Beyond Resolutions: Cultivating a Soul Vow for a Year of Extraordinary Growth
Forget the manufactured excitement of a New Year in January 🙄 and the weight of capitalist resolutions. We've been conditioned to believe that January 1st marks a new beginning. Nature doesn't operate on an arbitrary calendar. Look at the natural world – winter is a time of dormancy, a time to rest and rejuvenate. Spring, however, is a time of rebirth, of new growth, of blooming. It feels more aligned with the natural cycles to embrace a new beginning then, to set intentions and cultivate new growth as the world around us is awakening. So how can we use this patriarchal new year to our advantage?
We can use this imposed "new year" as an opportunity for reflection and introspection to cultivate our soul for the next harvest. Like the trees preparing for winter, we can shed the unnecessary baggage from the previous year – limiting beliefs, toxic relationships, and anything that no longer serves our highest good. This inward work sets the stage for a more authentic and meaningful renewal when spring arrives.
This year, and every year for the last four years, I've called in a 'soul vow' – a personal commitment to cultivate a specific quality or intention that reflects the deeper cycles of life. My soul vow for this year is 'Potential.' This soul vow is the blooming of my inner potential, not the resolution. This isn't about setting arbitrary goals, but about tapping into the extraordinary potential that resides within me. In this blog post, I'll explore the concept of soul vows, share my own journey of defining and embodying a soul vow. I also want to invite you to consider what your own soul vow might be so keep reading.
Photo by Sarah Leveritt
What is a Soul Vow?
A soul vow goes well beyond a simple resolution or to do list.
A Deep, Personal Commitment: A soul vow is not something you impose on yourself. It should emerge from within, reflecting your deepest values, desires, and aspirations. It's about connecting with your inner guidance and choosing a path that aligns with your soul's purpose.
Focus on Qualities, Not Outcomes: Instead of focusing on specific outcomes (i.e., lose 10 pounds, write a novel), a soul vow focuses on cultivating qualities (i.e., compassion, creativity, courage). This shift in focus allows for greater flexibility and encourages a more organic and fulfilling journey.
An Ongoing Process: A soul vow is not a destination but a journey. It's about cultivating a specific quality or intention throughout the year, consistently nurturing it and allowing it to unfold in its own time. It's about embracing the process of reflection, aligned action, growth, and evolution until a new soul vow returns.
Aligning with Natural Cycles: Aligning with the natural cycles of the year can be a powerful way to approach a soul vow. Just as nature has its seasons of dormancy and renewal, you can honor your own inner rhythms and allow your soul vow to unfold organically throughout the year.
Finding the Energy Around a Soul Vow
Finding the energy around a Soul Vow can be a deeply personal and intuitive process. It might involve meditation, journaling, spending time in nature, or engaging in creative practices like art, dance, singing, or music. The key is to quiet the external noise and listen to the whispers of your own soul. What qualities do you most yearn to embody? What intentions are calling to you? Where can you feel the soul vow inside of you? For many, the soul vow may come through in synchronistic ways and when we’re paying attention we can pick up on its subtle cues.
This year, I used this article from Morgan Harper Nichols “2025 Word of the Year Ideas” because I felt a little stuck and needed some inspiration. I absolutely loved that she gave magical messages that supported each word. As I read on, I found myself connecting with several words and so I decided to choose three words:
Potential: May this be the season you make decisions based on the fact that you know what you are worth. May this be the season you lean into your strengths without downplaying them. May you continue to rise up with courage, right here where you are.
Worthiness: May this be a space where you create room for kind words and small things that remind you: you matter. You are worthy of the same kind words and consideration that you extend to others. You are worthy of the same love you give.
Aliveness: Growth will often feel slow in the present moment (if it feels like growth at all...), but the fact that you have been breathing in this space is a sign of aliveness (even if it's small).
Next, I read the descriptions and consulted my pendulum to determine my soul vow for the year. I tested "Potential" first, and the pendulum swung with a resounding yes. Curious, I continued the process with the other two words, both of which received a clear "no" from the pendulum. As I received this confirmation, a palpable energy surged through me. I felt a tingling sensation along my spine, as if the word "Potential" itself was electrifying me. I knew I had chosen accurately, and now it's time to marinate in this potent energy until spring. Knowing it’s not time for the full potential yet, just like it’s not a ‘new year’ until March when things begin to germinate under the surface.
