After the toasts and the smoke from the fireworks clears the air of good cheer will get carried away with the evening leaving a lot of us to reminisce as we think about the road ahead. We’ve learned much about how we’re connected on our Kindred Quest, but today at the Crossroads we decide what we ought to do now with that knowledge. Admittedly, there is a bit of a melancholy that hits as we close the book on one year to start another. 2015 had a particularly incredible magic to it too! We were dancing like nobody was watching and now we’ve drifted into that moment in between songs. Where the silence is most terrifying and the spotlight blisters. It’s a sudden calm with a hint of nostalgia where we dream about reducing the differences between our actual self and the ideal. That’s why, even though it’s easy to dismiss them as bandwagon commitments of the flimsiest variety, resolutions are such an important tradition.

They help us think about how we want to grow and that forces us to think about our strengths, our shortcomings and the way we want to spend the precious years we have on the planet. For most people, changing the world may be out of reach but changing how we choose to contribute to it may be something we can control. As such, resolutions are a fascinating windvane for those hoping to get a read on the currents of social change. We asked around to find out what sorts of resolutions were important to people these days and some of their resolutions really got us in the feels.

Grow a Home Garden

Whether to reduce food costs, to improve diet or simply to find a better relationship with the earth home gardening is an easy winner. Sure, you’ll need to get your hands dirty but that’s part of the fun. To up your permaculture game and learn some incredible skills check out our Earthworks Permaculture Intensive program before the festival. It’s three-days of green thumbed greatness that you won’t want to miss.

Stop Eating Animals

Yes, bacon is delicious but maybe not eating animals for a bit is something you can try. If you do, take note of your energy levels and cognitive clarity. You may also find that if you like animals it’s easier to sleep at night knowing that the plight of human cruelty wasn’t a part of your daily exchange in the foodchain.

Take Up Flow Arts or Yoga

Practicing a ritualized movement has a sort of therapy to it that some may overlook, but it’s remarkably helpful to train focus and ease the worries of a troubled mind. The therapeutic benefits of Yoga and Flow are so supportive in fact that we’ll be offering daily workshops with some of the best and brightest souls in the scene. The family that emerges from the friendships that are forged in yoga and flow is a special thing to be a part of and a great way to find new friends.

Travel Somewhere and Help Someone

Have you ever considered going to Costa Rica to work with indigenous farmers or thought about building structures for disaster relief in Peru? Maybe you’d prefer to learn about ancient medicines in Thailand? There are all sorts of opportunities out there to explore and a lot of them offer you a direct opportunity to change the life of someone else. Check out NuMundo for opportunities to travel after Lucidity Festival so that you can immediately start applying the skills you learn at our workshops and intensives.

Master Lucid Dreaming

Dreamstates are commonly thought of as one of the most mysterious realities. While still baffling to academics, those who master lucid dreaming are said to wield power over their external world by unlocking the full creative potential of the inner mind. The Lucid Dreaming Intensive will be something to look forward if navigating the dreamscapes will be of interest in 2016.

Start an Art Project

Kick that procrastination to the curb and pour a bit of creative passion into something you can be proud of. It’s not hard. Just think about a story you’d like to share and try to spread it across a canvas. Our Art Intensive is designed for those who already have a penchant for the creative but want to hone their skills with a master. Without a doubt, one of the best gifts you can give yourself for the new year is the opportunity to revel in the artistic passions of other inspired souls.

They say we should “be the change you wish to see in the world” but what does that look like? We like to think it means contributing more of our time and our energy into solutions that cultivate a increased connectedness for a better tomorrow, instead of mortgaging our collective future for a few temporary frills. Sure, a lot of people think that New Years Resolutions are a wasted promise, but couldn’t it also be an opportunity to learn and grow together, right? Let’s share our resolutions with our friends as way to take those first steps together.

We’re approaching the Crossroads. What choices are important to you? What was your New Years Resolution?