Originally posted as: "Starting With the End in Mind" January 2017
2017, in the world of Numerology, was a 1 year which is the start of a new 9 year cycle. So it presented an opportunity for you to set your intentions for the time span from 2017 to 2026.
Today, I want to point out, that if 2017 starting a brand new cycle wasn't exciting enough, 2018 – which you would expect to be a 2 year because it's following a 1 year… is actually an 11 – which is a master number giving it even more mystic than the 2 would normally provide.
You figure out the number of the year by adding all the numbers together until you get to one digit. 2+0+1+7 = 10; 1 + 0 = 1. There are some numbers that do not get reduced because they have 'super powers' (my words, not a numerologist) which is what happens with 2+0+1+8 = 11!
If you are not familiar with Numerology and want to understand it better, my favorite site is Numerologist.com and my favorite Numerologist is karisamuels.com.
According to Kari Samuels in 2017 (a 1 year) we had to learn how to stand up for ourselves and take responsibility for our own happiness. In 2018 your growth will be focused on your relationships – specifically being able to fully stand in your own power – side by side…interdependently like an 11 does.
So, if you want to create healthy and happy relationships, setting strong intentions 2018 in connection with the 9 year cycle is a great idea.
There's more to this 11 year than that involving your intuition and such, but for now, my focus is on sharing how and why you want to set up longer goals than one year resolutions (which we all know typically last a month or less) so that you can get the most out of the next 8 years.
Here's my blog/podcast from last January, explaining how to get the most out of the next 9 years. I've also added plenty of side-notes into the blog in case you want to know how to apply things when you aren't starting at the beginning of the cycle.
This year, you're working with the next 8 years and you're especially focusing in on standing in your power as it pertains to building strong relationships.
The previous 9 years…
Think about the past 9 years (ending in December 2016). What all happened in your life that came to a peak and either ended or changed course last year? Sometimes it's hard to know at this point in the journey what is ending, because you don't realize you've actually finished some of the things you have until about a year has gone by.
In this case, because we are entering into year 2 of the cycle, you have the upper hand. You know what all came to a close in 2016 and even in 2017. You might have resisted some of the endings, and spent a good chunk of 2017 being forced to let go.
If you're still hanging on to things, you're probably getting pretty tired and had best make this happen before you get a diagnosis or some other significant message from the Universe that you MUST tune in to your needs.
My story
The previous nine year cycle started in 2007. For me, in hindsight, this was when I made the first motion to leave the school division I was currently working for (even though I loved the job dearly). I signed a two year book contract with a self-publishing company and switched a piece of my full-time contract over to a grant position – meaning it would likely not last too many years. It felt like the right thing to do and I was excited to be turning this new corner.
In 2010 I left this position and started full time as an entrepreneur. I wrote a couple books, started presenting on my own (rather than for the school division) and put my energy into creating an on-line business.
Without giving it a lot of thought, if you asked me what the last 9 years had been about I would have said building a business. But that's actually not true.
You see in 2007 when I decided to commit to writing a book and leave the school division, I knew I was running on fumes and even having the whole summer off wasn't enough to recharge myself.
Turns out my adrenals were tanked, but I didn't know that at the time. So the Universe was prompting me to leave a stressful, yet wonderful job, to look after myself better. Instead, I was prepping to leave one stressful job and jump into another very stressful lifestyle – only now, without a regular paycheque.
So in 2010, just before my book launched I was in an accident and suffice it to say, business building had to drop down on my priority list. I found this frustrating at the time and put a lot of energy trying to figure out how I could still be moving my business forwards which is when I wrote my second book and launched my family booster shot cards. In other words, I wasn't really listening to what the Universe was suggesting, but instead was still pushing myself to create something meaningful.
As I reflect on this period of time I realized that my main focus was on healing myself and taking better care of myself by learning how to recharge my batteries. This included awakening to my divine feminine; developing a strong spiritual connection – which I had previously walked away from because of my confusion with religion; and really applying all that I was learning to my life.
I was being pushed not just to learn concepts to teach others, but to actually live it!
I was also an active parent during this time, although my role was definitely shifting. At the start of the cycle my kids were 11 and 13 and this is exactly where I needed to adapt a little from full on mom, to more of a mentor.
