As 2020 ends, we can look toward 2021 with renewed hope for peace and
wellness for our planet and its inhabitants.
I know I have big expectations for this year. How about you?
Every year, I choose a quality that I’d like to develop more fully. For the last
two years, I focused on ‘Grace’ I needed extra time with that one, but I
think I’ve done a pretty good job. Of course, there’s always more, so I will
continue to look for opportunities that inspire Grace.
This year, I’m going to focus on ‘Happiness’. I want to laugh, sing, dance,
and play more. The happiest times in my life were listening to music and
dancing with friends, so I’m setting an intention to travel and share more joy with my friends worldwide.
I’m also going to continue my study of relationships. I’ve always been
curious about how to create healthy relationships. I’ve learned a lot. Now I
want to focus on the best ways to teach others the art of creating healthy,
happy relationships. This is vital, considering the current state of our
country and the world.
I recently learned of an 80 year Harvard study that names relationships as
the critical factor in healthy living.
“The surprising finding is that our relationships and
how happy we are in our relationships has a powerful
influence on our health’ said Robert Waldinger , director
of the study, a psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital
and a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. “Taking
care of your body is important, but tending to your
relationships is a form of self-care too. That, I think, is the
revelation.” https://ibl.cm/GqV2C
Now, Harville Hendrix and Helen LeKelly Hunt are developing Imago2.0.
The emphasis in this newest version of Imago Relationship Therapy is
Quantum Physics. The basic tenet is that we are all perpetually connected.
Because of that, we energetically affect one another with our beliefs and
attitudes.
Suppose I expect my partner to be upset about something. I could
influence his energy field. Unless he is in a very conscious state of being at
the moment and can resist my expectations, he’ll probably be pulled into
my beliefs. So, if I want different results, I can affect his mood by offering a
pleasant attitude and expectation.
There is always the chance that my partner can still show up in a cranky or
frustrated state for other reasons. In that case, I can become curious and
not join him in that mood (which, if I’m honest, is sometimes challenging for me.) If I continue to be curious and empathize with him, I could turn his
attitude into something more friendly. This way, we could remain connected and cooperative with one another.
I may need some support with this one, so I invite you to participate with
me in a few ways. I encourage you to send cartoons, articles, or funny
stories to me throughout the year. Next, I invite you to join me in setting an
intention for yourself and your relationship and letting me know how to
support you.
We all know that just one person can make a difference, so I invite each of
you to pay attention to your state of being. Then I want you to be curious
about how you influence your relationships. Finally, I would like to ask that
you honor the earth and all its creatures. Mother Earth needs our care.
If we each do our part, I really believe we can have an epic 2021. Who’s in?