Two nights ago, upon waking in the middle of the night from pangs of illness, I realized what a gift I was being given.

The last time I caught a nasty bug was 2 years ago, just after the New Year.  My sick-time became a gift as sleepless hours were spent gleaning new information and inspiration that would shape the year ahead.

This time around, I realized that the ‘illness’ I was experiencing was simply an elimination of toxins from my body and a clearing of all those things I am choosing to leave behind as we transition into the New Year.   These last few days, I have been getting to examine what things in life I choose not to take into 2012 and what more intelligent aspects I intend to nurture in the year ahead.

In years past, goal setting in the new year meant specific goals based on timely benchmarks for achievement.  Now I notice my goals are more simple, one-word intentions that I can feel in my body, things like clarity, ease, confidence, and spaciousness.

Of course, it doesn’t need to take feeling under the weather to prompt a little bit of internal reflection on the year past and the direction for the year ahead.  Perhaps your new years eve celebration might even include some quite time for going inward and anchoring your new direction for 2012.