WASHINGTON — Everyone loves the idea of starting anew. It represents hope. Having the opportunity to create a clean slate. And for many going into the new year gives the opportunity to do just that. It offers the promise of great things to come while whispering in your ear even your biggest dreams can come true.
As time marches on in the way that time does, it’s important to honor this shift from one year to the next. Engaging in proper rituals can be the perfect way to prepare for the upcoming year and get it on the right track.
For some these ritual includes getting together with family or friends to ring in and prepare for the adventures that lie ahead. While others simply make resolutions to try to keep themselves moving in the right direction.
But before you get to this point, I think it’s equally important to give yourself some self-time to honor the relationship you have with yourself and to consider how to make the New Year a better one for you and the people you love around you.
One of the best ways psychologically to move into the new year is to give yourself some time to reflect.
- Reflect — Reflect on the victories you had, the lessons you learned, the relationships which came your way and influenced you the most. Think about what contributed to your successes, what you will remember the most fondly about 2016 and what you feel the proudest about.
- Forgive —Since no one is perfect take time to think about and acknowledge your shortcomings and contemplate the areas you’d like to improve. Think about who and what’s important to you and make a commitment to do things a little bit differently this year.
- Reboot — Rebooting is about becoming the person you want to be. Make this year the beginning of your journey to get there. Ask yourself these questions: Who will inspire you this year? What type of adventures do you want to have? What would you like to learn? And what type of contributions would you like to make?
- Intentions — Choose a theme for this year and then type it up. For example, you can say something like, “This is my year of (and then fill in the blank with whatever you want).” Use this strategy to help you stay focused and reassess your personal mission statement/purpose whenever you need to.
To live a gratifying and purposeful life you need to create these little yet powerful stop-and-pause moments. These moments allow you to create the mental space to contemplate who you are, who you want to be and what you need to do in order to get there.
A New Year’s Eve ritual can be the perfect strategy to set your New Year in a proactive and positive direction.
So, consider these ideas and go make 2017 your best year yet.
Happy New Year!