My Own Journey
My journey with Soul Vows began a few years ago. During my Kundalini Yoga training in 2021, I experienced a powerful meditation with my teacher, Daniella, at Yoga Farm Ithaca. I visualized a white screen, a blank canvas upon which I projected an image of a joyful memory or experience. As I focused on this image, the word "Clarity" appeared on the screen. This unexpected word, emerging from the depths of my subconscious, became my soul vow for that year.
Clarity, as a soul vow, wasn't just about mental clarity; it was about clarity of purpose, clarity of intention, and clarity in the future version of me. It meant understanding my 'why' – what truly drove me, what brought me joy and fulfillment. Looking back, I can see how that clarity manifested in my life. In 2021, I co-founded Outshine Adventures a decision that stemmed from adding a campervan to our offerings and a deep-seated desire for freedom and a love for the outdoors. This, in turn, led me to begin Outshine Yoga, a natural extension of my passion for both adventure and wellness. If you had told me in 2020 that I would be running my own businesses, I would have thought you were crazy! With clarity as my guide, I was able to navigate the challenges and uncertainties that inevitably arose, always keeping my vision in sight — envisioning the person I wanted to become — a confident, authentic, and fulfilled version of myself and understanding my aspirations by taking steps towards that vision, one day at a time.
Making clarity my soul vow in 2021 and shedding the fog of confusion wasn't just about eliminating mental clutter; it was about dismantling limiting beliefs, challenging self-doubt, and breaking free from the constraints of societal expectations (which continues to be a life-long problem.) This was about embracing vulnerability, acknowledging my shadow aspects, and cultivating self-compassion to step into a clear vision of my path forward.
With clarity driving my life, I was able to embrace a life of greater authenticity and live in alignment with my true self, honoring my intuition (as well as Sunshine’s deep invitative nature), and expressing my unique gifts and talents as a business owner. It meant cultivating meaningful connections, pursuing my passion for yoga, spiritual transformation, and living a life that truly resonated with what my soul manifested.
Now, I invite you to shed it all and find your own Soul Vow:
Reflect Inward: Spend some time in quiet reflection. Journal, meditate, or simply spend time in nature. What are your deepest values? What brings you joy and fulfillment? What are your aspirations for the year ahead?
Explore Your Intuition: Listen to your inner voice. What words or phrases come to mind? What qualities are you drawn to?
Consider Your Dreams: What are your hopes and dreams for the future? How can you align your daily actions with these aspirations?
Choose One Word or Phrase: See a blank screen in your mind’s eye, bring in that image or memory and see if any words come to mind. If you feel stuck, try again or use Morgan’s “2025 Word of the Year Ideas” as a resource to select a single word or a short phrase that resonates deeply with you by using your pendulum or any other muscle testing technique.
Try It On: Once you’ve found your ‘Soul Vow’ Research all the synonyms for that word. See if you can notice it in poems, books, or journals that you read. Listen to music and see if you can hear the word or a synonym for it come to you. Draw a picture of that word. What colors does it bring in? Dance with the word. Make your own music with the word. Get the word tattooed on your body if you want (I used permanent marker.)
Embodying Your Soul Vow:
That single word, 'Clarity,' appearing on the screen during my meditation in my Kundalini training from 2021, continues to serve as a guiding light. It reminds me to always seek clarity in my thoughts, intentions, and actions, especially amidst the noise and distractions of the modern world. Our Soul Vows are not just a fleeting resolution that ends at the drop of the ball; they’re a life-long commitment, a vow to our souls unfolding self-awareness, a constant shedding of the old and embracing the new in the natural cycle of our lives.
And in that continuous evolution, we find our resistance. We never stop growing, never stop learning, never stop becoming more of who we truly are. This, my friends, is how we fuck the patriarchy.
Ready to break free from the tyranny of ‘New Year’ in the season of winter? Find your Soul Vow and join the revolution.
Need support in finding your Soul Vow, reach out for a free consultation and see how we can work together.
