Out with the old, in with the new
Describing the period of transition into the new year often evokes the imagery of a wardrobe cleanse—a time when the old gives way to the new, akin to the changing of seasons. Just as you assess your wardrobe, determining what stays and what goes, this moment invites reflection on past accomplishments and aspirations for the future.
To welcome new goals, rituals, and memories into your life, it's crucial to create space. Here are some tips to assist you in cleansing, refreshing, and resetting in anticipation of the new year.
Tap your memory
With the year drawing to a close, it's time to reminisce. Delve into your camera roll, allowing each snapshot to evoke cherished memories. Review your calendar or diary, tracing the journey of the past year through its events. And if you maintain a gratitude journal, take a moment to leaf through its pages, recalling the moments that warmed your soul with gratitude throughout the year.
Host a year in review
Make the most of your reflection by figuring out what to keep, carry forward, and leave behind. Thinking about all of the moments you conjured above, jot down:
· The ‘good things’ that you would like to take with you, and do more of
· The challenges you would like to leave behind
· The things you wish you could change – or introduce
Focus on what fits
The highlights of your year, the moments of joy, the themes of gratitude – what were they? What do they all share in common? Identifying the recurring elements among your 'good things' can guide you towards inviting more positivity into your life. For instance, do specific circles of friends consistently bring out the best in you? Consider establishing regular gatherings or activities with them. Have you found comfort in lazy Sundays as your go-to self-care routine? Perhaps curate a fresh repertoire of self-care indulgences to experiment with each Sunday (including extra sleep and lounging in pajamas, of course).
Discard what doesn’t serve you
Embrace the act of releasing challenges. Tear them to shreds, scrawl over them, crumple them, and toss them into the fire. Bid them adieu. They belong to 2023, while you stride onward.
Look ahead
While resolutions may falter at times, research underscores their potency in fostering change compared to having none. Notably, people excel at maintaining approach-oriented goals, like refining sleep patterns, rather than avoidance-focused ones, such as cutting out coffee. Recall the notion of integrating Sunday sleep-ins into self-care? It's an approach-based goal. Likewise, initiating a brief bedtime meditation. Resolutions, irrespective of scale, wield considerable influence on wellbeing.
Finally, make a plan
In the words of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, "a goal without a plan is just a wish." Following your reflections on 2023, pinpoint your aspirations for 2024 and craft a detailed plan for your first step. Make it specific and attainable—a task you can readily accomplish. Aim for easy wins to bolster motivation. It could be as uncomplicated as informing your friends that Sundays are dedicated to self-care.
Good luck. And here’s to 2024 being your dreamiest year yet…