I thought I would share 3 of my favorite rituals that I do at the end of each year. It’s such a good time to bring things to completion, restore your energy, and make space for what’s next. In order to do that I find it helpful to slow down and pay attention to what’s most important in my life, and to look at what’s no longer serving me. This is how I do that….
- I CLEAN OUT MY EMAIL INBOX. For the month of December, I spend 5 minutes a day unsubscribing from emails that are no longer useful, the ones I would tend to go through and delete. But instead of deleting, I click on them and hit UNSUBSCRIBE! We live in a world of information overload. And information overload is an energy sucker, even if it is as simple as getting way too many emails.
This is an end of year ritual that I started two years ago. I can’t tell you how good it feels to wake up in the new year and only have a couple important emails in my inbox, as opposed to 50 unnecessary ones. This saves valuable time and reduces the whole scavenging through we all do each morning, trying to figure out what’s important and what’s not.
- I take a SOCIAL MEDIA VACATION. This is a tip I give to anyone who is feeling uninspired, unproductive, or overwhelmed. It’s so easy in the world of social media, to fall into comparison mode, as we’re only seeing everyone’s “greatest hits”.
The end of the year can be an emotional time for many of us, and spending too much time on social media may exacerbate these feelings. Last year I took 2 weeks off, and it made such a positive difference. I read two books in that time. I felt myself being more present with my family. I had an amazing amount of creativity flow through me. New exciting ideas came, which I implemented in the new year. So whether it’s one day or one month, I can’t recommend taking this break enough.
*tip: actually delete the apps from your phone. As embarrassing as it is to admit, when I first started this break, I would unconsciously open the apps, only to realize that I was scrolling minutes later. If you’re taking a break, it’s just easier not to have the temptation!
I WRITE OUT WHAT I WANT TO LET GO OF. I take out a piece of paper and list all that I want to let go of from the past year. Any habits, misbeliefs, people, or things that are no longer serving me. Once I finish, I burn the piece of paper, imagining these things coming to completion for the highest good.
Do you have an end of the year ritual? If so, I’d love to hear about it. And if you try any of these ideas, let me know how you feel afterward!
I’m wishing you an incredible end to 2017. Sending all my love to you this holiday season!
With loving,
Jamie
