New Year's Sankalpa

Potential is one of my favorite things. The unwritten page (or, uh, blog post), unwalked trails, uncracked book spines, unwatched movies. And January 1-- cold winter air edging toward longer, warmer days-- what better landscape to revel in potential? It's why we make resolutions, right?

Exactly, C.S. Lewis. Exactly.

I don't make resolutions, although I heard about the one word New Year's thing and I really like that. My words worked for me in amazing ways the last two years. This year's word?

Fruition.
fru·i·tion  [froo-ish-uh n] -- noun
1. attainment of anything desired; realization; accomplishment. After years of hard work, all her efforts were finally coming into fruition.
2. enjoyment, as of something attained or realized.

3. state of bearing fruit.

The Sanskrit word, sankalpa, means "resolve; will; determination." Much like a New Year's resolution, a sankalpa is an intention you set for yourself. Unlike a New Year's resolution, you focus on letting go rather than gaining.

Improving your life is not a matter of lacking something external. You improve your life by eliminating whatever's holding you back. A good friend delivered this much-needed message to me a couple years ago. I even wrote a post on moving out the old to make room for the new.

That marinating concept comes into realization this year.

The tools you need already exist within; you just need to dust 'em off. Plant seeds, then be willing to step back and practice thankful observation of new growth. Appreciate your harvest. Revel in what you already have. Savor what your efforts are producing.

Enjoyment, as of something attained or realized.

I am outstanding at starting projects. I'm a great idea girl. Fantastic at inspiration. I have, at any given moment, approximately 86 irons in the fire.

Completion, however... the finishing, the maturation, the see-it-through, the fruition... that part has always eluded me.

This year, I'm ready to clear off the crap that's prevented planted seeds from erupting into vitality. Foundations laid will become reality, not just another faded plan.

Attainment. Realization. Accomplishment.

Bumper-crop, heavy-boughed, juicy reality.

What are you letting go of this year?