So many people look forward to setting New Year's resolutions in January, but few recognize that it's actually how you end the year that matters more for achieving your goals.
Preparation is key to every victory in life.
Psychological, emotional and energetic preparing is what separates those that succeed from those that want.
When I began intentionally closing the year, my life felt more deliberate and I achieved so many goals I've had for years!
I got pregnant effortlessly, had an amazing twin home birth, traveled to places I've always wanted to see, my business soared and abundance flowed in, felt more passionately in love with my husband, and so much more!
So I invite you to set yourself up to thrive in 2015 by doing a short yet potent New Year's Eve Release & Intend Ceremony that will help you achieve what you desire.
The eve of the last day of the year has long been recognized as an auspicious and sacred time to:
- reflect and celebrate the year that has passed
- release thoughts and beliefs that are no longer serving you
- set clear intentions for the year ahead
- invite the powerful energy of attraction to manifest your desires
In years past, I have held NY Eve Ceremonies at my home and all of the participants raved about how incredible it was to step into the new year with so much clarity, hope and inspiration!
This year I'm hosting a free virtual Release & Intend ceremony on 12/28, but if you'd rather create your own end-of-the-year ritual (alone or with friends), here are some ideas to guide you.
Set aside at least 30 minutes and choose the elements out of the suggestions below that resonate with you. Most importantly, remember to make this ceremony fun and exciting!
1. CREATE A SACRED SPACE.
You don't have to do the NY Eve ceremony on the 31st of December. Select a day and time when you (and whoever you invite) will enjoy focusing on setting intentions without interruptions.
When deciding on location, begin with connecting with what a ceremony means to you and what kind of an environment is conducive for feeling united in your heart, mind and soul.
For me, it could mean any of the following:
- lighting a candle with the intention of illuminating the vision for your next year
- burning some incense or sage to clear the space
- creating an altar with things that hold personal meaning such as photographs, art, and sacred objects
- having a journal and pen ready and maybe even getting a whole collection of art supplies
- gathering tarot cards or any other tools for connecting with inner wisdom
- putting on inspiring music
- dressing up on clothing that makes me feel beautiful, empowered and comfortable
2. CENTER YOURSELF.
Meditate or just do some deep breathing for a 5-10 minutes. Slow down your heart rate. Feel your body and all the present sensations. Drop-in to Presence.
If you are gathering with friends, I recommend someone guiding everyone in a centering meditation.
3. REFLECT ON INTENTIONS FROM THIS YEAR.
If you can read last year's notes or remember you intentions for this year, it will be useful to reflect and journal your thoughts about them:
- Have you achieved what you set out to accomplish in the last 12 months?
- Did you live in alignment with your true intentions and priorities? If not, why?
- What valuable personal and professional lessons have you learned?
Maybe you feel proud and powerful for making courageous choices. Or maybe you feel angry and frustrated for continuing outdated patterns. All of it is perfectly okay, and I highly suggest removing any internal censoring and having a real heart-to-heart with your journal.
Rest in Napoleon Hill's wisdom that "Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed on an equal or greater benefit."
(If you can't remember any intentions for this year, that's okay, just think about the general things that are important to you and whether you are living in alignment with them.)
If you want to share this with other people who are doing the ceremony with you, share 2-3 lessons you learned from the year.
And if you love fire, then write down 2-3 habits or beliefs that you know you are ready to release and burn them.
As they go up in flames, know that the consciousness that created this world heard your readiness to shift and will now fully support you in your desire!
4. WRITE DOWN 10 HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS YEAR.
They can be big achievements or more subtle magic moments. Remember how they felt and what made them so special.
If you are present with others, share some of your highlights in all their juicy glory!
Focusing and reliving the most exciting and exhilarating times of your life is one of the most powerful ways of reprogramming your mindset to keep a success score card, instead of a failure tab!
5. DECLARE WHAT YOU WANT NEXT YEAR.
I recommend writing down one intention for each area of your life. I find these wishes to feel more powerful when I state them in present tense so that I feel like I'm already living my desires. Here are four main areas to focus on:
1. Your Health. The health goal can do with fitness or dietary habits or it can be very general, such as: "I tune into my body wisdom and make choices that nourish and support every cell in radiant health."
2. Your Wealth. The wealth intention can be a specific desire in your career or finances or it can be something like: "I recognize my innate ability to experience an abundance of money, time and love."
3. Your Relationships. A relationship goal will be more powerful if you can focus on how YOU want to feel instead of how you would like someone else to change. For example: "I love being in satisfying, loving and nurturing relationships" or "I am attracting the perfect companion for me by being the kind of mate I want to attract."
4. Your Personal Enrichment. Probably the most important goal out of all 3 because it is what feeds your soul, heart and mind. A great way to explore this topic is to free-write all the things that you would be doing if you had all the money, time and freedom you could want.
Look over what you wrote and think of one goal for the year ahead that lights you up. For instance, you could explore meditation programs or new classes: "I love investing in myself by signing up for {blank} program."
You can also make it as simple as mine for 2015: "I dance every chance I get and remember my freedom, power and beauty."
6. CHOOSE A THEME FOR NEXT YEAR.
After you have reflected on where you've been and where you want to go, it is also useful to pick a theme word or phrase for the year. This focus can be your North Star when making decisions in the coming months.
For example, my focus of 2014 was "I'm Ready." Anytime I had to make a big decision, I would remind myself that I'm ready and that helped me launch new courses and build a new website, all before I felt I was truly prepared (truthfully, I was never going to feel 100 percent prepared).
The theme can also be a way to recognize when you've gotten off balance and help course correct.
My theme for 2015 is the KISS principle -- "Keep it simple, silly."
I have a big sign with those words above my desk and it's already guiding me to take the path of least resistance and keep things in perspective instead of efforting and trying too hard.
It's amazing how just a simple phrase can help us remember what our priorities are!
7. SHARE, AMPLIFY, MULTIPLY.
If you are with others, share your intentions and your theme one by one and after each person finished speaking, reflect aloud together: "And so it is!"
And if you did the ceremony on your own, I recommend writing an email to a couple of friends summarizing your desires for 2015 and asking them to help you stay focused in the coming year.
When two or more minds connect with an idea at the same time, the power of the idea becomes greater than the sum of the individual parts.
So share with (supportive) others what you want to develop in your life and you will be amazed how much more fun and easy it will be to journey to your goals.
CONCLUSION
By this time, you should be feeling so good you could float and you are ready to step into the next year as a reborn and new YOU!
Now I'd love to hear your favorite ways to wrap up the end of the year and set intentions for next year. Have you seen a difference in your life when doing a New Year's Eve ritual?
I'd love to hear how you feel after you practice all the suggestions above and create your own perfect way to wrap up 2014!
Here is to a PHENOMENAL 2015!