5 Ways to get Ready for the New Year
I’m not gonna lie, I am pretty glad that 2019 is coming to a close. This year has challenged me a lot, and I am ready for some new light to come in!
Here are 5 ways I get ready for bringing in new energy and opportunities for the new year:
1) REST!
For the past three weeks I have been doing a lot of whole lot of nothing. In the beginning it was tough because I felt guilty not doing anything, so I kept resisting. But, honestly, once I found one of my old favorite shows to binge watch (aka Degrassi), I didn’t mind sitting on the couch all night after work!
After a few weeks of resting, I actually felt like I was 10 times more productive taking care of things. I had a much clearer mind and a lot more energy! It’s funny how not doing anything can actually be the most productive thing you can do for yourself.
In the new year, if you can find just 15- 30 minutes a day, or one day a week to rest, it will do you so much wonders! You deserve a break!
2) SELF-CARE
While I was resting and watching endless episodes of Degrassi, I also did some additional self-care. One of my favorites is to take a nice long bath! Just throw a bath bomb in the tub, epsom salt, bubble bath soap, candles, and a relaxing playlist!
Some more self-care activities: hiking, stretching, blasting your favorite songs in the car, treating yourself to your favorite meal, etc. :)
3) RELEASE YOUR BIGGEST FEARS FROM THIS YEAR
This is one of my favorite new years exercises. This is also a great activity to do with a friend or family member!
First: Find a piece paper, and write down at least 2-3 of your biggest fears from the year in present tense.
For example:
“I am releasing my fears of people’s opinions about me.”
“I am releasing my fears that I am not good enough.”
“I am releasing my fears that I am not worthy.”
Take each of those and separately tear them from your paper.
Light a fire in your fireplace or fire pit then say your fear out loud, and safely throw your strip of paper into the fire. Then repeat. (If you don’t have a fireplace or fire pit, tear your fear from the paper, say it out loud, rip it up and throw it in the trash.)
It’s important to note that releasing old fears can take some time. But it’s also very important that we are aware of them so we can take action and work through them. Ripping them up or throwing them into the fire can just be the beginning of the healing process.
Also - if you are doing this with a friend, you might find that both of your fears are more similar than you think.
4) MAKE A SELF-LOVE LIST
Now that you have released your fears, it’s time to bring in some positive energy for yourself. To do this, write down all of the things you love about yourself. This can sometimes take a minute to think of, but keep going! You might be surprised at how much you can come up with — and even if you only have one thing to write down, that’s still a great start!!
Some examples:
I love my willingness to try new things.
I love my compassion for others.
I love my generosity.
I love that I can make it through tough situations.
If you are doing this with a friend, share your list with them, and they can help you come up with more things you may have not even thought about!
5) I AM BRINGING IN… (LIST)
Now focus on what you want to bring in for the new year. This list can be about mental health goals, work goals, fitness goals, etc.
A few examples:
I am bringing in more fun into my life.
I am bringing in a work promotion.
I am bringing in more exercise so I feel stronger and healthier.
6) CREATE A DREAM BOARD
Once you know what you want to bring in for the new year, create a dream board! Find images that go with each thing that you want to bring in for the new year and place it where you can look at it every single day. You can do this by cutting out images from a magazine and then gluing them on a piece of paper, or by searching for online images, and creating a collage on your computer using PowerPoint, Paint, InDesign, etc.