“The authentic self is the soul made visible” – Sarah Ban Breathnach

2017 has been the year that I’ve had the honour of cross-pathing with courageous souls who are making steps forward to show up more in their lives. They choose to be visible in their lives.

I love a quote from Viktor Frankl: “Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response, lie our growth and our freedom”.

Let’s acknowledge this: change takes a lot from us. It requires commitment, persistence, and investments, all kinds of investments. 

Only the brave ones truly make the moves.

Freedom starts in our mind – we are to decide whether we want it or not. To make a choice whether we are willing to change the way we live and more often than not, the people we have in our lives.

Decluttering beliefs that run our mind is a key step in integrating freedom and visibility into our lives.

I applaud these inspiring individuals, from all walks of lives and many corners of the world for choosing to be VISIBLE in their lives. To show up more awake and to do their best on daily basis to take consistent actions aligned to their chosen beliefs. CHOSEN is the key word here.

2017 has been exactly that year for me. The passing of my mother (the last of my parents) in March was a visible marking for me to be an elder in my immediate family system. Coming with it are both responsibilities and opportunities. The world opens up even more.

It was my time to make some important decisions based on honest and truthful conversations with myself. The main questions are: Who am I now and how do I want to show up in my life?

I’ve chosen to live embracing and nurturing inner peace since. It is a biggie, this one.

Inner peace does not come over night and in a cathartic fashion. Not at all. This comes from me consistently deciding for actions that bring about inner peace, on daily basis.

For the past 9 months, I’ve been decluttering and re-structuring my life: my mind, my emotions, my beliefs, my values, my physical health, my living and working space, my support systems, my friends, all aspects. There is one ultimate state I have in my heart and mind during this quest: inner peace.

It has not been like a walk in the park. It goes up and down. There are moments that I still want to sulk (and swear too!) about what happens. I choose to allow this to be a part of my day. Not long usually, though. It comes and goes, like nature. What comes in will go out. I breathe in joy and breathe out all kinds of emotions.

Is it worth it? Most of us who are further in this journey would say YES! I am included.
Some of us would say, it better be, as they are still in the thick on the process.

On such quest, choosing to trust the process and the voice in the deepest part of who you are is of paramount importance. Nothing that last for decades is built overnight.

So, here is to the brave souls who choose to be visible, to show up in their lives!!

What I celebrate in 2017 is my well-being, the deeper connections I nurture with my friends and family as well as the learnings I receive from facilitating others’ inner transformation. It has been an enriching year.

What I welcome more in 2018 is my own visibility in my life and to feel more at ease and safe in being seen and listened to by others, as it is indeed a part of nurturing the inner peace in my heart.

What are you celebrating in 2017? What are you welcoming in 2018? Please share them.

In this holiday season, I wish you a great festive celebration of your life in 2017, surrounded by the people that you love. May 2018 is the year for you to choose YOU and to be more VISIBLE and FREE.

I look forward to continue sharing and supporting your journeys in 2018.

Warm regards,

Astuti