Several years ago, this time of year meant one of two things...
...we were either traveling---back home to the US, or to some exotic Asian destination (check out the giant turtle boat we rode on in the Phillipines!);
...or we were hunkered down in a city of more than 28 million people as we listened to fireworks being set off nightly for the 15 day period of Chinese New Year.
The first night (Chinese New Year's Eve) and the 5th night (The day of honoring money and prosperity) were the loudest. Blasting through the night, the fireworks lasted far into early morning.
Both experiences were invaluable to me, because both provided something precious and irreplaceable...the opportunity to spend quality time with family.
The Chinese New Year holiday, marks the beginning of the lunar new year, but more than that, it is a time to come together and celebrate the gift of family.
In China, millions of people travel home, to spend Chinese New Year, eating, drinking, playing cards, giving and receiving gifts, and all in their best red clothes and smart new haircuts.
People spend weeks preparing by cleaning the house, getting things in order and preparing for a magnificent meal full of magical dishes amplifying their deepest wishes...a long life, a happy family and abundant prosperity.
So much energy going into honoring life, love and family!
After living there for almost a decade, China will always have a special place in my heart. That's where we raised our young kids, and that is where we learned what matters most...by discovering our Family Values.
As the feminine leader of my family, deciding to identify and live by a set of Family Values was one of the most important things I've ever done for myself and for our family.
The 10 values we identified and then hung proudly in our apartment in Shanghai, brought my husband and I together during a very difficult time in our marriage. Today, they remain a guiding light to help us find our way home to one another, even after all these years.
China will always have a special place in my heart because of those memories and especially, because that is where created our Family Values Chart and began to create rituals, practices and traditions to keep us focused on our values and our vision.
Since this new moon is about community and aligning your purpose to make the world a better place. It's about innovation and being the change you want to see in the world.
And so on this new moon and this Chinese New Year' Eve, I'm delighted to share something so aligned with my own heart and purpose...the desire to create more love and harmony in the world through family relationships.
Inspired by the 40-day family trip we took out west in the US this past summer, my husband and I have created TheExtraordinaryFamilyAdventure.com with a mission to "light up the world with love, one heart, one family at a time".
To kick off our inaugural launch on this auspicious new moon, we've created a fun and easy 5-day Family Values Challenge to help you discover what matters most in your family. This challenge begins on February 26th, but you can sign up now and receive your automatic download "The Family Values Checklist".
During the challenge, you'll have a chance to connect with other amazing families around the world in our Extraordinary Family Facebook group. Plus, by "passing the light" and sharing the challenge with the hashtag #thefamilyvalueschallenge on Facebook and Instagram, you'll be eligible to win our online signature course, Family FUNdamentals. This course is the culmination of relationship education, positive psychology and almost 20 years of experience as a married couple with 2 amazing kids! Structured around the Relationship Compass, these 4 keys have been the secret that has keep our family thriving.
You can find more information by going to our new website TheExtraordinaryFamilyAdventure.com
As you step into the year of the dog, and into this new moon...what are you choosing to seed? What intentions do you have for your own life? And how can these intentions serve you? Serve your family? Serve the global family?
This moon I'm choosing to seed LOVE. Especially at this time of uncertainty, fear and sadness here in my home state of Florida with the devastating school shooting.
My heart breaks for all those families and the unimaginable sudden loss of their precious children. Sometimes it's too much for me to handle and I'm tempted to change the channel and look away...
And then I remember love...
I remember that even in the midst of fear and certainty, I can still choose love. I can still choose to seed love in my own heart, and through my actions and sacred work, I can choose to seed love and the healing of broken hearts and relationships.
So dear sisters, here's to LOVE and to a world of strong women, strong families and strong communities grounded in strong values like love, harmony, generosity, kindness and cooperation.
On this new moon and new year, may you be surrounded by love...
Over to you...
What are you seeding on this powerful new moon and new year? And how does that serve you?Serve your family? Serve the world?