When I first released my Morning/Evening Meditations more than two years ago, I couldn’t have anticipated the tremendous response from our community members. It’s still one of our most popular offerings of all time.

I think these meditations resonate with so many because they offer a kind of “reset” each day. We have an opportunity to begin every morning with clear intentions … and a chance every evening to reflect on our efforts. Every single day, we can practice creating our new futures – and stop being defined by our past.

With the New Year upon us, I’d like to suggest doing a sort of “macro version” of the Morning/Evening Meditations – to reflect on your effort over the past year, and define the vision of the future you’re creating in the year ahead.

I’ve done this year-end exercise most of my adult life. While other friends are counting down to midnight at New Year’s Eve celebrations, I like to spend the day and night with myself. This is a symbolic time of transition; an opportunity to look at the cycle I’ve just been through: Four seasons; 12 months; 52 weeks; 365 days, 8,766 hours. It’s an important time of introspection and self-reflection; a chance to know myself better.

Know thyself. This, essentially, is what we’re all practicing through this work. Every time we sit (or stand, walk, or lie down) in meditation – the word for which means “to become familiar with your mind” in Tibetan, and “to cultivate self” in Sanskrit – we have an opportunity to evolve our understanding of ourselves.

Make Time to Pause, Reflect, and Dream

Whatever you do to say goodbye to the old year, and hello to the new, I encourage you to make time to reflect on this cycle. Look at what happened – and what you learned. Think about where you took missteps – and how you self-corrected. Be grateful and humbled by what you overcame. Celebrate where you succeeded – and what you accomplished.

And then, acknowledge where you’re challenged – and what you’re still working on. Think about what you’re ready to leave behind – and what you still want to change. Commit to the vision of the future you’re creating – and understand what you need to do to stay connected to it in the coming year.

This kind of self-awareness and self-reflection – a personal inventory, if you will – is essential for growth and evolution. And it’s important not to rush it. A lot happened in the past year. A lot is coming in the new year. You deserve to take time to understand and digest it. You deserve to make time for yourself. And to do it with kindness, patience, and empathy.

Empathy – for Your Past, Present, and Future Selves

Recently, at one of our Week Long Advanced Retreats, a member of my staff was talking to the person next to her in the audience. They were discussing their first experience in a Coherence Healing™ session the night before. You may recall, in my last blog post, I shared how participants in these sessions are profoundly impacted by the selfless act of giving life and love to another.

The fellow in the audience, talking to my team member, was thinking big about the power of these sessions. And he said: “We should bring that feeling to our own work; our own meditations. Every time you sit down, you’re sitting for another person. Every time you sit down, you’re sitting for someone you don’t know. You’re sitting for your future self.”

Just think of the potency of that statement. Imagine if you could approach yourself in this work with pure love – and pure empathy. If you could extend the same kindness and understanding to yourself that you’d give to another in need of help and healing … free of judgment, criticism, and scorn.

Now, when you sit down to reflect on the year just passed (and, therefore, to reflect on your past self) … and to acknowledge where you want to spend your attention and energy in the year ahead (as your future self), see if you can approach that (as your present self) with that same curiosity, open-heartedness, and empathy.

Believe in Your Future. Believe in Yourself.

Just imagine meeting you as your future self … healthy, radiant, joyful, loving, mystical, witty, cool, smart, creative, relaxed … and different from anybody else. Tune into what that feels like. Tune into what you feel like as that future self. And realize: that person already exists – because they exist in your mind.

And the more you know about who you want to be in the future, the more it’s possible for you to arrive there. If you can connect with that person, and believe in that person, and feel what it feels like to behave as that person, you can become that person.

Think about this: your future you has empathy for you in the now – and you in the past. Imagine that version of yourself, looking at you with tenderness and compassion, thinking “Oh, my God, I love you – because you made it. Because you’re making it. Because you will make it.”

As this cycle comes to a close, and a new one begins, I hope you’ll make the time to evolve your understanding of yourself. It starts with empathy … and belief in your future.

Remember: your future self already exists, and already believes in who you’re becoming.

Have a great New Year!

To practice creating a new future and letting go of the past – with empathy for yourself – try Dr Joe’s Morning/Evening Meditations.