My first open journal & free gift
New Year Fear
On the 20th December, I woke up with fear pinning me to the bed as my alarm wailed at me, stuck on endless snooze mode.
My feelings about the new year had been floating uneasily during the last couple of chaotic months. That familiar pressure to use the festive holidays as the ‘perfect’ opportunity to reflect and think about the year ahead… but I was not ready! I just couldn’t imagine having the headspace to use my very short Christmas break to deep-dive into my goals and intentions for 2023. Pushing the thought aside, again, I got dressed and headed out to work.
While standing on the crowded train to London Bridge, I was listening to an interview with Bjork on “The Great Creators” podcast with Guy Brad. For those of you who don’t already know, I am a huge Bjork fan, and often glean inspiration from her music. When Guy asked Bjork about her ability to continually reinvent herself, she began her answer with this quote from Bob Dylan:
“An artist has to be careful to never actually arrive at a place; you have to continue to be in a state of becoming, as long as you can stay in that realm, you will sort of be alright.“
Bob Dylan
I know, I know. Quite a heavy thought for a sluggish Tuesday morning commute! Dylan says a similar thing in this lyric “…that he not busy being born is busy dying” from his song It’s alright Ma. But the sentiment really struck me.
The main theme of my tarot deck, Transient Light Tarot, was to embrace transience to usher in growth and healing. This is something I am still learning to understand on new levels, especially as the artwork is reflected back to me from those who have connected with it globally. In order to embrace inevitable endings, we have to embrace the moment and live in a continual state of becoming. Of course, we can’t always be in a state of intense rebirth! But Dylan’s point of never “arriving” seems true. We don’t “arrive” at the new year. We journey into and through it.
There’s a time and a place to restart and review our intentions. Making time for it in our busy lives is always going to be a juggling act! But it’s comforting to remember that whether it’s the run-up to Christmas, another new year or a significant birthday - our lives roll in chapters, and the fresh new page doesn’t necessarily land on these milestones.
So, your new year or new chapter starts when the time is ripe for you. The season or significant milestones shouldn’t fill you with anxiety about actioning a drastic change in your life. The act of being reborn is continual and steady - not an arrival.
Free gift for you
If you’re a bookworm like me, you’re always in need of a bookmark! I’ve created this Moon Calendar bookmark for you, to keep track of the full/new moons and their astrological signs throughout 2023. Simply download and print at home!
