We are scarcely 3 days into 2017 and already I feel a quiet power brewing for things to come this year. And as I do on most years, I seek to find a word that captures the essence of my intention for the year. I remember in 2013, the word was Create. In 2014, it was Serenity. 2016 was all about Wedding.

As I feel into this big energy for 2017, I find that my word and my intention for this year is: Forgiveness.

You may immediately ask, who are you needing to forgive, Morella?

My answer is not necessarily anyone in particular, but perhaps if it's anyone, it's myself.

What forgiveness really means...

Last week, I wrote an email to my list where I shared my favorite definition of forgiveness as I remember reading from Eckhardt Tolle many years ago.

Forgiveness is essentially saying, I am no longer willing to feel pain in response to something you did.

In reality it's not about absolving anyone, because nobody can absolve anyone from anything. Forgiveness is about releasing ourselves.

FORGIVENESS IS ABOUT RELEASING OURSELVES.

But what exactly do we have to release ourselves from?

Where are you still feeling resentment or pain with regards to someone or something? Where in the world around you are you finding that things are wrong, bad, broken or even despicable? Forgiveness is about setting all of that baggage down and no longer carrying it with you.

Forgiveness also has to do with our thoughts...

My insight these past couple of days, aided by the Course in Miracles, is that forgiveness is also in essence an acknowledgment that we have been in a place of judgment and condemnation. Moving into forgiveness is therefore a willingness to let go of the judgment.

Let's look at the many ways in which our judgments might be an invitation for more forgiveness in our lives.

What judgments do you have about your body, your health and your capacities?

What judgments do you have about your skills, your efficiency and your success?

What judgments do you have about your parents, your spouse or your kids? What are the faults you see in them?

What judgments do you have about your boss, leaders in your community, the new President-Elect or the events in the world?

YOUR JUDGMENTS AFFECT ONLY YOU.

Let's be clear. Whatever thoughts and feelings you have about government, your boss, your body, the past events in your life or the events out in the world, YOU are the only one who experiences the effects of those thoughts and feelings (unless you are lashing out at others with your judgments.)

Therefore, your forgiveness is really only about you and requires only you.

Stepping into complete and unconditional forgiveness...

What if you opted for having only kind and loving thoughts towards your body?

What if you opted to look for the good intentions in everyone around you?

What if you choose to seek to love your spouse, parents and children unconditionally, without wanting them to do anything differently?

If you do, I can probably forecast these things: a body that loses weight / starts healing more quickly; a growing community of loving supportive people around you; and a core family growing in love and looking more and more, every day like the family you always dreamed of.

So let me wrap this up by bringing it around to my decision for forgiveness to be my chosen word and intention for 2017.

This year it is my intention to move more deeply into being a more complete embodiment of compassion and lack of judgment for myself, my body, my peers and even our elected officials.

I KNOW with every fiber of my being, that the more I chose to see the world with love and compassion, starting with my own body and including our elected officials, the more I will see the good and the compassionate in the world. I will also in turn be a better agent for good and love in the world.

I invite you to try it with me.

But if the soreness in your heart doesn't budge...

Sometimes the pain just doesn't let you. I know that for a fact. If so, I'm sure that coming to Mending the Heart in February will help.

Many blessings of joy, love and compassion for you and your family in 2017.