As we turn the page to January 1, 2022, do you feel pressured by your mind to fill all those blank pages with your intentions for the New Year? 

According to the Human Design calendar, the New Year doesn’t actually begin until January 22nd. Right now, there is this wonderful window available to you to pause and reflect, and let your heart prepare for this transition.

I invite you to take some time to look back at 2021: What happened for you, and more importantly, how did you respond? How do you feel about your responses, and what did you learn? What insights might guide how you shape your experiences in 2022?

I invite you to grab a pen and paper – or your tablet – and begin. You might even use a technique I’ve adapted from Julia Cameron’s book, The Writers Way. Put your pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and write for 20 – 30 minutes without lifting your fingers. You’ll be amazed by what flows out of you.

If you’re curious about my reflections, please read on.

As you may remember, in 2020 I moved from Los Angeles to the mountains of Western North Carolina. As we entered 2021, I thought my journey was complete and it was time to settle in and recover from the upheaval of 2020. I WAS SO WRONG!

In February 2021 I decided that rather than rent, I would simply buy a home. For three months I looked at over 50 homes in a housing market that was saturated with buyers. Properties were selling for 50% over asking price and would go under contract the day they were listed. Oh my gosh, who knew looking for a home would be so challenging!

Every day, seven days a week, I visited properties with my fabulous ever-ready realtor, Sue Francisco. As I meditated and got clearer on what I wanted, I found myself venturing further and further from downtown Asheville, drawn to open fields, trees, peace and quiet. 

On April 17th I met with my spiritual community and shared my frustration. I asked them to support me, and together we prayed for a miracle. The next day I found my home, or you might say, my home found me. 

The moment Sue and I walked in the door, I knew this was the one. High up on a hillside, overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains, surrounded by trees and all kinds of wildlife, and oh so quiet, it was the house of my dreams. We submitted an offer within the hour. Was it my heart-felt letter, or the cash offer, or the magic of asking for a miracle? Even though there were over ten interested buyers, many offering way more, the sellers chose me. 

Again, I thought I could relax and settle in, and once again, I was so wrong. You see, the house needed a little work! 

While the house was under contract I interviewed and put together a team of workers – contractors, painters, flooring installers, electricians, plumbers, you name it. Amazing people kept showing up, and committing to work with me, which – according to friends of mine here – was another miracle. 

The day the contract was signed, my subcontractor arrived to demo the kitchen – and the next part of my 2021 journey began. Though I had done some minor remodeling to my condo in Los Angeles, I had NO IDEA what I was getting into. I became a contractor, who fortunately was gifted with clear and powerful vision. For the next 3 1/2 months, guided by trust and intuition, I brought about a miraculous transformation. This cute but dark and moldy home became a gorgeous, bright, toxic-free, and light-filled temple. 

I discovered that being a contractor is pretty much a full-time job. Fortunately, Human Design has revealed that I’m a Projector, someone who is great at guiding and directing others. So even though I knew nothing about construction, I managed to keep half a step ahead of all my workers, and somehow coordinate the timing of all the different projects. My subcontractor, Chris Horton, was steady as a rock and brilliant at ‘work-arounds.’ As issues arose, and things didn’t always go according to plan, our motto became ‘go with it.’ I learned to let go of controlling the outcome. 

Who knew that when you put in new floors, nails might come through the downstairs ceiling, or that you can’t put new wiring in a wall that has concrete foundation behind, or that during a pandemic, costs would double, kitchen cabinets would be delayed, and major appliances would be out of stock? 

Projectors, though great at guiding others, are NOT designed to work steadily for long periods of time. Somehow, I managed to hang in there until mid-summer, while continuing to work with my clients and writing a chapter for a best-selling book, Stop Overworking and Start Overflowing: 25 ways to Transform Your Life Using Human Design.  Then……I ran out energy and got sick.

Thanks to my amazing team of workers, and that I had laid a strong foundation for this remodel, I was able to slow down to replenish myself and let them complete the job. At the end of August, I moved in. 

My home is truly a temple for healing. As we enter 2022, I have recovered my energy and am feeling strong and excited for what lies ahead. 

What have I learned? Oh my gosh, so much. Here are a few examples:

  • Miracles happen, especially when you ask for them.
  • Intention called in the home I’ve dreamed of my whole life.
  • I am resilient, powerful, and capable of much more than I could ever have imagined.
  • When you let go of control and ‘go with it,’ life rewards you in ways that exceed anything you can imagine. 
  • Love is the answer!

I am now ready to fill those blank pages of 2022 with new intentions and make room for new miracles. 

Now it’s your turn!