Thanks to @Janet Quigley for sharing this.

As the New Year approaches, there’s often pressure to fix, improve, or reinvent ourselves overnight. New goals. New habits. New you. But what if real change isn’t about forcing transformation… and is instead about alignment? A beautiful Psychology Today article by Martha Kauppi offers a refreshingly compassionate and psychologically sound framework for stepping into the New Year with intention, clarity, and kindness. It blends science-backed psychology with practical, soul-aligned action, no hustle, no toxic positivity. Getting in Alignment for the New Year, Psychology Today United Kingdom. https://share.google/N1CbmonTqtv2S0MIk Here’s a 6-step framework you can gently work with to begin the year feeling grounded, empowered, and aligned. 1. Identify the Desired Experience Before setting goals, pause and ask a deeper question: “What would I like to be experiencing in the New Year that feels different from now?” This isn’t about what you should want, it’s about what you long to feel. More ease? Connection? Confidence? Rest? Let the answer come slowly. This step is about listening inward rather than rushing to perform. ✨ Alignment begins with awareness. 2. Create a Vision Once you sense the experience you desire, bring it to life. Ask yourself: What does this new experience look like? How does it feel in my body? What does it sound like in my day-to-day life? Why does this matter to me? You might choose a watchword (one anchoring word for the year), a mental image, or even a simple vision board. These become gentle reminders when motivation wobbles. ✨ Vision fuels commitment. 3. Focus on What You Can Control Here’s the grounding truth: you cannot control other people, partners, family, colleagues, or friends. What you can control is how you show up. Ask yourself: “In the life or relationship I want, who am I being?” Even if others don’t change, there is deep self-respect that comes from living in alignment with your own values.

Study reveals something extraordinary. When you choose to focus on the good, your brain does not just feel better. It physically changes. That is neuroplasticity in action. Neuroplasticity is your brain’s ability to rewire itself based on your thoughts, habits, and actions. Think of your mind like a garden. The more you water certain thoughts, the stronger those neural pathways grow. Gratitude, kindness, joy, and hope can become your brain’s default mode with enough practice. When you repeatedly focus on the positive, your brain begins forming new connections that prioritize those feelings. This is not motivational fluff. It is neuroscience. The brain releases chemicals like dopamine and serotonin. These reward you for positive thinking and create a cycle that makes optimism easier over time. Overthinking, negativity, and fear can carve deep grooves too. But here is the good news. Every time you pause and redirect your thoughts toward something good, you are gently guiding your brain to heal and grow stronger in a healthier direction. This means journaling what you are grateful for, appreciating small wins, or even noticing beauty in your surroundings can change your brain structure over weeks. Meditation, affirmations, and spending time with uplifting people can accelerate this process. Neuroplasticity shows us that we are not stuck with the mindset we have. We are always shaping it, rewiring it, and deciding how we experience the world. It gives hope to people healing from trauma, struggling with anxiety, or wanting to break old patterns. Your brain listens to the thoughts you feed it. Feed it well. Train it to seek light even in darkness. The results are not just emotional. They are biological. What you focus on grows. Your thoughts build your brain’s future Thanks to @Angie Taylor for highlighting this post.

Thanks to Paula Hynd for sharing

Paula Hynd is hosting and is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Paula Hynd's Zoom Meeting Time: Dec 13, 2025 03:00 PM London Join Zoom Meeting https://us05web.zoom.us/j/89592689620?pwd=fhdB8bWAWB2Fe4TVdJ7fo7WauESNja.1 Meeting ID: 895 9268 9620 Passcode: 1EmMtk Join instructions https://us05web.zoom.us/meetings/89592689620/invitations?signature=MRHrUDxYMS_5jDpJ1wIoTMxkmmvjpg1yL0zcdkTfcEw