Now that Christmas has come and gone, the world hasn’t ceased to exist and the New Year is upon us – it’s time to find out who you want to become in 2013.
In mythology the 12 nights between Christmas and January 6 are called the Holy Nights. For ages people have used this time of increased darkness for introspection and meditation. It is during this period of stillness on the outside that most inner work is taking place and that nature is getting ready for its renewal in spring.
Can we use this time to reinvent ourselves as well? Will what we plant now come to fruition in 2013? I like to believe so.
Over the years, I have come to love and cherish these special days when work is slow, the kids are off from school and our day-to-day routine has come to a halt. I use this time to relax and do my yearly inventory so I can regroup and re-envision myself.
Here are some of the things I have come to love:
Dare to be still – Allow yourself to do nothing. After the busyness of the last few weeks this may feel strange. Be patient with yourself. It may take your mind and body a little while to unwind. If you want to use this time for inside reflection, be aware of life’s many distractions.
Indulge – Get lost in things you love. Do what you normally don’t allow yourself to do. Put the brakes on the ‘work a little harder, do a little more, go the extra mile’ mindset and indulge. This can be anything from keeping your computer turned off for a while, sleeping in till noon, going on long walks, daydreaming, taking hot baths, reading a novel, watching as many movies as you want, etc. Whatever helps you to relax and recharge your batteries will enable you to regain the vision for your life.
Dream – I read at one point that the dreams we have during the 12 nights of Christmas hold insights and answers to our lives most pressing questions. True or not, I love these kinds of rituals and use them for reflection. Each morning I take time to remember and write down the dreams I had the night before and see if they trigger something within me.
Journal – Writing down your inner visions is another great way of reinventing your future. Carry a notebook or use your phone to record whatever ideas or revelations you may have. Maybe you wake up one morning and see with great clarity who you want to be, where you want to live and what you want to do. Write it down.
Collages – Putting together pictures is a fun way of dreaming up your new you. You can make a collage for your private life, one for your business, for your relationships, etc. It can be big or small, elaborate or simple. The only requirement is that it is filled with images you love and that resonate with you.
Putting it all together – The greatest insights and ideas will turn to nothing if you don’t put them into action. All throughout this time of retrospection and reflection, I also set goals. I keep a big calendar for 2013 and plan out my year according to what inspires me and what projects I want to expand on.
How about you? What do you cherish about this time? What are your rituals in getting ready for the new year?
Wishing you the best for 2013, may it be a prosperous, loving and happy year for you!
Karin
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Also,
If you are curious to find out who you want to be in 2013, we have two events on the schedule to help you find out:
– Related Post: End of the Year Ritual – Cleaning Out the Old, Making Room For the New.
– Here is a wonderful applications that allows you to journal, draw and color. It’s called Paper 53 and you can use it to create the most amazing journals and vision boards.
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Photo Source: Martinak15 via Flickr under a Creative Commons License
