny thing is, the answer was rooted in what I have been resisting the most - public speaking. I know, with certainty, that what I resist out of - yes, I admit it - FEAR - is the very thing my heart longs for. So I have set my intention and have already taken forward action to ramp up my speaking engagements to larger audiences in the coming year. I've written it down. I've told you.

As creative beings our fundamental life-affirming need is to continue to move forward and grow. Like sharks, if we stop moving we will whither and die. If you notice that you are holding yourself back from acting upon your intention take a breath, acknowledge where you are and take one baby step forward. Then another. Soon you'll be off and running again.

May 2010 bring you love, laughter and empowerment.