How do you welcome a New Year?

Happy New Year to you all!

How do You welcome a New Year?

It’s the start of a New Year, a time of optimism and hope for the next 12 months ahead. Do you greet each year with a round of parties, a quiet night in or a ritual to greet a new dawn? Or is it just another day or another year for you?

I welcome each year as an opportunity for growth and new adventures. Each New Year feels like a fresh start or a new beginning, a time to implement new ideas or take on new habits.

Some cultures have rituals to bring in luck and cast out misfortune. Homes are cleaned and old decorations burned to bring in good luck for the year ahead. Others write down or journal what no longer serves them, or things that they don’t want to bring into a new year and burn the offering. Some release lanterns with messages of hope. Others do a huge declutter to get rid of the old energy, bring in the new and start the year afresh.

What do you do?

Do you make a resolution that you know will be forgotten by February?

It is estimated that less than 10% of New Year’s resolutions are ever achieved because they usually involve a new habit, something we tend to think of in broad terms e.g. lose weight, exercise more, eat healthily. These resolutions sound great, but unless they are broken down into bite size pieces, it is highly unlikely that we will follow through on them. So instead of exercise more, say you will walk for 15 minutes every day. Rather than eat healthily, cut out one food that you know isn’t good for you. Make it achievable.

Or instead, do you choose a Word to signify what the New Year means to you and what you would like it to bring?

I do! I choose a new word each year to embody what I would like to see in my life over the next 12 months. After the champagne, celebrations and fireworks are over, I alway go out into the garden and gaze at the millions of stars in the night sky. I then give thanks for the past year and all that it has given to me. The next day, I sit quietly and meditate on how I would like the year to unfold. Then I choose the word or words that come to me and write them down. This year my words are Manifest, Peace and Trust.

There are a lot of things I would like to manifest in my life in the coming year – Great health, travel, abundance in all I do. However, I would like these things to be achieved in a relaxing and peaceful way, without stress or anxiety, all the while trusting in the outcome.

Whatever you do, make sure it’s significant. Each New Year is a gift. There are so many opportunities available to us, so much happiness to be enjoyed and so many adventures that we can participate in.

Take the time to envisage your year, then write it down, journal it or even do a vision board of images that relate to your year ahead. If great health is your aim, then book in a Reflexology session or see a practitioner of your choice.

The start of every year is a great opportunity to reflect on what you want. Grab it with both hands!

Warmest wishes,

Judy xxx

References: Image: Pixabay – Chinese lanterns being released on the Lunar New Year. https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/brain-wise/201612/the-science-why-new-years-resolutions-dont-work

Disclaimer: Please note that all information in this article is the opinion of the author and obtained through her research and knowledge and the above references. It is not meant to replace medical advice and a medical opinion should always be obtained for any health condition.