If there is wild within you, how do you embrace it, or apologize for it?
Welcome back to your New Moon Renewal with The Agenda. Period! Think of this as your personal retreat to pause and center in, and see how you are really doing. An average woman’s hormonal cycle is 28 days, just like the average moon cycle. Historically new moons have been linked to a woman’s period. Whether or not your period lands on the new moon, doesn’t matter for these renewals. This is for the new moon each month in your life. Where you need a little light, a slight pause. To bathe in the stillness, and remember who you are. You can do the renewal below whether or not you are bleeding, and regardless of your beliefs. First, set the mood: Do you need to head out to the park by your house, or climb into your closet or cozy bed? Grab a journal and some coloring goodies. Even burning a candle or incense can help your mind signal to your body that you are allowed to relax and settle in. Centering: Take a couple of minutes to sit in quiet. Music can also help set the tone, Ocean by Thomas Newman has been my favorite lately. Check in with yourself. How does your body feel? Try to breathe from your stomach instead of your chest. By placing your hands on your stomach it is easier to know when you are breathing deeply, as your hands will move with your breath. Any thoughts that come into your mind, acknowledge them and let them pass. Give yourself permission to just be in this moment, and not have to do for anyone, including yourself. When you feel centered in your body you can read on: |

Question to mull: If there is wild within you, how do you embrace it, or apologize for it? Journal: When have you been told that you were too much or not enough? Who said these things? When have you felt this way? Creative Endeavor: Many times when we feel like we are not enough or too much, it’s because of outside opinions. What we need is a coffee filter of truth to filter out what is true or not when people share with us or when we think our own thoughts. These filters are comprised of questions we can use to figure out if it’s welcome in our space. Questions like, ‘does it resonate? Is this kind? Is this true? Do they care about me?’ Draw yourself on the paper, and draw a circle around you, as your energetic sphere. What is welcome inside this space? Draw it in! Maybe it’s love, encouragement, compassion, growth, etc. What isn’t welcome inside? Draw that on the outside. Maybe it’s judgement, rude, harsh criticism or bitterness. Now, imagine your coffee filter of truth. What does it look like? Maybe it looks like a shimmery blue shield, or an actual coffee filter, or a ticket taker. What questions is your filter comprised of? Draw your filter and questions on your paper. Things to think about: Looking at your paper, how does it make you feel? What is one way you can utilize your filter in your life this week? What needs to be filtered out? Anything surprising? Closing: Sometimes the expectations others or ourselves can feel overwhelming. Take a pause this week and month when you feel that pressure build and take the time to filter it through your coffee filter and see if that expectation really belongs with you, or not. Book recommendations: Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown Boundaries by Dr. John Townsend and Dr. Cloud Each month we’ll release a New Moon Renewal for you to discover something new about yourself, learn about your cycle, and take a moment to pause, breathe, and reflect. In Joy and Boldness, Aj |

Aj Smit is the owner of In Joy Productions, and sparks joy and imagination through art, entertainment, and events. She has helped women flourish through red tents, retreats, and soul art workshops online, locally and internationally for the past four years. Her goal is to change the traditions and stories we pass down by creating brave spaces for women to grow together. Always learning how to love like Jesus and live with radiant joy, she lives in San Antonio, Texas, with her husband Jeremy, two pups, and a bucketful of glitter (Just in case of emergencies). You can find Aj at www.In-JoyProductions.com or Mermaid Harmony and In Joy Productions on Facebook and Instagram |