Saying farewell to the past year mindfully
How is your energy right now? Do you feel ready and able to tackle anything including the festive season? Many of us often feel, at this time of the year, we are limping on the line towards Christmas.
Ironically, it’s a wonderful time of the year in Australia. The holiday festivities are in full swing as we begin to take a well-deserved break to enjoy ourselves with family and friends. The days are long and the weather is perfect for days near the water or relaxing on the back patio, as summer shines her way in our lives.
The challenge is that we often feel exhausted by now. If you do feel like this, you are not alone. Part of the explanation is that we often cram too much into our lives during the year and fail to pause. Some of the explanation can be found in our connection with the energy of the sun.
In the Southern Hemisphere, the Summer Solstice is upon us. It coincides with the end of the year when the sun reaches its highest point in the Australian sky and marks the true start of Summer. It’s when the sun’s energy is at its strongest, before it begins to wane. It almost feels like the sun has worked so hard to reach its energetic peak that it’s not surprising we feel it’s exhaustion.
Our bodies are a reflection of our environment. Just look at what we are drawn to eat during each season. Often it’s hot, well-cooked foods in Winter and cool, dry and uncooked foods (salads) in Summer.
The Summer Solstice is an opportune time to recharge your energy as you prepare for the new year. Traditionally we set New Year’s Resolutions but what comes before that? In the eastern wisdom traditions, when something ends, we offer thanks and gratitude for the good things that happened to make space for the new energy to allow us to grow. Growth cannot occur without this space.
Saying goodbye to the end of the year is not just physical, it’s energetic too. Here are just some mindful ways to lead yourself towards an energetic close to the past year to make way for the new.
- Make some time to reflect and write a list of all the good things that have happened this year. Look at how you have grown in all roles of your life, whether as a professional, parent, sibling etc.
- Start with showing gratitude to yourself for the courage and effort it took to change things in your business, career and life, and follow it with gratitude to your loved ones, business partners/work colleagues and all others that have contributed to supporting you this last year. Be positive. It’s not a time to plan or beat yourself up for failures.
- Using the time to savour and give thanks will also re-boost your energy as deliberate, mindful awareness and connection with special moments (savouring) enhances our well being, as evidenced by the work of social psychologist Dr Fred Bryant at Loyola University of Chicago.
How will you close off the past year? What rituals do you use to savour the past, reflect on your progress and make room for growth?