Undoubtedly, the end of a year brings in a time of deep reflection. This gives us an opportunity to shed some light on our experiences, acknowledge our emotions, honor our spirit, and support our overall well-being. I invite you to spend a few moments to look inward, taking these five steps to allow yourself to re-center and be Your Best Self.
Find a quiet space. Make yourself a warm beverage. Light a candle. Maybe grab your journal. Let's begin.
Lessons Learned. Challenging times always come with life lessons. Take a moment to reflect on what you learned this past year What were your greatest take-aways? Maybe it was finally acknowledging your self-worth. This could look like putting your health first, and establishing boundaries. Or perhaps you realized that you are in a job that does not align with your values and the universe squeezed you out. Sometimes it takes time to understand the lesson, but with certainty, if you do not learn from it this time around, it will come back in another story. The characters and scenery may change, but the lesson will stay on repeat until you decide to make different choices. Reflecting on these experiences helps promote awareness.
Let Go. It is time to release all that no longer serves you. Those challenges, limiting beliefs, self-doubt, worry, fear. These are the things that weigh you down and keep you playing small. Like tossing the sandbags out of a hot air balloon one by one, let go so that you can ascend and step into your fullest potential.
Grieve. The loss experienced both individually and as a collective can be overwhelming. Give yourself permission to grieve the loss of loved ones, jobs, connections, your old self. Let the tears flow to cleanse and clear your vessel, making room for something beautiful to bloom.
Manifest. Instead of new year resolutions, try a new approach. What are you manifesting? In the words of the brilliant Wayne Dyer: "Manifesting is not about attracting what you want. Manifesting is an awareness and an understanding that you attract what you are." Get yourself in the right state of being and the universe will match your vibration.
Meditate. Finally, simply sit in stillness. If you enjoy visualization, this is a lovely time to run your manifestations in your mind's eye like a movie. Take a deep cleansing breath. Thank yourself for holding space for healing. Stay here as long as you need to cultivate the feeling of gratitude in your heart.
This five step process works very nicely for new moon celebrations also. Feel free to modify and make it your own; it can be as elaborate or as simple as you'd like depending on what feels best for you. Most importantly, lean into your practice with grace, love, and self-compassion.