Aries Season, New Moon, and Spring
It's official, spring has sprung. We are finally out of the cold winter season and stepping into the possibilities of spring. But we're facing more than just the spring season. The New Moon, Astrological New Year, spring Equinox and Aries season all start within hours of each other between March 20th and 21st. With this energy, we are launched into a new beginning, which is typical of the new moon but further enhanced by these other events. This new energy can manifest as the courage to embark on a new path or the realization that we're frustrated with the one we're currently on. Both the positive and the negative manifestations are gifts that can be used to guide us moving forward. I remember moving into what I thought would be a dream apartment just to see it in the light of day and be utterly deflated by reality. This was my first 2 bedroom apartment in NYC and I thought it was a major accomplishment. It was a big girl move. But there were so many disadvantages of being in that apartment, that love quickly turned into regret. I remember complaining about it one day and receiving the advice that I had stepped into an opportunity. Falling and staying in love with that apartment could have derailed or
delayed my ultimate goal of leaving the city. I could have become complacent within the comfort of finding that apartment. Sometimes there's an unexpected silver lining in the frustration and malcontent within your life. If you can sit within the discomfort long enough to get to the root of the issue, you can find healing and progress.
Personally, I believe each zodiac sign's ultimate goal is to encourage and inspire each person to be the authentic embodiment of their true identity. Each sign carries with it a different energy and area of focus, all coming together to break down the different areas of life and the ways you show up in the world. By working on one area at a time, each lunation, we can continuously work to improve and cultivate a life of purpose. Aries is one of my favorite signs. I have found myself to be highly compatible with Aries signs and feed off of their fiery energy. Aries is a fire sign, represented by the Ram and ruled by the planet Mars. The energy of this sign reminds me of the power a seedling uses to break through the ground. It is inspiring, hopeful, and motivating and if used correctly can spark some powerful changes. This is an appropriate sign to start off the astrological new year.
Even with the knowledge of a new year, sometimes that is not enough. Personal growth, marriage, and entrepreneurship are 3 different journeys that require a daily commitment. In order to sustain, there has to be a daily decision to keep going. Waking up every day and making the same decision requires a deep-seated devotion, which will carry you through the rough patches that are a part of the journey. However, routines can create boredom and sometimes discourage inspired action. The work is never done and that can be tiring and hard to do consistently. This fiery Aries energy can be utilized to bring a spark back when excitement dims the flame.
New Moon
The new moon is typically an introspective time for setting intentions moving forward. It is the beginning of the lunar cycle and the start of energy building. Since it's the beginning of the cycle, it's the best time for planning. Imagine getting in your car. Each time you get in your car you start with an intention. The intention dictates the direction you move towards. To go to the grocery store, I know which road I need to go down and which direction to travel. Intention and goal setting during the new moon are no different. You are making a conscious plan to move forward.
Planning
This is a great time to analyze how much progress you've made since January 1st. Whether or not you have a word/phrase of the year, New Year's resolution, or vision board, I think it is important to move forward with a plan. I am a firm believer that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. After years in business, I have finally created a formal business plan. I always thought it was an unnecessary piece of paperwork if you're not pursuing loans. But recently, I've taken the leap and learned how to draft one. The result was unexpected. I felt so EMPOWERED (and yes, the caps were necessary). Previously I had a general business plan, just not written out in a formal document. However, the tedious process of identifying who your business is and will be within its industry and locally, contingency plans, strengths and weaknesses, and creating a timeline gave me a deeper intimacy with my business. This business plan is a roadmap, that offers me alternative routes should I hit some impasse or delay. I finally have a PLAN, and that is a powerful feeling. So do you have a plan? Have you crafted your own roadmap for this year? If you haven't already then you should consider it. I would also encourage you to incorporate things from different areas of your life. Patrice Washington, a podcast host, author, speaker, etc (the list goes on and on) discusses the 6 pillars of wealth. These areas are fit (physical health and wellness), people (your community of friends and family), space (physical places like work and home that you are typically in), faith (religious or spiritual beliefs), work (jobs and career) and money (financial). These are general areas of life to consider while crafting your plan for the year. I encourage you to make sure that you assess each area's health and identify how to improve it. Here are some options:
Vision Board: A compilation of visual cues, placed somewhere you will see daily. Many people use magazines, newspapers, postits, and pictures to create this vision board. You can opt for a poster board, corkboard, or Pinterest board.
Your 300: A viral Steve Harvey post suggests creating a list of 300 items you want to do, buy or accomplish during the year. I've inserted the clip here. If you want to skip right to the explanation of the 300 you can skip to 5:30. I tried this for the first time this year and it's already born fruit. There is such a sense of accomplishment each time I get to cross out something on my list. I will admit I haven't gotten to 300 yet. I got to 200 and I am still adding items as they come to me. Even that 200 cause me to stretch my ideas of the possibilities. This exercise causes you to consistently dream bigger in order to reach 300. I think this will be a new annual activity.
GLAD Journal: A GLAD journal is a therapeutic tool helpful in gaining and shifting perspective. GLAD is an acronym that stands for gratitude, learning, accomplishments, and delight. This journal should be filled with positive things that bring you joy, and excitement and remind you of all the things that make you smile. This may be an unconventional planning tool, but it can be helpful if you are a little more lost along the journey and need more direction. After you've begun to fill the journal, it may be helpful to look back and use it as a lifeboat when navigating the waters of depression. But, also while looking back, you may be able to find common threads among the things that bring you joy. This may be a way to identify a healthy direction to move towards with intention.
I think it's also important to note that there are many different roads to reach the same destination. These are things I have done and enjoyed, but there are so many different planning tips you can use. Whatever you choose, I hope it is effective.