2020 was a challenging year for many. It forced me to reflect on my life and business and purge things that no longer served (i.e. physical items and belief systems). With the help of my therapist and coach, I critically but lovingly assessed what was working in my life and what was not. For myself, it also became clear about the experiences I wanted to unfold in the coming years. While living in a pandemic, 2020 gave me 20/20 vision and clarity on my new year resolutions.
For the first time, it became clear why making New Year “Resolutions” doesn’t work for me. Inherent in the word “resolution” is the need to resolve something. In reality, things were usually tolerable and change “would be nice”– and not an absolute necessity. “Would be nice” = no urgency for change and lead to no change because things were still OK.
This year, I realized that:
As a result, I am no longer making resolutions but focusing on how I want to feel each day and incorporating a daily ritual to take care of my body, mind and reconnect with my soul.
Here are my top 3 January rituals to stay grounded and feel good. Once I have a regular rhythm, I will add additional rituals to my routine. To ensure these rituals don’t become ill-fated resolutions, our family practice these rituals together (where it makes sense) at least three times a week.
My Top 3 New Year Rituals:
Expressing Gratitude
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I bought gratitude journals for each person in my family (dollar store find!). Each night we write down 3 things we are grateful for and share it with each other before bed. This practice helps us acknowledge the blessings we experience each day – no matter how small. Being grateful opens our family to receiving more abundance/blessings. |
New year resolution to Move
| Since I haven’t been physically active for a while, exercising consistently is a new year resolution that I have been unable to fulfil. However, I can get behind moving every day as a ritual, even if it is just 5-15 minutes a day. Moving = a walk in the park, jumping on the rebounder, stretching, yoga, qigong, couple stretching, playing catch with my kids --- there is no set routine but a conscious effort to move. Moving breaks the routine of sitting in front of the computer for hours. The act of moving also tells my cells to wake up and creates more space in my body for healing. |  |
Salt Baths
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A salt bath with rose and lavender essential oils is my go to retreat 3 times per weeks. This ritual has been so popular in my household that my girls are asking for baths almost every day!!! During my baths, I turn off the lights, light a candle and listen to an inspiring talk, meditate, do a body scan or have binaural beats playing in the background. Each bath time is different but the purpose is the same – to simply relax and retreat back to my body. I spend a minimum of 30 minutes soaking in my bath and it is always a treat. |
These rituals help me practice being in the moment and become more aligned in my body. They are simple and sacred practices that take less than 30 minutes each day. I notice that when I don't practice at least one ritual a day, my body is tense and I am not in flow.
Up until the pandemic, I was focused on getting things done – rushing from task to task. During the pandemic I learn to create more space for things to unfold: Being not doing. Letting go and not letting on.
I hope this post will inspire you to think of the rituals you can start to incorporate every day to nurture yourself. It doesn’t have to be the same every day and it doesn’t have to be long… starting with 5 minutes with a ritual you can be fully present with. Being present is conscious creation.