Wellbeing

If not now, then when?

Now’s the time to really consider what it is you want to do and who you want to be, says our columnist Emma Cannon

We are living in a time of great uncertainty and a time of not knowing. There’s uncertainty in politics, the environment and the housing market, and this impacts how we feel about our place in the world.

As the new year begins it’s important to make sure you are aligned to your purpose and that you can really stay true to yourself and your beliefs. You might have found you have been going through a culling process recently and a refinement of what’s important to you. You may be asking yourself: Who are my people? What is important to me?

This process is in direct response to what is happening in the collective, so if you have been doing this, you are on the right track. The new year and 2020 brings in a whole new energetic cycle and it’s important we wake from our inertia and get real. As you reflect on this turbulent year there are some questions you might want to ask yourself.

Who am I?

I am constantly re-evaluating who I am, and if you want to do the same, the following journal exercise can be useful. Complete the sentence: “The world is…” and write the first things that come to mind. Do this 10 times then replace the phrase with ‘I am…’ and fill the blanks with the same words you had used before.

For example: ‘The world is beautiful’ becomes, ‘I am beautiful’ and so on. This exercise can reveal some deeply held beliefs we have about ourselves.

How do I want to show up in the world?

What are the things that are important to you? Make a note of what you think these are, either as a simple list or as a mood board. Really feel the kind of person you want to be and consider what you can do to make steps to spend more time doing the things that matter to you.

What is my purpose?

You may not know what your purpose is – you may not have even considered that you are here for a reason. But you are, and you have a unique gift. You have a unique set of skills quite unlike anyone else. If you don’t know how to start, just begin by being curious.

It is time for us to alter our value systems, to become more centred in our hearts and not our heads. All the best things in life are felt and not thought – love, compassion, courage and kindness; these are the things that matter. These are the expression of the heart.

So if there is something in your heart you’ve always longed to do or some expression of who you are – my question to you is: if not now, then when? 2020 we are coming for you

Emma is an integrated women’s health expert, registered acupuncturist and author emmacannon.co.uk