This is what my desk looks like right now.

It’s a  snapshot of my life at present. Seems pretty chaotic, right? Admittedly, there’s a lot going on in this picture. What’s not visible to the naked eye is the order within the chaos, the central organizational factor being my to-do list. Each task I complete and cross off the list moves me closer to turning my dreams into reality.

The end of another year is upon us. As we wind down the final days of 2013, naturally we begin to reflect on how our resolutions have panned out. On a personal note, many exciting projects and golden opportunities have manifested and done so quickly as the year unfolded.

It has taken time, patience and steadfast determination to reach this point. As thrilled as I am that all is falling into place with astounding synchronicity, this year has not been without its downs to accompany the ups, its lows to mingle with the highs.

At times, it feels as if there’s way too much on the proverbial plate. Managing everything without becoming a totally overwhelmed stress case is the goal. When I get to feeling like it’s all too much (or too little), there’s a mantra I invoke to take me out of the head and the realm of the monkey mind, into the intuitive, feeling realm of the heart.

Repeat after me: “hold the vision, trust the process, be grateful, hold the vision, trust the process, be grateful…”

I guarantee, if you embed this mantra in your psyche, right perspective will be restored and becoming stuck in negativity and experiencing feelings of lack will melt away STAT.

Hold the vision, trust the process.

Long ago, I learned the hard way that letting go of the steering wheel was necessary if I truly wanted to realize my potential. Back in the day, there was a touch of “control freak” in me. This stemmed from being raised in an environment where there was very little control or structure put in place by the people who were charged with the responsibility of implementing those things in our family/home life.

The lesson learned was this: the more we try to control every aspect of our lives, the more constriction we create.

As a result, we lessen our chances of manifesting by not trusting in the natural order of the universe. In contrast, the more we learn to simply set our intentions, hold the vision we have for our lives, and relax into the process, the more energy we cultivate for dreaming, creating, accomplishing and sharing the joy that comes from all of the above with everyone around us.

As our mindset and way of moving through the world begins to shift, the puzzle pieces start falling into place, momentum increases and magic happens.

When that moment arrives, I suggest you fasten your seat belt! Be ready, because you will be asked to step up your game and learn how to pace yourself  like never before if you are to flow with grace and fluidity into the acceleration.

Be grateful.

To acknowledge and express gratitude for the moments in life that bring beauty, joy, love and fulfillment is effortless. Much more challenging is the undertaking of learning to be grateful for the experiences that cause pain, difficulty and fear.

Why must we dedicate ourselves to the work of becoming grateful for that which causes us to be unhappy? Because the life experiences that challenge us the most are alchemical. They carry with them great potential for growth, evolution and transformation.

When we exist in a state of gratitude for all that is, we exist in the highest vibrational state possible, aligning ourselves with the omnipotent, guiding light of our highly intelligent universe. The key to maintaining an attitude of gratitude through both the hard times and the good is consistency. Here’s a simple ritual for making gratitude a focal point of your daily life in 2014.

The project.

Create a “Good Things” jar. Be as imaginative as you like, but no need to go to great lengths. Mine is nothing fancy, just a recycled jar with a label that reads “Good Things Jar.” Each morning, before you do anything else, reflect on what you are thankful for. Write down the first thing that comes to mind and place your note in the jar.

I compose my daily gratitude notes on small post-its, fold them in half, jot down the date and seal them away. The jar is placed prominently on my desk so that every day. I am reminded of how lucky I truly am.

On January 1st, empty the jar of its contents. Savor the act of reading each of your 365 notes. Revisiting those blessings before starting the process anew is a profound way to pay homage to the year gone by and begin the year ahead with a new found sense of appreciation for the gift of your life.

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Assistant Editor: Karissa Kneeland/Editor: Bryonie Wise

Photos: Kim Wolff