Throw your stones

I took a trip down to the lake yesterday to throw some stones.  It certainly wasn’t planned, but it was needed.

I’ve spent this entire week almost completely unplugged from email.   Tuesday was the first day the boys were back to school that I could focus to wrap up planning, goal setting etc.  I was in the home stretch yesterday, but I just couldn’t shake some of the regrets and disappointments of last year.

They were taunting me as I was trying to put the finishing touches on my goals for 2016.

Earlier in the planning, I’d written them all down, but apparently I hadn’t actually let them go quite yet.  So I stopped what I was doing, grabbed a sharpie and went outside.  I found the right amount of stones, brought them inside and wrote one big disappointment or regret on each one.

I threw them in a bag and went to the lake.

I found a nice sunny spot and knelt down to throw them in.  I took them out of the bag, one at a time and read them.  I really wasn’t expecting the flood of emotion that came over me.

Clearly, I needed to let go.  

As I threw them, I forgave myself and gave myself grace, out loud.  Some hurt so much more than others.  I threw those really hard.  I watched the dirty water splash around them and they were gone.  As they sunk, I said Goodbye t0 2015.  I welcomed 2016 with the new person I am and the new approach I’m taking, that is going to bring me different results.

As I walked away, the sun and the wind dried the tears on my cheeks and I felt lighter.

It was so freeing for me, I feel like you might need to try it too.

If you close your eyes right now and think about 2015, is there anything that was really disappointing?  Do you have any regrets?  Anything you’re blaming yourself for?

You’ve got to get it behind you.

Take 5 minutes. . . literally 5 minutes, and write down the 5-10 things that stunk last year.  And then, make some time this weekend.   Grab a sharpie and find some rocks.  Write down the things on your list.  You might not have a lake nearby, but I bet you have a field, a park, or even a parking lot.

Give yourself 10 minutes to throw those stones.

You need to let them go.  They are too heavy to carry for another year, or much less, the rest of your life!  Throw them in and forgive yourself. Give yourself grace and say it out loud.  You need to hear it.

Believe me.

It’s cleansing.  

2016 is full of opportunity and joy, but you might miss it if you’re blinded by the regrets of last year.

You have so much to give, so much light to shine.  Please don’t let it be dimmed because you’re still carrying those old stories, those heavy rocks in your purse.   Throw ’em in!

There is a beautiful new year waiting for you!

to more love,

Crystal