For a lot of us out there, including me, 2011 has been a year full of growth-provoking challenges meant to help us process and release deep-seeded issues all for the purpose of ushering us into tremendous transformation and higher consciousness — for our highest good.  Did you get all that?  If not, let me make it easier for you: it’s been a year of sh*t!

Now, don’t get me wrong: I mean that in the most positive way possible.

The past few weeks have been VERY challenging for me.  Right before Christmas I had to put down my beloved Ivy dog; I lost out on a job I thought I had in the bag; my computer died; I had a huge shake-up in my relationships with my boyfriend and my dad — all on top of the fact that I’m about to “release” my home and I’m not sure where I’m going to live.

All the time I’ve been going through this, I keep telling myself to just walk through the fire.  I’ll get to the other side, somehow.  I always felt the need to be strong, to hold it together.  Anger scared me.  I was “spiritual.”  It’s not “spiritual” to show anger.  It’s not “spiritual” to want to egg your boss’s house or slash your boyfriend’s tires, right?  The key words here are “want to” folks.  No, I didn’t actually DO it!  Spiritual people are supposed to be centered and calm and see everything from a higher perspective.  For God’s sake — I write this damn blog about how to reframe the challenges!  I should have it all together, right?  Boy, was that an irrational belief I had to expel the hard way.

In my case, the Universe had to throw so much shit at me at once in order to get me to completely lose it and GET IT ALL OUT.  And boy, did I!  If you were driving in Orange County last week and saw some crazy woman raging at a man (my dad) in the front seat, that would’ve been me.  Yup, that calm, spiritual, always positive person screaming at the top of her lungs was ME.  If you were in my path at the time– I apologize.  I had lost control.  But I needed to lose control.  That illusion of control was holding me back.

I admit, there were brief and extremely painful moments during this upheaval when I wanted to call it quits on life in general.  I know I would never do anything stupid, but sometimes life can be TOO MUCH.  But Spirit held me in compassion and encouraged me to release all the painful emotions I had pent up inside me for years.  And with the help of many loving friends and family (and my compassionate Authentic Self) — I got through it.  I’m stronger than I was before and I know the shake-ups and losses happened for my highest good.

Now, after all that releasing — I sure do stink!  But in a good way, of course.  So I say: It’s time to take a shower!  Time to clear away all of the unwanted residue from the year (and from our entire lives) and start fresh.  Time to take responsibility for the chaos WE CREATED in our lives.

Yes, we created it.  Look around your environment — the good, the bad and the ugly… YOU created it.  You created it with your thoughts, your feelings and your intentions — whether conscious or unconscious.  I realize this is a tough pill to swallow.  Believe me, in the middle of the chaos, I’ve struggled with it myself, but it’s true.  Here’s the good news: If you created what you don’t want, you can create what you DO want.  You’re that powerful.

Now, some of you may argue with me: I didn’t want to break up with my boyfriend.  He cheated on me!  How is that my fault?  Or I didn’t want to lose my job.  THEY fired me!

All this may be true.  And all loss is painful and totally sucks.  But think about what you’ve been asking for in your life.  Have you been asking for a more loving relationship?  Have you been wanting to go after a heartfelt dream?  The Universe has your back — even if it seems like your cheating boyfriend doesn’t.  Sometimes we may have to lose someone or something we think we want to make room for what we’re asking for.  Or for what is for our highest good.  The job may have had to go away to force you to go after that dream.

Wouldn’t it be great to take ourselves out of the victim role and OWN our lives again?  The idea that he or she DID something TO you is quite disempowering and takes you away from your true focus.  Think about why you were presented with the challenge or loss.

This is a great time of year to take stock in what you created for yourself.  What is working?  What isn’t working?  When something in your life isn’t working, it sits stagnant and eventually starts to stink — like a dead rat!  I had one of those last year — not pretty.  Get it out!

So as we approach the end of the year, I encourage you to cleanse your life.  Water is a great way to do this.  Take a shower, jump in the ocean, run in the sprinklers (sorry East Coasters, but it’s 80 degrees here in LA).  Do it with the intention of cleansing the old to make way for the new.  If you want to go nuts, clean your house!  Clear out the clutter.  Just because it’s not Spring, doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from Spring cleaning in the Winter.  Burn sage in your house to clear out negative energies.

Then sing, dance and be joyful.  Welcome the New Year with open arms.  Dream big and expect miracles because you deserve the best life.  OWN it all.   The challenges and the blessings.  They’re YOURS!

Have a Blessed New Year!  I love you!

With Love, For the highest good…

xo, Christy Jacobs