Happy New Year -- what's the new story of you?

So many of us believe new year seems to call for a new start.  Maybe we've done the review and reflection on the year gone by. We've sifted, and sorted and clarified.  We wrote a list of all the things we no longer want and one with all our intentions. We want to start fresh.  We want a new dream in 2018!

Here's the challenge:  New dreams call for changes.  They need attention.  So many resolutions are made, but it can be difficult to follow through.  Why?

Every dream -- every potential change -- is grounded in your story.  This is a great time to invite your story to partner you in the journey.

Whether you realise it or not, your personal story is the road your life is running on.  Do you like where it's taking you? When is the last time you had a deeper look at what helping -- or hindering -- you in reaching your dreams?

The pictures you see here are my own story -- yes, I did this exercise and even illustrated it, discovering a lot about myself in the process!  My parents were both teachers, that's why the story starts out with a very nice couple living ordinary lives in a small house.  Over the course of my story I discover myself to be a queen in disguise.  How do I know that's the case?  My family name is Arthur and my parents announced my birth by sending out cards that said: "The Princess Royale has been born at King Arthur's court".  It really happened!

Knowing what shaped you, what your gifts and challenges are and what lies on the road ahead is a powerful start to manifesting a different future.  Let your intuition be your guide.

Here's the exercise that might help you discover a way to make your 2018 dream a reality.

You'll need pen and paper, maybe coloured pencils or markers and a big sheet of flipchart paper if you are a highly visual person, and an uninterrupted hour.

During this exercise, you're going to be writing your own real life story, but in the form of a myth or fairytale, and in the third person.  Writing in the third person makes it much easier to allow whatever unfolds in the story to simply unfold.  You are in this story, but you can stand outside it at the same time.  Doing it like this helps you see yourself in a totally new light.

I'm going to give you some sentence stems, to help prompt the story. Your job is simply to begin, listen deeply and see what unfolds when you follow the prompts.  Let whatever arises in your intuition guide you, rather than forcing something to happen.

So why this particular journey? Beginning a new year is like coming to a crossroad.  It is a time to pause, draw breath, look behind to what has been and forward to what might be.  In fairytales and myths, the crossroads is a potent place.  It is a place where you might be challenged to test your commitment and strength. It is a place where you choose a new road and often need to leave something behind.  Often, there is a figure at the crossroad who helps you find your destiny.

Ready?  Let's start...

Let me invite you into a time of working with your unfolding story.  Pretend you are on the road of your life...

• Once upon a time there was ...
• S/he was given the gifts of ...
• And also ….
• And then ...
• Finally s/he came to the crossroads called ...
• Standing at the crossroads was ...
• Who tells her/him that ________ must be left behind and __________ must be picked up now to move forward, and hands him/her  a parchment which reads …

Give yourself spaciousness to really be with the story and see what comes.

If you have someone you trust, share your story with them and ask them to play the role of your journey partner -- the one who is listening carefully for what's underneath, behind, around the story and who can give you insights into the elements and unfolding of the story.  Here are some things they might want to comment on:

• What does your journey partner notice about your founding story and what happens then?
• What are the gifts you hold and how are you using them now?
• What do they notice about what happens at the crossroads and who is standing there?
• What is the significance of the name of the crossroad, and what is the name of the road you now need to take?
• What did you leave behind and what travels with you now?  How is that significant?

Let this work sink in and continue to move in you for awhile.  See what happens to your view of the world and your place in it.

And if you feel called, please share something of what you experienced and learned doing this exercise.  Happy journeying and may the roads be kind and full of great stories this year!