New Moons, Popcorn Kernels & Continuing the Pursuit

This past Monday, after the sun dipped behind the horizon and night began to fall, I celebrated the New Moon. Each month, I set aside an hour or two for personal reflection and take time to be present with my intentions for the coming weeks.

 

This time, I invited a few of my more mindful friends to come over and enjoy the space with me. I lit every candle in the room until my home glowed and flickered, the amber flames patterned up the walls, the tile floor and windows reflecting all the dancing light.

 

Then, sitting on colorful, cushy floor pillows or piled on my couch, we each took our own time for private journaling, sharing crystals and readings and stories while munching on popcorn and petting my ever-curious cat.

 

I tend to pay attention to the New and Full Moons each month, resonating with the specific moon energy that might signal aspects of my life I could improve in some way.

 

This past New Moon fell in Virgo and aims to inspire more focus on the intricate details of our life. This means we may need to get organized or restructure certain habits or daily routines. Most of us have goals, but in life’s constant ebb and flow, it’s important to check in with how we are doing in the pursuit of our goals, and if we need an adjustment in our day-to-day attempts to reach them.

 

If you like, I thought I would take this space to share with you the prompts I gave myself and my friends this week, should you find them useful as well.

 

Perhaps taking the time for reflection will inform you of how things are going for you as you move forward and through each day towards your own big dreams, or if a little realigning is in order.

 

I’ll wait here while you grab your journal or notebook and pen. 🙂

 

. . . . .

 

Ready? Here are 7 sequential journal prompts that will hone your close attention to the details in your day that could ultimately pave the road to your own success. Take time to fully answer each question before moving on to the next, as it’s worth the deep dive. Here we go:

 

1. First, think about the big picture, and your next big goals – whenever it is you have them in mind to be achieved. These could be goals for this year or goals to meet at some future point in your life – it doesn’t matter when you have set your deadline. For now, return to clarifying specifically what your personal goals are.

 

For myself, I often pursue many big goals at one time, so I find dividing my personal goals into the following categories helps me find clarity:

 

• • • Home Life
    • Finances
    • Personal
    • Health
    • Relationships
    • Career

What is your big dream or goal in all or any of these areas of your life? If these areas resonate, it’s important to be specific, and write each of your goals down.

 

2. Second, think about the smaller steps you take daily, or even weekly as you pursue them.   What do those smaller steps look like for you?

 

For example, if your goal is overall health and fitness, this could mean you take a yoga class a few times a week, or aim to go for a run every morning. What activity are you doing currently that propels you forward towards your goal?

 

3. Third, take a look at your patterns and your routines. Is there anything that stops you from actively pursuing your goal? What is hindering your progress? In other words, what is getting in your way? Write this down, too. Acknowledge the thing that’s making your goal a challenge to reach.

 

4. Fourth, once you are fully aware of what the hold-up is, you can reach out and grab the reigns again. What action can you physically take to remove this barrier? Set your alarm earlier to wake up in time for exercise? Pay for yoga classes in advance to give you that extra push to show up?  What will make the pursuit of your goals easier? Answer this, and you can begin to map out your next steps.

 

5. Next, one of the best tools for reaching goals is to turn the steps we take to get there into habits. Make it a habit to wake up and go for a run. Or do yoga. Or go for a run away from yoga, whatever gets you moving if a healthy lifestyle is one of your goals, and exercise is one of the steps you are taking to get there. Think about it, then write it down: What new habit can you implement into your routines?

 

This is where the New Moon in Virgo takes the stage – reminding us to organize the tiny details that bit by bit, lead us closer to obtaining our life goals. By breaking our goals into bite-sized pieces, and integrating them into our daily to-do’s, we can take a few, achievable steps forward every day until our big dreams become our reality.

 

6. Now this next prompt is important to think about: How will you FEEL once you do this? Journaling about this particular question will connect you more deeply to your goal. Yay for announcing the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle, sure. But how will you FEEL once you have achieved this?  . . . . Healthy? Happy? Proud of yourself? Capable? Strong? Wholesome? What else will open up for you once you cartwheel over the finish line?

 

We don’t chase big dreams or pursue our goals to solely tick a box and move on. We chase them down because we want to feel good – about ourselves, about who we are, and what we can achieve. Focus on how good you will feel once your hard work, focus, and intention have landed you where you aimed to be.

 

7. Finally, we all need reminders and bits of encouragement to help us keep going. I sure do. What reminder or bit of encouragement can you give yourself to stay motivated and make necessary changes to your routine? What will help you keep going?

 

It could be a daily mantra. Sometimes it’s an affirmation written out and sticky-taped to your bathroom mirror. Sometimes it’s an app tracking your calories. Whatever works for you – motivation and praise and affirmations are important, and you are probably working pretty hard towards your goals. Show yourself some kindness along the way.

 

And that’s a start!

 

My New Moon ritual with friends ended with dried candle wax on the floor, popcorn kernels my cat hunted down, and a few extra crystals on my table.

 

But it also ended with renewed direction, confidence, and connection to our own goals for each of us.

 

I hope these reflective prompts serve to connect (or reconnect) you with your own big dreams and personal goals too. However you envision them playing out in your life – remember that they are important. I hope you feel inspired and refocused to continue the pursuit.

 

~ Christy

 

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