It’s a New Year and New Energy to play with.

My heartfelt desire is that this is a kinder and gentler year for everyone! Let’s hold that intention.

Welcome to January 2018.

Even though we are stepping into a new year and a different vibrational energy (2018 is the 2 vibration in case you’re wondering), in many ways January may still feel like a continuation of 2017.

That’s because both January and 2017 vibrate with the energy of the Number 1.  

The 1 vibration is about:

New Beginnings, Fresh Starts, New Growth, New Direction, Individuality, Self-focus, Self-actualization, Independence, Leadership, Creativity, Ideas, Inventions, Innovation, Organization, Possibilities, Opening, Expansion and Initiation.

Even though both 2017 and January are 1 vibrations,

energetically the themes are different.

The primary theme of 2017’s 1 vibration was getting clear (or clearer) about who you are and what you want in life… and planting seeds for the next 9 years.

We started a new 9-year cycle in 2017 and the over-arching theme of this 9-year cycle is geared toward self-actualization and self-mastery.

Each year will contribute another layer of this process.

The main theme for this January’s 1 vibration is a Fresh Start.

It’s a great time to start or explore something new…

new beginning, new direction, new growth.  

As we step into January, we are given the green light, full speed ahead. Go for it with renewed gusto...

Why is this important?

Because December was a slow-down period thanks to our friendly communications planet Mercury. Mercury was either in Retrograde, or in the Shadow-of-the-Retrograde, for the entire month.

December's retrogade period was an odd one too.

There were delays, miscommunications, and weird snafus, especially in electronics gear.

Almost each day held a new tech surprise for me, and plans were slip-sliding all over the place in my world.

How was it for you?

All of December fell into a Start-Nothing-New zone, which was part of the plan for you to regroup and relax and recalibrate… and nurture the heck outta your beautiful self.

Because 2017 was a challenging year for so many.

TLC and R&R are actual requirements for your well-being;

they are not luxuries, they are necessities!

Now the path has opened up again for you to connect with new ideas, new creations, and start anew…

A chance for a Do-Over! 

What do you want to create?

The energy is ripe for Starting Fresh (or starting over)

and a brand new beginning.

Use it wisely.

A happy note: the energy this January doesn’t feel as intense as last January. That’s because of the softening effect of 2018’s 2 vibration.

Last January you dealt with a double 1 (January + 2017).

This January the 1 is dancing with the 2 of collaboration, relationships and balance.

Last year’s energy was helping you to get in touch with a truer, more authentic version of you. It was also teaching you how to choose you and show up for yourself.

This year, 2018 will help you to maintain who you are while in relationship with others: family, friends, co-workers, clients, colleagues, animal companions, your work, your art, and so on.

Why is this important?

Well, if you are anything like I was for a big chunk of my life, you might have a tendency to merge with people and morph into what you think they want you to be in order for you to be loved.

If you have a tendency like this, 2018 will help you become aware of it so you can make different, healthier and wiser choices.

2018 is a very special 2 vibration year because

the Master Number 11 is riding shotgun all year.

The 11 vibration is known as the Visionary Teacher. You can read more about what this means and how it might show up in my blog post overview of 2018: A Deep Dive into Relationships.

This January is the perfect time for you to get more clarity around what it is you want, and then start putting a plan in place to achieve this.

If you’re a creative of any flavor, this month can be positively magical for you.

You see, in addition to the creativity, ideas and innovation that the 1 brings to the table, the Master Number doubles down on that creativity.

And, yeah, there is a Shadow…

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the shadow aspects of the Number 1 and how it might show up this month:

• hypersensitivity, feeling closed-off or shut down (the 2 vibration of 2018 feeds this one too, just be aware!)

• stubbornness, selfishness, self-importance

• bossy, demanding, egotistical, arrogant and aggressive

If you are willing to question and explore it,

the Shadow yields a powerful teaching message

about what is really going on inside of you.

Shadow feelings help you become aware of where you are out of alignment with something in your life:

how you are behaving,

what you are doing,

who you are being,

and what you are experiencing.

