New Year Reflection & Integration
I don’t know about you, but there has been so much movement in 2023 for me and my family. We had some great positive additions, new business projects, friends, Ayla starting Montessori, and finally feeling more embodied after becoming a mom. And there were moments of loss, really hard work, and sleepless nights. Through it all, here we stand filled with gratitude for all that came before, all that’s to come and filled with joy for this precious moment.
So how do we do it? How do we integrate and reflect on a whole year of experiences? The end of the year can be both daunting and exciting. I’ve put together a ritual consisting of a few of my personal practices in the hopes that you might find something useful too. You can do them together in the order shared or pick and choose what works for you.
MOVEMENT: It can be through a yoga practice, putting on your favorite song to dance, shaking your body and making sound, going for a surf, a run, a walk in the woods. Move your body.
SIT: After movement, take a moment to be still. Set a timer for 5-7 minutes, or longer if you are familiar with meditation, and allow you mind a few moments to settle. Follow your breath. Inhale to the count of 6, pause for the count of 4, exhale to the count of 6, pause for 4, and continue in this way until you find yourself beginning to ground. Return to the counting of the breath any time the mind wanders until your timer sounds.
JOURNALING: After sitting, my favorite way to reflect is through writing, allowing a free flow of thought to express without judgment and gain clarity.
What are the most significant experiences of this past year? (Major milestones, setbacks, wins, or losses, take time to acknowledge it all)
What did I accomplish this year that I am most proud of? List everything that comes to mind.
What was the most challenging part of the past year and how did I handle it? Is there anything different you would or could have done?
What would I like to integrate more of for next year? (Self-care practices, work projects, social engagements)
What would you like to have less of in the next year? (Time scrolling on social media, doubt, fear)
What are the top 5 things you are grateful for from this past year? (People, experiences, accomplishments)
RELEASE: Write down the things you are ready to release. Attachments to self-limiting beliefs, relationships, things that happened, hurts. Write them down on strips of paper. Find a safe place to burn them, and as you do, repeat to yourself, “Thank you for the lesson, and now I am releasing and letting you go.”
VISION: Create something visual. Whether the popular collage-style vision board, a painting, a page in your journal that brainstorms all the goodness you want in your life in the next year. Don’t limit yourself. Dream big and small, and be specific.
Imagine yourself at the end of next year doing this ritual again. Feel your sense of success, accomplishment, and clarity. Set yourself up for success. Manifest the life of your dreams.
I also recommend gathering a group of friends who want to share in this practice with you. When we share, we create a community and a sense of accountability. If you don’t have a friend circle who would be interested, find an event, through a yoga studio, or other venue . Take time to really sit with the past year and intentionally feel your way into this next cycle around the sun.
More on finding the courage to follow your intuition into your most fulfilling life in my next post ;)
Happy Holidays and the happiest new year!
Always with love,
Loren