For the ninth year, I am inviting you to say goodbye to the current year in a positive and creative way and plan the next with Honouring Your Story. 

As you know, here, we don't analyse our mistakes, errors of judgement or missed opportunities. I believe that a review should be a celebration, an opportunity to raise our self-esteem, not beat ourselves up (we do it often enough!). 

At this time of year, I reflect on the fact that I am not the same person as I was a year before. Sadly this year, I joined a club I wish I didn’t have to belong to, the one of people who have lost their parents but we all have to join it some day and I guess I was fortunate to have them for so long. Having said that, my dad had the good fortune of losing his mother when he was 72! She was about to turn 98. But as I remember, the loss was just as impactful. There is no good age to lose your loved ones. 

Each year, there is one prompt from the workbook that has more significance so if you think that it is always the same prompts, I would encourage you to consider what resonates with you more this year and focus on that. If you only do one prompt or two, that’s alright as it is what you need right now. For me this year, I will be focus on who I want to be now that I said goodbye to not only my parents, but also my childhood home and the region where I grew up and came back to so often. It feels like a big part of my identity has been ripped out, at least out of my physical reality. I’ll be spending time on Prompt 5 and page 15. I will also write down all the lovely memories I made with my mum this year that are such a precious comfort to me right now.

I  have attached the workbook for Honouring Your Story 2023/24 as well as a picture of the Chartres Cathedral labyrinth.

I will be running my free 7-Day Challenge again — New Year, Fresh Start — to further help you start 2024 strong. Look out for the emails starting December 30th. Don’t miss these activities! 

Let's pray that the slow return to light after the Winter Solstice brings a brighter year for the world and ourselves! I am sending much love and encouragement. I believe in you.

Valerie 

http://valeriemarsh.com