I have nothing against repetition, so I have no shame, I’ll make this point again. I don’t dread endings the way some people do; I actually celebrate nearing a full cycle because I’m all about what comes after a completion of sort. With an end comes new beginnings. We get to experience these brief cycles throughout the day, or weeks, or months, but I would say the most monumental cycle of them all is when we reach the full cycle of our physical development and finally hit the REAL New Year. Not the commercialized Times Square version that everyone thinks is the New Year, I’m talking, reconnecting to when you left your mother’s womb and entered the Universe, New Year.

Well, that’s coming up for me on Monday, January 26th and when it came down to attaching a particular word for how I feel about this month, I’m all about being in a state of renewal! And even if you aren’t celebrating your birthday as I am, I feel that it’s still important to understand what having a relationship with the idea of renewal actually means and just how powerful carrying this energy is.

For a very long time, I would find myself in a very desperate space of needing to just check out from my personal obligations and commitments to “find myself,” or start over, if you will. I can honestly say I’ve mastered hitting the brick-wall only to force myself to reach a space of renewal, albeit only temporary, but a clean slate nevertheless. This would always feel amazing and inspiring at the time, but 6 months down the road I found myself hitting that familiar barrier.

So I want to be clear: there’s a difference between seeking renewal from a spiritually rooted place opposed to like I don’t know, merely renewing your subscription to Vogue–two vastly different state of minds.

Spiritual renewal is fundamental for inner growth and self change, but the ironic thing about renewal is that you need to face your lowest of lows before you can even start anew. Everything in this world essentially has some expiration date to some extent, and inevitably, we have to replace what is no longer useful. This is most evident in the material world, but the same goes for our thoughts, actions and behaviors. If I chose to hold onto some of the behaviors and beliefs I’ve conditioned myself to believe just a mere year ago, I would not be this flourished individual who is taking risks, trusting my intuition, living at my fullest and willing to challenge my potentiality.

See, I have to say goodbye to some parts of myself that were necessary at the age of 26 in order to blossom into a more refined, fresh, new version of myself at 27. And once you reach this spiritual renewal, you’ll be amazed at this new love affair you’re embracing with this energy, because you are so attune with progression and positive movement forward, that the memories of rock bottom will be so last year. Your relationship with renewal will be a desire to do more in the world, not an obligation to do so because you’re so lost and feel as if you don’t have any other options.

Tomorrow, I will boldly connect and merge into MY new year with gratitude, thanksgiving, awe and grace. My old self sheds her skin today, to start anew tomorrow.

I AM renewed!

Love and blessings!

Darryn Robinson