Refresh & Reset
For the last two years, my husband and I have decided to use the last week of the year to rest and reset! It's also our anniversary week, so we take the time to just be together, him and I with minimal distractions. It allows us to have plenty of time to talk about how the year went and what we are looking forward to in the new year to come. We have come to treasure this time together. We create vision boards, write lists, swap ideas, and plan our next 365 days together. If you don't currently have a "reset system" in place, I highly suggest doing so! It can be anytime and for any duration, although I have found that anything less than five days can be counterproductive and put the pressure on to "reset quickly." But in general, as long as it is planned and used as intended, it works!
I typically use this "reset" time not only to plan the new year but to make peace with what has been. This year, in particular, was desperately needed. 2020 was a year with many ups and downs, along with an unusual amount of stress and uncertainty. So, to make peace with 2020, I wrote down all of the things that went right that year and reminded myself of why and how last year made me stronger and more resilient. You should try it! After those particular exercises, I found that I could take a deep sigh and give a little smile at the thought of 2020. I was able to honor its impact and be grateful I was able to experience it. This now allows me to move forward into 2021 without the baggage of 2020. I have renewed hope and joy instead of feeling crushed by the weight of all that was. I feel like a superhero who conquered it. One of my favorite sayings is, "you can't have the rainbow without the rain" and 2020 was a deluge that many are still weathering. I promise the rainbow is coming, and the sun is on the other side. Holding on to that belief in the forefront of my mind has been crucial to me navigating the storm of 2020 successfully. Otherwise, I'd lose hope; I'd give up . . . I'd drown!
It is incredible to go into a new year feeling refreshed, light, and hopeful. I hope that is how all of you were able to go into 2021. But I can not stress this enough; you can only do that if you do the work to let go of the previous year, it’s in the past. Letting go applies to anything and everything. For example, you can not go into a new relationship or any other role in your life if you haven't let go and made peace with the old one. The change in the calendar isn't a magical switch that erases the last 365 days, just like a break up doesn't make all of the problems and traumas go away. But, in this case, it would be nice if you used the start of this new year as a magic switch in your brain. A special button to reset your mindset, outlook, and your energetic vibration. Remember, that a reset can be done not only at the beginning of a new year but at any time and with anything. You can go to sleep one night and wake up refreshed. But only if you do the work!