I went to a fabulous Xmas house party last night, lots of interesting people and great dance music. Clare, who lives there is a workshop facilitator and performer and she took us through a process to welcome in the new year. Clare got everybody to gather in the loungeroom, there were quite a few of us:

And then she asked us to contemplate what was something we wished to achieve over the coming period and call them out into existence, they covered a new house to my inlaws making up and everything in between. I love my friend Marc Chernoff’s list he created some time ago to empower your near future:

1. Start spending time with the right people.
2. Start facing your problems head-on.
3. Start being honest with yourself about everything.
4. Start making your own happiness a priority.
5. Start being yourself, genuinely and proudly.
6. Start noticing and living in the present.
7. Start valuing the lessons your mistakes teach you.
8. Start being more polite to yourself.
9. Start enjoying the things you already have.
10. Start creating your own happiness.
11. Start giving your ideas and dreams a chance.
12. Start believing that you’re ready for the next step.
13. Start entering new relationships for the right reasons.
14. Start giving new people you meet a chance.
15. Start competing against an earlier version of yourself.
16. Start cheering for other people’s victories.
17. Start looking for the silver lining in tough situations.
18. Start forgiving yourself and others.
19. Start helping those around you.
20. Start listening to your own inner voice.
21. Start being attentive to your stress level and take short breaks.
22. Start noticing the beauty of small moments.
23. Start accepting things that are less than perfect.
24. Start working toward your goals every single day.
25. Start being more open about how you feel.
26. Start taking full accountability for your own life.
27. Start actively nurturing your most important relationships.
28. Start concentrating on the things you can control.
29. Start focusing on the possibility of positive outcomes.
30. Start noticing how wealthy you are right now.

So what does society say about taking steps forward, here are a few of my favourite things:

1. Abraham Maslow was an American psychologist who was best known for creating Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, a theory of psychological health predicated on fulfilling innate human needs in priority, culminating in self-actualization.

2. Certainly has a positive ring to it – Grit anchored with Grace: When You Believe.

3. Remember to Ask, Often.

4. You must move forward to fail, being frozen by doubt achieves nothing: Who You Are.

5. Keep on keeping on.

6. Nicholas James Vujicic is an Australian Christian evangelist and motivational speaker born with tetra-amelia syndrome, a rare disorder characterized by the absence of arms and legs. That gives him the right to say the above about stepping forward: One Step Up.

7. You don’t need to see the arrival point if you have faith.

8. A classic from a great Kiwi band: One Step Ahead.

9.The pathway to continuing to step forward in life.

10. Vincent Lingiari never did, he just took a small step forward at a time, and got his people’s land back: From Little Things, Big Things Grow.

11. Cause and Effect.

12. Place a foot in front of another and you will eventually get to the top: Stairway to Heaven.

13. Not always an easy choice, but one you must make for yourself.

14. Time passing is a given, never give up: Wake Me Up.

15. And for the final lesson, taking that step forward begins a new chapter.

You can’t change everything, but you can always change something. Wasting your time, talent and emotional energy on things that are beyond your control is a recipe for frustration, misery and stagnation. Invest your energy in things you can control and act on them now.

Today’s playlist begins with a duet by Whitney and Mariah, then we move forward in time to Jessie J.The males then take over with Bruce Springsteen, Split Enz, Paul Kelly and Kev Carmody, the penultimate track by Led Zeppelin and we finish with Avicii: Inhale The Future, Exhale The Past.

If there were more ceremonies held like the one Clare had us take part in I am sure that my dream of Love and Respect for All, Everybody Included would manifest sooner than later. Until we meet again, my dear friends.