Wander Through Your Year: Rituals to Honor and Release 2016
I was deeply struck by a newsletter I received the other day from Meredith Edwards. She spoke all about understanding what we value through a “peak” experience of the past year. Looking at it at all angles to reveal the deeper insight into what really holds meaning for us. I loved it. And I also thought about how I hadn’t yet taken the time to reflect on this past year in many dimensions.
I am excited to step into something fresh but feel the need to honor the old. I can be so quick to push towards the next goal, the next step in the journey, but as my company name touts, sometimes the best way to acknowledge, honor, and release something is to wander down memory lane.
Here are a few examples:
- WANDER TO A FAVORITE PLACE OUTSIDE | If it’s a park nearby your home, great. If it’s somewhere miles or oceans away, take a few minutes to imagine yourself there. What does it smell like? What does the air feel like against your skin? What are the sounds? Honor the way you feel in this place and that memory is yours to keep.
- WANDER THROUGH PHOTOS | What were some of your favorites from the past year? What were some of the mistakes or the screenshots or places or things you wanted to remember?
- REVISIT JOURNALS, NOTES + LISTS | Each year I tend to accumulate more than a few notebooks. While some are specifically for client work, and I like to look at progress, trends, and wins there, for this end of year ritual I'm aiming to look more specifically a personal wander through writing. What are the quotes I wrote down in 2016? The to do lists and trends therein? What struck me in my gratitude lists or the way I organized thoughts?
- WANDER THROUGH INSTAGRAM | Instagram can be such a wormhole and yet, it can also add so much value if it’s utilized with intention and care. What are the things you posted about? The beautiful images you captured? The people who really touched your heart on this platform?
- WANDER THROUGH RELATIONSHIP HIGHLIGHTS | Did you reconnect with an old friend? Take a trip with your college buddies? Fall in love? Fall out of love? Even the not-so-fun-stuff is important to honor as you reflect upon this last year of life on this planet.
- WANDER THROUGH A RETROSPECTIVE | I always like making a list of things I did, mainly because otherwise, I’d forget! Things big and small like – my hubby and I went to Ireland over the summer, we bought a house this year, I started practicing Kundalini yoga, I flew to LA to lead a workshop, I made lots of new friends this year through putting myself out there, etc…
Ultimately, YOU are the only person who can take time to honor your experiences and accomplishments of 2016. It doesn't take long, but it does make a huge difference as you work to understand yourself and your dreams.
In closing, a few words that I'd like to hold close in the New Year:
Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself. --- Rumi