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Welcome 2016! A new year is ahead of us. . .one that I am particularly excited about. While in Iceland I have been absorbing inspiration all around. The landscape here is especially fascinating. You see what we experienced is an ever changing array of colors, textures, temperatures and light. In particular, I was struck by the gorgeous transparency and reflectivity at one particular lava beach.

You see, this lava beach is the receiver of countless stranded iceberg chunks that get washed ashore by the sea. Sad on one aspect to witness them melting. From a visual perspective, these natural ice sculptures are fascinating beyond belief to witness them up so close. They vary in all shapes, sizes, color intensities and translucency; from a striking teal blue to complete transparent and opaque surfaces. Walking along this black beach with glowing sculptures got me thinking about how each one reminds me of an individual raw mega chunky diamond floating within a all encompassing cosmos.

Yes, they are like diamonds in the rough, full of potential, yet still abstract enough where each spectator can be reminded of a different interpretive form. The black lava beach, as a background, creates that expansive cosmos setting that allows each diamond to uniquely shine. As a diamond metaphor, it is up to each of us individually, if we choose to ‘own’ our ‘diamond chunks’ this year, or purposely let them go so that they can melt away. What rocks will you personally choose as a highlight for 2016?

It is up to us, if this diamond metaphor means major or minor adjustments. Often, when we already have a full plate and are well along the path that we have chosen, we can simply select treasures that enhance where we already are. . .kind of like sparkly powder icing on a cake. Then this is rather an exercise in letting the other sparkly rocks go . . . after all. . .how ever sparkly they may be. . .some rocks are simply heavy to carry around.

So what is a good way to weed through and select our diamonds? What about taking on a creative approach. . .sketching, sculpting, collaging, painting. . .For starters I am going to collage a year in review so that I can acknowledge all the goodies, formed diamonds, from 2015. This is a little ritual of mine to sit back and start to count my blessings on the year. Milestones of 2015 will look like these glacier chunks on a rich black beach.

After I will choose the diamonds that I feel a calling towards to continue to carve out. Needless to say, I will be letting go of other chunks. . .

This process makes January exciting for me. . .it’s like a ‘carte blanche’ moment to choose and refine. This selection process starts in the here and now. . .as in. . .what is important to me now. . .from this point where I am. The next is very real and juicy.

So what can you do?  Here are my tips in 5 steps for your personal SMART session to spark up 2016. . .

Step 1: Create an acknowledgement collage for 2015. Any scale that works for you. I personally like A3 format. Sketch, collage images, paint. . .allow it to be raw, don’t worry about the aesthetics.

Step 2: From this collage, feel into where you are right now. What brings most joy to you. What do you want to continue to foster in 2016, what do you want to let go of.

Step 3: Create a 2016 collage. Again any scale that works for you. Be open to new creative ways, techniques etc. . .sketching, collaging, painting. . .sculpting. . .

Step 4: Hang it or prop it up and observe it. Write down your insights on what it will require from you to implement.

Step 5 (bonus): Create space in your calendar for your projects, shifts. . .so that you can start to integrate it TODAY into the way you do things. Your diamond in the rough is now well on the way to being formed in to the masterpiece that brings you most joy! Congratulations! Celebrate! Have fun!

ps. Smart 1:1 Sessions are ideal for this exercise of unleashing your diamonds in the rough. It would be my honour to ‘hold your hand’, so to say, while you carve out your unique path. I look forward to support you along shaping your next adventure for 2016!

HIGHLIGHTS . . .