Embracing the Present

Unleashing Personal Growth in 2024 with Sue Hitzmann

Here we are again.

The ending of another year, the beginning of something new. I’m sure any of you reading this will agree, as you get older, the years seem to fly by faster and faster. Time is a very difficult thing to pin down. There’s a famous saying of Saint Augustine of Hippo, that when he was asked “what is time,” he said, “I know what it is, but when you ask me, I don’t.”

Time is absolutely fundamental to our lives.

So many sayings… Time is on your side, I don’t have enough time, time flies, time is of the essence, how much time will it take for me to feel better, this time I’ll really commit to a new year’s resolution. We put so much weight on how much time it takes to do this or that, or how much time has passed and then we realize how much of our life has gone by yet, we are often seemingly in the same place we were the last time we reflected, slowed down, took a look around and gave a moment to honor the life we have lived.

I’ve been in the practice of paying attention to my thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and general experiences for a long while now. I journal nearly every day, I take a moment in the morning to reflect on what I’m grateful for, forgive myself for past mistakes, and thank the universe for giving me the consciousness and awareness to know what my life’s purpose is.

When it comes to time, I think we should go into this question of what time is because beyond our ordinary common sense of thinking of time as a one-way motion, from the past, through the present, and on into the future – this notion carries with it another idea that our lives are being pushed along by the past. As if the past is what created this present moment. And I don’t think that’s true. Because, really, every past moment was a present moment at that time. Our lives aren’t pushed along by the past. What happens, right now, in this present moment, and what will happen in the future is not necessarily the result of what happened in the past.

Our life only exists in the present moment. Right now. This is it. This is where magic happens. So this year, my commitment to reach more people, to attune others to this beautiful opportunity to live life with a deeper sense of connection to oneself and the community we are all a part of is the energy I’m setting forth for 2024.

I’m asking my community this year to come with me by committing more time to building a better body baseline.

Challenge yourself this year to fully connect and attune your awareness to gaining notable strength, stability, and connectivity to how you feel in your body. Fine tune your “Self Practice.” In that, I mean your self-talk, self-love, self-acceptance, self-growth… self—you fill in the blank, I want you to have a better relationship with yourself.

Whatever they may be, remember, we all go through challenges. We may believe something is being done to us and we, and only we are being affected by these challenges. But that’s not true at all. When we go through a tragedy our entire community is going through it with us. I learn from your struggles as you learn from mine. I know for certainty this is true. It’s our choice to believe we are suffering alone, and our traumas and pain must be some karmic debt we have to pay for now.

Or we can learn that we need one another to get through this life with spiritual growth and enlightenment – in every present moment. Even the ones that bring us to our knees. These are the moments that connect us to realizing how precious life is – in the present moment. That’s all life is. It’s a present – a gift. This present moment is where things emerge. Use the past as information, don’t set too many goals for the future. Put your energy into this moment, right now, and realize, this is all time is. It’s NOW.

In light of this, I am overjoyed to present my gift to you - the 2024 MELT Journal! Aimed to act as your personal guide for the beginning of the year. This journal is designed to help you track your goals, set clear intentions, and keep your focus firmly in the present.

Each page of the MELT Journal is lovingly crafted to provide the space you need to document your Self-care journey. It contains prompts for mindfulness practices, affirmations to reinforce your beliefs, and room to contemplate the lessons each day brings.

Envision it like a lighthouse, guiding you towards success as you navigate the waters of life in 2024. This journal is more than just a tool for organization or self-reflection; it's your personal testament to growth, resilience, and the power that lives in the present moment.

As a new year dawns, I invite you to accept this gift and join me in harnessing the energy of NOW.

Let’s move into 2024 with intention, presence, and community.

In the deepest part of my soul, I am sending you light and love for this coming year. Breathe it in with me. Feel the tingle on your skin as you read these words and know, that is my energy flowing into you. Let that start your year off brighter than it could be if you were on your own.

Download the 2024 MELT Journal HERE