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The race to the end of the year is on.

With less than a week to go, many of us are trying to tick off as many of the items on our to-do list so that we can start the year fresh.

Often, in the hustle to tie up all those loose ends, we end up feeling burned out and worn down by the time we actually get to put on that out-of-office message and shut our laptops for the next few days.

And, if you’re anything like me, that’s when you already start mentally planning what you need to get done in the New Year. In our hustle-and-grind culture, the power of the pause-and-reflect has been forgotten.

How often do you take the time to actually reflect on the year that’s been before rushing off and planning for the year that’s coming?

The pause, however, is integral to our ability to create an aligned and inspired life.

When we make time to regulate our nervous system during this period, we are creating a sense of safety within to clearly assess where we’ve come from and where we are going.

This is how we can create a life that is intentional, purposeful, and magnetically aligned to our vision and values.

As we wind down to the end of the year, I invite you to try a new practice to wrap up 2022 and open to the potentiality of 2023.

1. Create space for stillness and reflection.

Create a ritual that feels good and allows you to review, reflect, and celebrate on the year that was. This means you need to schedule in time so this process is not rushed. Communicate your needs with your partner or the people you share your space with so that you are not interrupted (check out my free Holiday Survival Guide for scripts you can use to express your needs in a healthy, loving way).

Regulate your nervous system so that you are in a space where you feel grounded and safe. This could mean taking a walk, doing a meditation, or even having a nice relaxing bath before jumping into the next step.

Create a special space to do this review, so think about the five senses: sight, smell, taste, touch, sound. Have a lovely smelling candle burning, wear something comfortable and that feels good against your skin, put on some soft binaural beats music in the background, sit with a nice glass of wine or warm cup of tea and your favourite pen and journal.

Ritual creates a sense of safety in our nervous system, which means we have a grounded and safe space within which to review the year that’s been.

2. Review, reflect…and celebrate

Now that we feel safe and grounded, we can look back on the year that’s been without judgement or blame. We can safely assess how we are tracking against the vision we have for our lives and identify where we need to course correct.

It’s also really important at this stage to celebrate and show gratitude for ourselves and just how far we’ve come.

3. Here are some journaling prompts for you to consider to help you review 2022:

>> If you set an intention at the beginning of the year, did you achieve it? In what ways do you think working toward this goal helped you grow, whether or not you achieved it?

>> What are the three things you are most proud of in 2022? How can you celebrate yourself for this?

>> What are the three biggest lessons you learned and how has this helped you?

>> Align and create for 2023.

It’s time to look ahead at what you wish 2023 will be. Each year, I chose a word or phrase by sitting into the energy of the year and each year I learn something new about myself. The word and how it manifests is never how I think it’s going to play out and always provides me with opportunities to stretch and grow.

Take your time with this, and use the reflection prompts below to help you tap into the energy of 2023:

>> Consider a time when you were at your happiest. What were you doing, who were you with, where were you? How can you create more space for this in 2023?

>> Imagine yourself at the end of 2023, what would you like to be celebrating? Make sure this is something you have control over (i.e. was it a trip overseas, a better relationship with your family, a more open-minded approach to dating, a more fulfilling career?) What are the steps you would have to take to get there?

>> Tapping into the energy of 2023, what word or phrase sums up what you feel is coming through? Once you have your word, consider what this means for you.

This ritual can help you powerfully create a life that lights you up and aligns you with your highest purpose. When we take the time to pause and reflect, to consider and plan, we are able to move forward with so much more clarity and ease.

~

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