Photo by tombeardshaw
Welcome to February, the first month that isn’t the tail end of one year and the beginning of another. Expectations aren’t so overwhelming or obligation-driven, giving you a bit of room to daydream. And while some things are sticking around and others just feel plain ol’sticky, the picture is a bit clearer outside of the holiday haze. That’s why I think February is the best month of the year to create a platform that can help guide the “inner you” as the year rolls forward. One way to do that is by creating a personal power theme.
A power theme is a strong, clear word or short phrase that easily describes an action or idea and feels oh-so-good when you say it, as if it’s settling into your bones. It captures a deep important concept and feeling that you can use to draw yourself back into alignment as distractions roll through (and they undoubtedly will). A power theme also provides a clear reminder of where you want your energy to be focused and grounded each day, helping you stay present with what’s most important.
Creating a Breathable Form
Some people like to drill down to actual specific goals and tactical steps in the first month of the year, but I feel that sometimes limits the creative flow between ideas and opportunities and can keep people locked in on things working out a certain way. A new year is just that, new, with fresh interesting energy that hasn’t quite taken hold and is full of possibilities, so why fill it full of cement in the first 30 days?
Different than specific goals and tailored lists, a power theme serves as a solid guidepost to remind you where you need to be loosely focused. Then you can see how things, people and events easily link in or distract from what you want to create in each moment and how they impact the big picture. Then you can add in the more detailed goals and tactics if and when it makes sense.
My theme for 2013 is inspired action. I want to pay special attention to how I choose to take action and ensure it’s a combined effort from my mind, body and heart — all leading with what feels good. As a person who easily pops directly into my head and likes the comfort of creating a strategy, it can sometimes be easy for me to get all tangled up there, thinking my way through things instead of connecting with what FEELS best. That tends to limit possibilities before I even get started, so I wanted to create something that feels both strong and flexible for all parts of my ever-changing life.
To me, inspired action reminds me to lead with what feels good to me in each and every moment; what honors my gifts and the gifts of others, and guides me to a place where I know I’m connecting with my passions as part of my every day life. This theme keeps me mindful and reminds me of the joy I feel in connecting with my truth. And yes, that means holding the same mental and emotional space even with the most mundane of tasks.
Here are a few quick tips on tuning into your own power theme:
- Get quiet and sit still, no distractions
- Release the need to think of something quickly
- Let yourself fall into the spaces that feel good and see what words or feelings come up
- Drop the judgement
- Select something and then sit with it for a few days to see if it still feels good
Once you have decided on something for the year that really resonates, exploring a power theme for each month can help you drill down into more specific areas, allowing you to fine tune key pieces of the larger whole. It takes 30 days to make a new habit, right? So why not experiment with a few months of applied focus on a mini- theme? It might be just the self-motivated push you’ve been needing to get focused and clear out old habits and thoughts.
As you well know, you can’t control how life shows up, but you can manage how you stay rooted as things are moving towards change. Are you game? If you already do something similar to this, I would love to hear your stories and ideas — please share!