Hi, and welcome to your Daily Mindfulness. And also welcome to this new year. Happy New Year to you. And this is such a potent and pivotal time. It's a time when we're very reflective about where we've come from, what's happened in the last year.

And it's a time when we're looking forward towards the new year and kind of really thinking about who we want to be, and how we want to be, and what we want to create going forward. So in the spirit of all of that, I'd like to offer you a meditation and contemplation today that's going to help you tap into some clarity and a sense of purpose and a real sense of understanding what it is that really matters for you in the year going forward, that's going to help you create a really meaningful life. So I'm inviting you to close the eyes, if that feels comfortable for you. And just beginning to draw your awareness into your physical body and into the feeling of your breathing. Just letting attention land in that gentle flowing feeling of the body breathing.

And then as a way of continuing to settle in here a little deeper, taking a long, slow breath in. And a steady breath out. And now inviting you to begin to cast your mind back over the last year and beginning to contemplate the things from the last year that you're really grateful for, the things that filled your cup, that nourished your heart. The things you enjoyed.There might be certain moments coming to mind, certain people or events. And as you dwell on them, really letting that sense of gratitude and goodness fill your body and mind, really opening to those feelings of gratitude, feelings of happiness.

And maybe it was really, you know, everyday kinds of happiness that, that you finding your mind drawn to. Things like just having a hot cup of tea or coffee on a cold day, feeling a cool breeze on a hot day or a hug from a friend, a person on the other end of the telephone, a warm bed to sleep in at night. Just continuing for a few more moments here to dwell on the good things you're grateful for. And then having a sense of really integrating this knowing of what it is that makes you happy, what it is that you're most grateful for. Really integrating that knowing of these are the things that really fill my cup.

These are the things that make me happy, that nourish my soul. And taking that wisdom with you into the year ahead. And then beginning to bring to mind the things that were actually very challenging in the last year. The things that were perhaps painful, difficult. And there might've been personal struggles or health struggles or conflicts.

Moments of stress where you met your edge, made mistakes. Things didn't go the way you expected. And just meeting these difficulties, meeting any sensations or emotions coming up as you, as you dwell on these challenges, meeting that with a bit of compassion and kindness. And also just noting, is there anything that you can learn from these experiences? Anything that you might like to do differently, any insights or aha moments as you reflect on these difficulties. Any ways in which you could handle things better going forward.

Any wisdom you want to take with you in the year ahead. And we often learn the most about ourselves, often learn the most about life when we can meet our challenges with awareness and compassion. Just giving yourself a few moments here to contemplate any wisdom, any insights that might be available as you reflect on these challenging times. And then having a sense of integrating any of these insights, any of this wisdom. Making an intention to take this wisdom with you into a year ahead.

And then beginning to reflect on moments of love and kindness from the last year. Just beginning to cast your mind back over the last 12 months, replaying any moments of kindness, of love, of connection with others or with nature, or with animals, just moments of love and connection. It could have been really simple things like someone picking up the phone when you really needed them and being there to listen to you. It could have been a hug from a friend or a simple smile from a stranger passing by. Maybe it was a gesture of kindness you did for someone or someone did something kind for you.

Just taking a moment here to reflect. And the moments of kindness and moments of love from the last year. And letting those feelings of love and kindness fill your body and mind. And having a sense of integrating some knowing around what it is that brings love and kindness into your life. What you do, what others do, what are the conditions for that to grow, to flourish.

And making an intention to take this knowing of what makes you feel that love, feel that kindness. Making an intention to take that knowing with you into the year ahead. And then finally, just bringing to mind a picture of yourself as you are right now. In your mind's eye, seeing this vision of yourself. And then seeing this vision of yourself begin to grow older.

It's a little bit like watching a super-fast time-lapse film. It begins to speed up and you see yourself growing older, your skin is getting wrinkled or wrinkly, or your hair is getting gray or grayer. And the time-lapse film keeps going until you kind of have a sense that this film, this life is coming towards the end. And here you are with all this accumulated wisdom, accumulated life experience, accumulated knowledge, insight about what matters. And just in the final moments of this film, imagining you could press pause.

And here's this older you in the final moments of life, of this life. And if this older you could offer you some wisdom for the year ahead, some wisdom on what really matters, what would it say? What would this older you offer you in terms of wisdom? Maybe the sentence would begin with, you know, all that really matters is.... And you know what, some things don't matter, like.... Or if there's one piece of advice I'd like to leave you with it's this, ... And just spending a few more moments here listening to the answers from your future self.

And now having a sense of integrating this wisdom into your body, into your mind, and making an intention to take this knowing of what really matters, this wisdom with you into the year ahead. And when you're ready, beginning to take a deep breath in. A steady breath out. And then when you're ready, just blinking, open the eyes. So I hope this reflection has given you a little more clarity, a little more of a sense of meaning and purpose.

And on behalf of all of Mindfulness.com, we're so glad that you're here with us. We're so glad to be by your side for the year ahead. And thank you for your practice and for your presence here with us. And just inviting you now to settle in for today's meditation.