Releasing 2015 and Welcoming 2016!

It’s my birthday today!!!

As a child, I used to complain about having a Christmas birthday. But now I love it!

With each new birth year, a new calendar year closely follows and I get an opportunity to celebrate how far I’ve come and dream about where I want to go.

Even if your birthday doesn’t fall during this transition week, you can still celebrate and follow my same rituals for the New Year!

It’s all about releasing the old and welcoming the new.

Most people are tempted to jump right into planning for the new year without reflecting on and releasing the prior year.

Here’s the problem with that approach: when we carry our past fears, limitations, failures and disappointments with us, we don’t make room for new and better opportunities. It weighs us down and keeps us stuck.

Similarly, if we grasp too tightly to the many wonderful events and memories from this past year, we fail to see the beauty and wonder that a new beginning offers.

I’m sure you know others that are stuck in the past, always talking about “the good old days.” They can’t see or appreciate the amazing adventures awaiting them because they believe their best years have passed them by.

Don’t let this happen to you!

Ready to reflect, review and release 2015 so that you can make room for even more love, joy, peace and abundance in 2016?

If so, grab a pen and paper and write down your answers to the following questions (or at least contemplate them in your mind):

• What were your goals in 2015? Did you meet them? Make progress towards them?
• What were your 3 best days (or memories) in 2015?
• What do you want to cherish about this past year?
• What accomplishments are you most proud of?
• In what ways did you grow?
• Who made this year special for you?
• What do you want to take with you from 2015 to help motivate you in 2016?
• If you didn’t meet all of your goals, why not?
• What were your 3 worst days in 2015?
• What do you want to forget (or avoid experiencing again) from 2015?
• Did you experience failures, setbacks or losses?
• In what ways did you stay stuck or fall back into old habits?
• Did you grieve the loss of anyone this year?
• Did friends, family or coworkers disappoint you, let you down or hurt you?
• What do you want to leave behind in 2015 so that it doesn’t hold you back in 2016?

After you’ve reflected on 2015, try to surrender and release both the good and the bad. If you wrote down your answers, you might even consider burning the paper as a form of release.

Whatever ritual you choose, don’t be afraid to let go.

It’s not about loss, it’s about making room for wonderful opportunities, adventures and memories in 2016!

Wishing you a peaceful and prosperous New Year!

Heather