I realized about 4 years into this cycle, that while my husband and I have a good relationship we were starting to drift. He was busy with his life and I was busy with mine. Since the kids didn't require as much of our focus it was easy to lose touch with each other.
I shifted my energy onto my relationship with my hubby because this is the relationship that had decided about 20 years before to be in for life. Now don't get me wrong, my kids I'm hoping will also be with me for life, however, they are both adults now and while I'll always be their parent it is no longer my job to parent them (now I'm more a cheerleader and safety net).
My relationship with my husband however, does not have the natural bond that I have with my kids. It requires more effort to stay connected.
With the kids I was learning to let-go of that which was never mine in the first place (i.e. making their decisions for them) and trust that all would be well. With my husband I was learning that love is an investment and requires some conscious effort to continue building or at least maintaining while still trusting that all will be well.
So that's what reflecting on the last 9 years looked like for me. Yours will be totally different and that's perfect. I encourage you to break your reflections into chunks (kids, partner, friendships, work) and see how your top areas in life have evolved.
Update: It's amazing to me how 2017 focused on new growth. I launched my podcast with Transformation Talk Radio and began doing interviews. This helped me make many new connections in a different way then I was making them before. This has been a foundational year…setting the stage for something much bigger than I had imagined.
In 2016 my familiar family dynamic of dad and son, mom and daughter changed to dad and sons…and mom. 2017 was all about creating the foundation for this new relationship. Not a hardship, but a definite shift in my closest circle of influence.
Take a look at 2017 – what new things have you started that could be foundational pieces for the next 8 years? Are there things that should have ended in 2016 that you are still clinging to and hoping you can salvage? How much longer can you hold on?
The next 9 8 years…
Now, it's time to plan for the next 8 years – using last year to guide you in your planning.
If you missed this last year, here's how you can use the 9 year cycle to guide you:
Rather than set resolutions or intentions that focus on what you want to change this year, what if you aimed your attention at the 9 year cycle and what things are the most important to you (areas of priority) for these next nine years.
By thinking about where nine years can take you and then working it backwards to ensure your intentions are steering you in the right direction you naturally start to shift your point of view. Plus…the universe already works in this 9 year pattern, if you use the energies you are naturally surrounded by to help you get the most out of each 9 year segment you have a much greater chance of really living the life you have come here to live.
How this might look…
For example, if your kids are currently five and three, then in 9 years they will be 14 and 12. Wow – teenagers. Are you ready? I know it seems like a far way off and as a result, perhaps beyond your control, but what's really cool about this is that you truly are setting the foundation for what things will be like with your child as a teenager right now.
So, what kind of relationship do you want to have with your child 9 years from now? Do you want to have one where conversations flow easily, where they come to you when they feel pressured by others or bullied? Do you want them to know that you have their back no matter what…or that there is no problem so great it cannot be solved?
What about your relationship with your life partner, or if you don't have one, where would you like to be in that regard 9 years from now? If you aren't in a relationship or if you have a challenging relationship, then it is a good time to do some personal analysis on this topic. Do I want a loving a sexual relationship with someone else in my future? What areas might I need to work on to make that happen? Am I good on my own and if so, how am I going to ensure my very critical need for connection to others will still be met?
What about health? Where are you in that department and where would you like to be in 9 years? Given your current trajectory, are you likely to get there? I know this might not sound like a new idea, but in fact for many of us it is. AND what's really amazing about it, is because this is the start of a nine year cycle even the Universal Energies are ready to help you.
Listen to the podcast for examples and clarification on how to use the 9 year cycle to your advantage.
Remember… 2018 is an 11 Master Number. It is very much about how to stand in your power, side-by-side, with your significant peeps. This means a lot of your energy will be best spent on cleaning up any relationship struggles that might exist.
Identify any co-dependency issues; get clear on what you need in a relationship and what is okay for you to ask from another; eliminate problematic patterns; set clear boundaries; share expectations; communicate what you need; stand strong for what you believe; practice assertiveness and insist on quality time with your loved ones.
If this is something you are struggling with now, it is almost impossible to change things on your own. I remember someone once saying to me, "You can't read the label of the jar that you're in." There is a lot of truth in that statement.
I can help you figure out where to start, identify problematic patterns, remove blocks, set your boundaries and help make 2018 a year of positive change for you and your family. Set up a complimentary discovery call now or click through my website to see how we might work together.