Welcome to Love Notes from Rhonda.

And today is the 29th of December.

Well, that day means a lot to me because my BFF, Marta was born today.

And also my sister, one of my sisters got married on this day.

And I was the maid of honor.

So let's talk about dates and the importance of dates and the importance of celebrating, the importance of putting things in place so that you can celebrate over and over again on a specific date.

You know, if you've been following me for a while, you know that I'm a date person.

Well, you know, one of the biggest dates is coming up New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

It's coming up quick.

And just like 29th December is one of my favorite days of the year because my best friend Marta was born on it.

And of course my birthday, December 1st, and my parents anniversary of their death, their passing on June 15, the days that I changed my life, the day I got sober, the day my mother was born, all of these dates call forth to me change.

They give me a fresh start.

They give me a reset.

In fact, research has shown, which I'm reading this book right now, to talking about the importance of setting a particular date and how specific dates make a huge impact on our ability to stay focused, stay motivated, and stay on track.

So we know what's coming up, right?

New Year's Eve, New Year's Day.

So what are you gonna do?

What is going to be your thing that you decide you are gonna commit to in the new year?

What are your dates that you want to claim as your own?

You could pick Valentine's Day, you could pick your birthday.

You could pick the first of every month.

The book I'm reading, How to Change, actually talks about it can be any day you pick.

It just has to be a day that has meaning.

It has to be a day that's important.

Has to be a day where you truly do get and feel like you get a fresh start.

Some people feel that way on Monday, Some people feel that way on the first of the month, every month.

And some people feel that on their birthdays or again on New Year's.

So I want you to really think about how much you want to give of yourself in the new year it's coming up.

And what, as we've been talking about, what do you want to leave behind?

See, the dates are lines in the sand.

And those lines in the sand are, are times that you can build on the energy that's happening around you and build on the psychological Impact of having a particular date.

So both of those things are in your favor.

So releasing before the 31st or on the 31st, and then claiming on the first.

So what do you want to claim?

I want you to be thinking about this.

I know I've asked a little bit about this lately, but I just want to keep it in the forefront of our mind.

I don't want us to be be lulled into this week between, you know, the holidays and the new year and many of us are off or many of us are taking it, you know, kind of on low key.

Some of us may be in and out of work.

Maybe we're taking some extra time off, you know, so we're not necessarily in our quote unquote, most of us routine.

So I really invite you just to take some time, grab a journal and just do some reflecting.

You know, write down three things that you got out of this year.

Write down the three things that you wanna release.

Doesn't mean that they're not gonna pop up in the future, but I want you to take a stand in releasing them.

Do the work to release them.

Not just say, I release, but do the work.

Do the journaling, do the throwing rocks, do the punching bag, right?

Do the stomping around.

Do some sort of craft, some sort of proof, some sort of validation, some sort of physical object that you can look at and remind yourself like, yes, I did release this.

And then the same thing is gonna happen for us on the first.

I want you to create some sort of physical object for you to take into the first of the year that becomes a symbol for you to stay focused throughout the year.

Now, this may be maybe a gemstone, maybe a rock, maybe a piece of paper, maybe something you build, create.

Could be a drawing.

Again, it doesn't have to be anything in particular.

It's really based on what you want to choose.

This is an exciting time of the year.

This allows us to catch the energy of the new year and allows us to have a reset, a re beginning, a renew, a reawakening.

I invite us to all go deep.

Invite us to go deep.

Invite us to go deep.

Tell yourself the truth.

That's maybe been hard to say.

Tell yourself the truth.

And let's get to it.

Today is a day of celebration.

It's my BFF's birthday.

Make your everyday, and of course, those specific days as well, days that you're always celebrating you, celebrate you.

And then choose to decide how you're going to walk into the new year.

Happy birthday, Marta.

I love you until next time.

Be fearless.

And I love you, too.