As a new year unfolds, I find myself not only reflecting on the year that just ended but also looking ahead with great expectation. I find myself wondering what will emerge and how will this spiritual journey of being and becoming unfold. Here’s my to-do list for each one of us for the new year so that we might cocreate a world that works for all and see our great expectations transform our world.

·  Recognize that you are a sparkling present from the cosmos and it is time to unwrap yourself and share yourself with the entire world.

·  Sing love songs to your soul. It’s not about carrying a tune; it’s about playing the symphony that is you.

·  Treasure your loved ones, even when they seem unlovable. It is in those toughest moments they are saying most loudly, “Somebody, please love me.”

·  Look each day in the mirror knowing what you are—love made visible.

·  Know you are an angel and an ancestor with this planet. Your presence here now makes a difference, while at the same time leaving an echo of perfection for those who are yet to be born.

·  Find adventure in every day and notice how your courage to do new things, big and small, inspires others to unwrap themselves for the world too.

·  Realize that with every sadness you are blessed to have your heart cracked wide open. One of the great mysteries in life is that by feeling our suffering we also invite in the possibility of feeling great joy. Suffering and joy are your partners in wholeness.

·  Delight in the knowing that your light has already illuminated darkened paths, your gaze has already lifted broken spirits, and your gentle life has changed the destiny of all you have touched.

·  Keep the awareness alive that you carry the peace of the world within yourself.

Remember that the force moving the stars is the same force that moves the human heart. Embrace this cosmic view, and you will know that this force is alive in all things. So open yourself to the movement of the stars and the movement of your heart, realizing you are a necessary part of the interconnections of all life.


Rev. Kelly Isola, MDiv, is on a mission to be a creator of beauty by inspiring and awakening individuals into a greater experience of their divinity through the wholeness of the human experience. As a consultant, speaker, and author, Kelly shares her passion for living the two-fold path of an engaged spiritual life—embracing the inner path of wisdom and spiritual healing, as well as demonstrating the outer path of compassionate service. Learn more at kellyisola.com.


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