The Shadow can show you where you feel out of control, fearful, out of touch, disconnected, and disempowered in some way… and why.

That awareness is a gift.

It allows you to see more clearly so you can choose differently.

If and when the Shadow dances with you or someone else in your life, remember there is a message there for you.

And remember to also be gentle with yourself and kind to those around you.

Everyone is dealing with something, and many are stressed to the max.

Find some small, easy way to show yourself some love, compassion or TLC. You are worth it!

Let’s Go On A Journey Within…

My guidance this month was to offer you some potent questions to play with, poke at and open yourself up to the insights and potential healing they can inspire.

I suggest copying down this list, or copy and pasting it into a document you can edit, or printing this page off so you have them easily available as Journal Prompts.

Then make some time to step through them.

Pick the ones that speak or call to you in some ways, AND the ones that terrify you, make you clench up, choke your Throat Chakra, or make you want to grab a cookie or chocolate… STAT!

Those are the ones that will really help you shift stuff that’s getting in the way of you fulling embracing who you are and what you desire.

It will also give you insight and awareness to heal old wounds, misguided beliefs, outdated programming and raise your energy up.

And, no, you do not have to do this all in one sitting!

Take your time.

Maybe do 2 or 3 a day. OK?

Go as deep as you can.

No surface skimming here. You know that ain’t gonna help ya!

You can go back and add more to it as stuff comes up.

I find other things bubble up to the surface a day or so later.

Ready? Here are some things to ask yourself, think about, reflect on and journal about this month:

• Who are you… really?

• What does being your “authentic self” mean to you? What does it look like or feel like?

• What gets in the way of you being your authentic self?

• How can you shift that?

• Who do you want to be?

• What small steps can you start taking to help you to become this?

• What do you need to stop doing to become this?

• What do you want to do? Why?

• What is stopping you or blocking you from doing this?

• What fear or beliefs are getting in the way?

• What creative energy wants to be expressed through you?

• What do you want to create? Why?

• What’s getting in the way of you creating or expressing your creative essence?

• What can you do to change this?

• What do you want to start?

• What new possibilities are opening up for you?

• What new possibilities would you like to explore?

• What do you want to invent, innovate or initiate?

• What ideas have you been playing with?

• How can you better organize your life?

• What improvement, ideas or innovations would help your life run more smoothly for you?

• Where do you want to express more of your individuality, your uniqueness?

• What are you trying to control? Why?

• Where are you being stubborn?

• Where are you limiting yourself?

• How do you limit yourself?

• Where are you being demanding (of yourself and others)?

• What do you want this year to be like for you?

• What word best captures your dream or vision for the year?

Karen's Mantra for the Month (or year):

“I know who I am and I know what I want.

I give myself permission to be this, do this and have this.

I remain open and receptive to the opportunities that surround me.

And so it is.”

(BTW, this works even if you don't for-exact-sures know what you want or who you are... just by stating that you do calls forward that part of you that absolutely knows who you are and what you want... and it starts to trickle in. Like Magic! Imagine that...)

This month, focus on what you wish to create… for now, for the month, for the year, for you, for your life.

And be more of you…. bring more of you into everything you do.

Give yourself permission to BE You and Thrive doing so!

To help you thrive, I do my best to cover as much information as possible in my numerology blog posts. And yet there is even more I can do to assist you.

If you'd like to know your personal numerology forecast for 2018, need someone to give you permission to BE YOU, or if you'd like some support with whatever stressors and stuckness you are dealing with, I'd love to work with you if we're a fit.

I invite you to contact me and schedule a brief chat so we can decide if we’re a good fit and would enjoy working together.

Meanwhile, create a month that makes your heart sing...

Happy New Year and Blessings Galore!

With my love, gratitude and appreciation for you,

Thanks in advance for sharing my posts if you feel guided to!

PS. I'd love to hear your thoughts... you can share in the comments area below!

PPS. Note: Parts of this blog post appeared on my monthly numerology post on Sunny Dawn Johnston's website.