"Don't live the same year 75 times and call it a life." - Robin Sharma

Growing up I was always obsessed with possibilities that existed outside of the norm.

I loved reading fantasy novels.

I spent time thinking about the future a lot.

I didn't want my life to be boring.

I was also blessed with parents who prioritized learning, adventure, trying new things, and travel. 

This time of year, many people are reflecting on the year behind them, and contemplating, imagining, and planning for the year ahead of them...

We don't want to repeat the same exact year over and over again.

We crave growth, novelty, expansion, and actualization.

We want to see what we are capable of.

Which is why I'm writing this letter. 

I don't want you to have a "Groundhog Year" experience in 2025... 

I want you to experience the joy of growth, the fulfillment of your dreams, and genuine progress toward the vision you have for your life and business.

Default Mode Is The Norm

It's normal to repeat the same year, over and over again.

It's normal to do work you don't love.

It's normal to approach life with a mentality of "we'll see what happens."

But my guess is, if you're reading this, you don't just want normal.

You don't want the result of default mode.

You want conscious creation, expansion, and to see what's just past your edge of predictability.

You want to create from possibility.

Creating from possibility means you use your future to inform your choices, not your past.

You don't look at what you've accomplished to see what this year will hold in store for you.

You look to the future, and allow your future to shape your decisions and choices.

This is how you create what you've never created before.

This is anti-groundhog-year. And I'm here for it.

How to Shape Your Future 

(Instead of Slipping Into Default Mode)

- spend time imagining and clarifying the future you want

- take baby steps toward that future everyday

- get around people who breathe life into your dreams

- don't quit

Of course, all of those things are easier said than done. 

So let's explore...

Spend Time Imagining and Clarifying The Future You Want

Have you ever been around someone who is constantly talking about "the glory days?"

Reliving their past, where there best days are behind them?

To be really honest, this scares me. I don't ever want my best days "behind me" -- I want them to keep getting better, day by day.

This is why me and my clients have a saying "The better it gets, the better it gets" -- because we choose to create that.

The future is like a horizon, a mark on a map, that you choose for yourself. The future is unknown, but it is yours to create. Left to entropy (tendency toward chaos) our lives spin out and we often end up repeating the same year over year, and our glory days really are behind us....

The opposite of that is conscious creation. Where we CHOOSE the future we want to experience, and line up our thoughts, beliefs, and actions with that reality.

We create it on purpose. 

You must know what you truly want. In my experience, our desires are nurtured over time.

You don't just stumble into total clarity about what you want.

You cultivate a vision like you would grow a garden.

You nurture it, you spend time on it, you give the ideas fuel-- vision boards, journaling exercises, and contemplating/visualizing the future you want are all important pieces of this.

Once you've got an idea about what you want...

Take Baby Steps Everyday

This doesn't mean you work long hard hours or go to the extreme. 

Just the opposite actually.

I believe tiny actions taken in faith compound into miracles over time.

But you must actually take the action.

You must shoot your shot, take the chance, go out of your comfort zone and into the unknown.

And you must keep going.

Anything worthwhile in life doesn't happen instantly.

We build it piece by piece, brick by brick, because faith is a compounding substance.

The more steps you take, the more faith you develop.

The effect of baby steps taken in faith over a long enough period of time equates to miraculous results. The kind of success people are in awe of. The kind of success that is meaningful to our souls.

When you are playing the game of expansion, we actually aren't interested in becoming an overnight success. Because the result we want isn't just in arriving at the destination, it's about the process and who we become...

Get Around People Who Breathe Life Into Your Dreams

It's easy to get swept up in the swirling doubts and skepticism so prevalent toady.

It's easy to lose your vision. Or to let what's common become your standard.

But to create an exceptional result, we can't default to what's common.

We must be the exception.

We can shorten the process, or avoid suffering by surrounding ourselves with the right people.

Getting people in your corner who will breathe life into your dreams makes all the difference because they will buoy up your belief, and they will help you move past your doubts and fears.

Coaches, mentors, good friends, and people on a similar journey to you, your peers, make a huge difference in the tolerance you have the for journey to your greatness, the journey of your soul expansion.

Many times the people who speak doubts about our goals, dreams, and ambitions are simply sharing their perspective through their own fear or limited view of what's possible.

My rule of thumb: don't take advice from someone about something they've never done.

Don't take business advice from someone who has never started a business.

Don't take investing advice from someone who has never invested money.

Don't take relationship advice from someone who isn't in a relationship you'd like to be in.

You get the idea, but that means the opposite is a useful approach to life.

Get mentorship from people who have the kind of business you want.

Get in the circle of people who have relationships you want to have.

Get in the presence of people who are creating what you want to create.

Don't Quit

My favorite metaphor for entrepreneurship:

Imagine you're walking around in a dark forest. You know somewhere in this forest is your promised land, destination that is full of bliss, joy, success, and freedom. 

To get there, you have to walk the different paths, but you can only use a flashlight to see a few steps ahead.

You might find dead ends, or get to locations you aren't interested in...

So you keep walking.

The thing about this forest is that you WILL get to your desired destination, the magical land.

You just have to keep going.

You just have to be "in it" until it works. 

That's it.

Yes, it would be easier if you could see the whole path laid out in front of you, instead of just the few steps the flashlight illuminates for you.

Yes, it would be easier if there was a map drawn specifically for you.

But that's not quite how entrepreneurship works.

It's an experience in creativity, innovation, experimentation, and spiritual grit.

The people who "get the rewards" are simply the ones who never stopped creating their path.

2025

As you're winding down this year, and imaging what is next...

How will you ensure you don't have a repeat of this year?

How will you experience more expansion, fulfillment, success, and joy in the new year?

What worked about this year, that you want to amplify next year?

What didn't work about this year, that you will transform in the next year?

Conscious creation is how you get out of the trap of Groundhog Year.

Choose to be conscious of what you created in 2024, and what you are committed to creating in 2025.

When you're ready, here's how I can help....

If you're serious about creating a one person business in the wisdom economy, join The Lighthouse Mentorship. This is my new signature program, starting January 8th 2025. I'll be your mentor as you build your word of mouth business, take your business to the next level, and work with aligned clients. Grow your income, impact, and inner peace. Read more and grab one of the limited enrollment spots here: www.itsambersmith.com/lighthouse

If you want to work closely with me and other spiritually minded entrepreneurs, fill out this form to talk about The Abundance Mastermind. This is a small, year long cohort. 6 entrepreneurs. 2 in person retreats. 2 group calls per month and one private call with me. Spots are extremely limited, so if you're interested please fill out this form.  Investment will be $12k for the year, and there are payment plans available.

If you want to work closely with me on your life and business, and are looking for someone to be in your corner to create, to show you blindspots, to help you rise... there is nothing as powerful as 1:1 coaching when the fit is right. Reply to this email if you're interested in exploring that. 1:1 coaching packages start at $15k.

Love

Amber