During one of my practice runs with Free To Be Me last month, an idea came to me to create a ta da list for the year past.
A suggestion I shared with all in attendance at the end as part of the mention on aftercare that I always conclude any circle with.
I was first introduced to a ta da list the other year by women’s mindset and business coach
, author of Gather and Grow.It’s a daily practice that although I haven’t made a regular and frequent one in my own practice, I have returned to on many occasions. It’s always been a particularly helpful practice on my lowest days. When I think I haven’t done much and find myself wishing I’d been able to do so much more.
The best time to do it as at the end of the day along with a dump of the day (like a vent) alongside all that you’re grateful for that day. It’s a game changer in transforming how you view your day.
I could never believe how much was on my ta da list, given I’ve only been best at practicing it when I’m really struggling with fatigue and recovery from attack.
This year, I adopted the idea that came through in Free To Be Me and wrote my own ta da list for 2024.
A list of all that I’d experienced, enjoyed and achieved in the past 12 months.
1. Sacred Sunday in January. A retreat day taking me on journey after journey after journey. Really setting the scene and providing me with such strong guidance it paid off for the rest of the year.
2. Permission to rest. Especially in the first two months of the year when it felt like the world wanted me to continue on like some forever lit up Christmas tree. I followed the lead of nature and went into winter. The first time I’ve nailed this without feeling guilt for it or like I’m doing something wrong.
3. Listened to my body. It’s signals and nudges are much quieter than the 25 years past. I’ve been practicing paying attention to the whispers for years and even the symptoms I experience as a sign to make a change, pull it back, drown out the noise and tune in to what my body is trying to communicate are far less painful and debilitating.
4. Trusting in guidance. My theme for this year was “Trust the Path, Trust the Direction”. I trusted in new offerings, creations for said new offerings and created a full range of complimentary offerings following guidance alone. It wasn’t always easy, it took a lot of practice. And patience. The ease, I’ve discovered, follows after I’ve taken the giant scary leap.
7. Completed a polished book proposal for Hay House and sent in sample chapters to a high standard!
8. Received feedback from them to verify this! Confirming interest in my 4th book!! Guidance forever tells me to “stay true to vision” so this is what I am doing with my books. The 4th one will come when its good and ready.
9. Went to visit friends in Malaga. Had the most gorgeous time and new experiences. We cemented a friendship born out of chronic illness and became a friendship group of 4 (including the Mr’s who met for the first time).
10. Tunisia with the Mr.
11. Supporting his new business endeavours! Interesting that in one of our later check-ins that we do together every month, he said he felt like it had all been about him. I love business so I’ve really enjoyed working to my strengths, guiding him and cheerleading him on! If we didn’t have this check in I wouldn’t have known that he felt like he was taking up all the space for a while and felt guilt for it.
12. More attacks this year than last but way less brutal!
13. Summer in the garden. One of our intentions and wishes for the year.
14. Sauna lovin’! I’ve been asked about the infrared sauna I have access to through my partner. It is like any other practice I do in that it is a small help. When it comes to hormonal health, releasing toxins and aiding tension in my body. Most of the practices I do are free or pretty cost effective. This is one with a price tag in its purchase and one I wouldn’t have access to if it weren’t for the Mr.
15. More joy in my life.
16. Becoming increasingly happy.
17. Cleared a big energetic block around doing what I love – no more fear in getting hurt! It took me 3 lots of practicing forgiveness on top of recent years healing to shift this.
18. Healing Through Writing 6 months in. Feedback is that this has been the best investment made all year, how held writers feel and how much value we pack in to such a short space of time at the beginning of each week. It carries us through the week and all masks are off!
19. Special times with friends. Including new friends we met in a car park in January!
20. Asking my life long best friend a great honour. The way her eyes lit up!
21. Walks. Canal walks. Hill walks. Climbed 3 mountains!!
22. Friends visiting my holiday home. Enjoying the extra living space that my balcony in the sun gifts.
23. Sleepovers! (niece and nephew)
24. Emotional regulation. A lot of resistance coming up for me over the summer but by autumn I’d got back on track with it and my ill days that peaked at 8 a month in summer began to reduce again (by half).
25. Launched The Power of 3! 5 of us embarked on the most transformational journey over the week of the witch. Bringing together community, magic, spark, connection, feeling, knowing - all in the deepest and most meaningful way.
26. Creating offerings that do not exist in the world. New monthly space, Free To Be Me, is an integration of my yoga teacher training, bodywork massage therapy and circle facilitation studies. Add to that the benefit of my own lived experience and never-ending research on migraine disease, chronic illness, hormonal health, healing trauma and energy makes this a unique blend of wisdom, teaching and guidance. Join us for January’s on the 9th?
27. Ending the year feeling ready to be seen! To now, I’ve had so much fear of repercussion. I’ve keep myself hidden and small, compliant in voice all throughout this lifetime and past. I am learning to embrace conflict as I continue to share my story, expanding my reach and growing my audience.
Thank you for your support this year.
I’m so grateful to each and every one of you for your own words of wisdom shared and encouragement you bring.
Please know, that you make a difference by being here.
I’d love to know, what’s on your ta da list for 2024?
Pssst!
The next Free To Be Me circle will be held on Thursday 9th January. This one comes with the theme of the voice, which may be of particular interest if one of your intentions for the year ahead is to speak your truth. Join us here and start the new year off speaking your truth with clarity and conviction.
Further reading
All the posts referenced throughout. Which ones stood out to you?
A ta da list, I love it. Yours is lovely. Feeling inspired!
Great list 😃 I've also just finished your book (which is fab btw I literally binged it in one sitting as I couldn't put it down) and I'm starting to work my way through the journal section at the end. It's filled with great reflective questions that are perfect for this time of year; looking back at the past year and also looking ahead. I usually blumin loathe new years but it's actually getting me quite excited about the year ahead 🥰 x