How to create your New Year Ritual

 

It’s often so easy to get to the end of the year and be in a real hurry to just want to skip to the end, and enjoy that new page feeling.

Regardless of how hard this year has been, it’s super important to acknowledge what you did accomplish;

Resilience in the face of hardship, success of that new venture, the hard won knowledge that you now have in the aftermath of the thing that failed.
All these things are worth acknowledging, and feeling what you might have learnt from these experiences but if you’re not quite there yet then that is ok too.
Don’t skip to hashtag gratitude before your done grieving or being angry or perhaps even just bloody amazed that you made ‘the thing’ happen.

So how am I taking time to reflect on the year that was?
Well firstly I am working through my own elemental new year work book.
You can get your 2019 version right here.

I’m acknowledging and celebrating the woman that I have been throughout this year, and I am breathing in the woman I am in my future.
She that is always here and available to me that knows what comes next.
I am taking my journal practice to the next level and really anchoring this in by writing and feeling it all in present tense.
So instead of “I wish I was earning xyz and I plan to be back at yoga 3 times a week”
I’m writing about how amazing it feels to be earning that amount, what came up for me to allow it to happen, the unexpected places that it might have come from. I’m writing about how good I feel in my body, how it feels to be sweating, how hard some days have been to get out of bed, but that I felt strong, and had coffee with beautiful sisters after… you get the drift.

It’s always written in deeply embodied language.

I am also able at this point in the year to take time and space to get really clear, dream and plan the new year and I am very pragmatic about this.

I block out the big dates first. It sounds obvious but like many obvious things once you get caught it the day to day minutia of life it’s really hard to find bigger blocks of time to take a course, go away with friends or say yes to that big project.

Then time off or holidays  (even when I have no idea where I might be going yet) get blocked out.
It’s super easy to cancel or shorten these breaks but almost impossible to create them once the juggernaut of the year takes off.

Weekend retreat dates are locked in – yep I’m running weekend events next year.
The only way they are going to occur is if I block out the dates.

The rest is one step at a time from there. Stay tuned! 

I’ve penciled in some Acupuncture workshops to make sure there isn’t a mad rush at the end of the year to get my CPD points up to date.

Birthdays…. you guessed it, blocked out .

So far the template is only extending to August next year, and I think that’s sensible as next year will see the first of a number of new ventures that I spent this year laying the foundation for.  There will need to be flexibility.

I have these dates mapped out in a pen and paper ‘year to view’ calendar and popped into my Ical. You can read about my new Journal and Planner here. It’s still working well.

 

Then comes the card reading which traditionally I actually do on Chinese New Year or I might pick a full or new moon that feels pretty special and create some space to feel into how I want to feel more of for the new year.

I give myself a little bit of time to play and create a beautiful intentional space with music, candles and my favorite oils in the diffuser to set the mood.

This kind of card reading can be done with any or multiple decks, there are no rules. This one is by Inner Hue and it’s a personal fave.

Remember there is much in flux, and nothing (I believe) is set in stone. I treat these cards as themes and signposts of what is to come. It’s our daily practices that contribute to creating the life and outcomes we desire. These cards, or other practices like journalling, intentional adornment, yoga or meditation are our anchors that enable us to commit to connecting with ourselves and our internal knowing.

With all this in place I will continue or start writing through my play book (which you can get here)

For those seeking a little more assistance in launching their new year I’m offering my one off practical magic sessions again until the Chinese New Year in February.
We will go through the Play Book, sink into my comprehensive Questionnaire and create a path forward after we farewell 2018.
This is a truly powerful and practical way to set yourself up for the new year ahead. It’s also a great way to see how I work before committing to a longer mentorship with me. 

I would love to see you in action with your New Year Elemental Planners. Please tag me @kerikrieger on Instagram with your images and stories. 

Remember history (or herstory) is written by the one holding the pen. Wield yours with a flourish.

Sending you love as you courageously create your future x