Rituals for a New Year
It’s time to rest and reflect.
The beginning of the new year is often packed with goals, resolutions, or desires for what we want to manifest in 2019. But despite this newness, we are still in the thick of winter, many more snow storms to come. The Earth is in hibernation, resting and recouping its energy for another vibrant spring and energetic summer. So as we move into the new year, building rituals to reflect on where we’ve been and where we’re going is key to unlocking the true potential awaiting us during the coming busier seasons. Here are some of our favorite ways to do so.
Practice intention setting.
Intention setting is a powerful way to ruminate on goals both small and large. Here’s what we suggest to make a peaceful intention setting space:
Light a candle and put your phone on airplane mode. It’s time to center into yourself and let the outside world stay outside for a few moments.
Grab a pen and paper. There is a wonderful power found in the act of physically writing intentions out.
Speak your intentions out loud, and in a positive manner. For example, instead of saying: “I don’t want to be late anymore”, reframe it to say “I respect others and myself by showing up on time.”
Bring these intentions into the week by focusing on them during a mindful activity that you love, whether that’s meditating, walking, or yoga.
Release your intentions to whatever higher power you recognize and trust that your desires will manifest with focus, faith, and intentional work.
Honor your wins, big and small.
Gratitude shouldn’t be relegated to the big victories but incorporated into daily successes. After all, success isn’t achieved in a straight line, and without expressing thanks for the small moments, it’s easy to get defeated on the journey to a bigger goal. One of our favorite ways to keep a thankful attitude going throughout the week is to place a bowl in a corner of a room, and every day write down moments that were exciting or that you want to remember as a small success on small strips of scratch paper. Drop the paper into the bowl, and at the end of every week, empty the bowl and read back the many wonderful moments you experienced along your journey.
Spend time in nature.
There are few things as calming as spending time in nature; in fact, the sounds of nature actually shift our nervous system into a more relaxed state. If you only have five minutes, a walk around the block is a quick and easy way to stretch your legs and get fresh air in your lungs. If you have thirty minutes, try taking a call outside or eat lunch on a bench. We know the winter air can be brutal sometimes, but even a quick foray into your local outdoors can do wonders to reset your mental state and rejuvenate your body.
It looks different for each person, but regardless of what the ritual looks like, we love to celebrate the process of opening ourselves to manifest our best selves. What’s your favorite ritual for reflecting on the past and envisioning what’s ahead?