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As we begin a new year, we often think about making changes in our lives and notice what we wish we'd done differently last year. So when we make New Year's resolutions––statements of intent to do things better than before––we adopt "solutions" to what we didn't have time, energy, confidence or money to complete in the past.

After the tumultuous year we've just survived, however, I invite you to make 2002 New Year's "Evolutions" to move your life forward with ease and joy, instead of merely reacting to 2001's unfinished business. By aligning with your inner wisdom, you can create simple, yet transformational, quantum-shifts in your life rather than trying to make radical changes which are hard to sustain. Evolution creates shifts from the inside; revolution imposes change from outside.

To begin your personal evolution, enlist help from what I call your Inner Emperor. As an Active-Intuition and Life Design Coach, I use Tarot archetypes to help understand and express the full spectrum of universal energies we all contain. The Tarot's Major Arcana cards reflect our 22 basic energy-archetypes, according to Carl Jung. The Emperor, #4, embodies the energy of 2002 (2+0+0+2=4). He is the Visionary and Builder within us. He can envision your life-empire or "big picture" and break it into essential steps...as author/humorist Mark Twain sagely suggests: "The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one."

First, identify four key areas of your life which are the easiest &/or most significant to take action on right now. Imagine yourself celebrating New Year's Eve 2003 as the Self you wish to be and notice which life areas have shifted to get you there.

Potential areas for your "Personal Evolution 2002" list include relationships, romance, career, finances, creativity, health, personal image, fun, travel, personal growth, outer environment, inner wisdom &/or spiritual connection, among many others. Which four would you like to focus on this year?

Now, "take a meeting" with your Inner Emperor. Ask him to show you the first "small manageable task" to get started in each area. You can connect with your Emperor in many creative ways––for example, through active-meditation where you converse with your Inner Emperor in your mind's eye; through creating a tangible picture of your key life areas and the first steps to evolve them in drawings or collages; by writing a poem or conversation with your Inner Emperor in your journal, or role-playing it with a friend or life coach.

To launch your life area evolutions, commit (vs. "resolve") to taking your first steps by February 1st, if not sooner. Don't worry about the next step yet––trust that it will become clear, as you complete the first. When you've completed all four steps, reward yourself! Then choose the next step for each area and take them in February.

By envisioning yourself as evolving and taking one step at a time to build your life-empire, you can truly shift key areas and impact the look and feel of your life by 12/31/02. And it doesn't need to be difficult–– just envision and take one step at a time, then one step more and so on.

Imagine how great you'll feel when your life is evolving as you desire and you won't need to make New Year's Resolutions for 2003!

© 2001 Barbara Schiffman
Barbara Schiffman is a Life Design and Active-Intuition Coach who helps people discover their life purpose, connect with their own inner wisdom and use their unique gifts and talents to take actions which contribute to us all. She teaches weekend workshops and ongoing courses including "Becoming Your Own Intuition Coach" using Voyager Tarot as an intuitive coaching tool and "Life Re-design 2002" which blends action with intuition and astrology to redesign, reshape and revitalize your life in 12 weeks. For info on courses, individual coaching or Tarot consultations, contact Barbara at EvoLuminus Coaching, 818-848-9040 or 800-306-8290, or email her at EvoLuminus@aol.com.