How to enter the new year mindfully
Depending on what you have planned, you might be lucky enough to get some time to spend planning what you want the next 12 months to look like and having a bit of a relaxing time.
As someone who enjoys mindful living and intention/goal setting, I relish this time of year. Not just because I get the opportunity to have a cheeky drink or two and put my feet up for a few days with close family and friends, but because I get to potter around the house, tidy things up and plan for the new year to the best of my ability.
So, here are some ideas and tips that you might want to implement before we hit the New Year to help reduce stress, feel productive and get your priorities in order.
Do a spring clean. This can be a spring clean of the whole house, just a room or even just your paperwork. Cleaning your space can help reduce cortisol levels, dampen what we call “visual noise” and help you focus on the things you need to do, which can in turn improve your mood.
Spend an hour or two reflecting on the year just gone, or planning your next 12 month calendar. Pop those wedding dates, important birthdays and planned holidays into your calendar so you don’t accidentally double-book yourself and you can prioritise what you may need to begin to do. Reflecting on what has been (without beating yourself up about what you didn’t do this year!) can help you figure out what has the most importance to you and what you can put your energy towards.
Who says you need to cross the midnight threshold to get started on your new years resolutions? Why not start them now? If say for example next year you want to give up alcohol for a few months, want to exercise more or put the phone down and be more present, start practising that now and see how it feels. Starting small can sometimes give us the motivation to go for bigger things.
If it’s not hotter than hell in your area, go for a nice relaxed stroll and adopt a curious, adventurous mindset, even if you’ve lived in the same neighbourhood for decades. Also, walking and talking or walking and thinking (if you’re on your own) can help re-adjust the inner-vision or minds eye. Movement has been shown to provide mental space for new ideas to come through, and can help move you (literally!) into relaxation. An example would be to start the first half of your walk reflecting on the past 12 months, and the last half of your walk feeling into leaving the stuff you don’t want to carry with you behind. When you re-enter your home, imagine you’ve left the crap of the past 12 months outside.
Set yourself a personal ritual time (whether that’s making a cup of tea or getting involved in something literally magical, if that’s to your liking) to just sit and be. Don’t do anything, think (or overthink) about anything in particular or have your phone with you. Allow yourself the time to fully relax and drop into the present moment. You’ve set aside the time, so you don’t need to rush off to the next “thing”.
And if you’re struggling to figure out how you want to move into the new year, consider booking in for a counselling session. Sometimes, the act of talking it out helps us to figure it out!
Happy holidays.
-Karyna
