(I am dividing this into two separate posts; the first one is going to be regular laypeople rituals and the second one is going to be magical/witchy rituals. I know some people don’t like that stuff so I’m keepin’ it separate. Hold tight for that.)
It’s very important to start by taking stock of your 2014. There are lots of different ways to do that, so pick one that works for you. I like to do a survey at the end of the year and make lists of books I read, movies I saw for the first time, theatre and concerts I attended, how much money I made and where it came from, and the highlights of my year. You might prefer to make a commemorative collage, write a freeform essay, or list your year’s accomplishments to a friend over coffee. Whatever works, man.
If you’re only going to answer two questions in your year-end review, they should be these: "What did I do well this year?" and "What could I do better next year?" You need to know your past year’s failures and successes so you can replicate and continue the successes and eradicate and fix the failures.
When coming up with abstract ideas (like, for example, “I want to get more exercise in 2015” or “I want to be more positive in 2015”), make sure to come up with concrete methods as well. I did this by creating a two-column layout in my journal - one side was broad wishes and the other side was where I translated those abstract ideas into actionable, concrete things I could do. “Get more exercise” became “Sign up for a YogaGlo subscription.” “Be more positive” became “Start each day by writing an entry in my gratitude blog.” See what I’m sayin’?
In terms of big-picture thinking, you might want to come up with one word you want to sum up your 2015. Mine is “FUN.” I want every choice I make and every action I take to be in the service of that one overarching idea next year. Whatever word you choose, you should put it up somewhere where you’ll see it every day. I think I’m going to draw my word in big goofy letters and tape it to the side of my inbox on my desk so I’ll see it constantly. You could also get it tattooed on you, if you’re adventurous like that.
It’s always good to brainstorm goals that are a little scary, that feel slightly too big, slightly unattainable but still doable if you put the work in. (My big one for 2015 is to put out a digital product for my blog.) As always, make sure to split up each goal into small, actionable steps so it doesn’t feel quite so humongous. Start writing those smaller tasks into your to-do list on days when your workload is otherwise fairly light. Make time for your goals or you’ll never get ‘em done!
Sometimes it’s helpful to tell people about your goals, be very public about them, broadcast them to the world, because it helps hold you accountable. I just told all my Facebook friends to bug me periodically about my digital product goal because I really want to get it done and I don’t want to be able to talk myself out of it. I know my friends will keep me on track.
I want you to think about what would genuinely make your life better/easier and then make it happen. I try to make this kind of list every few months or so. One recent example is that I cleared a space in my bedroom in which to do yoga, because previously I could only do it in my kitchen and that prevented me from doing it very often because I would worry about family members walking in on me and making me feel self-conscious. Now that my setup is in my bedroom, I can do yoga any time without that fear, so I have no excuse. Some other recent things on my make-my-life-better list: good computer speakers, a travel tea mug, morning gratitude lists, scented candles, a desk, a more melodic alarm clock chime. Little things can make a big difference.
Lastly, here are some quick/small things you can do around New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day to get you in a blank-slate/fresh-start mindset:
-Clean out all your purses/backpacks/etc.
-Unsubscribe from junky mailing lists.
-Cut down your social media friends lists to only those people/accounts that really make you happy and add to your life.
-Take down the pictures on your wall/bulletin board/etc. and put up fresh new ones that speak to your new direction for 2015.
-Change up your appearance somehow. Cut or dye your hair, get a manicure, get a new piercing or tattoo, get some new clothes, etc.
-Clean/declutter the areas of your house where you spend the most time. Make ‘em beautiful and comfortable to be in.
-Incorporate some new music into your collection. (SaidTheGramophone.com is my cousin’s site and it’s a great source for this!)
-If anything in your house is broken or needs replacing, do that.
-If you use a planner, journal, calendar or diary, buy a beautiful new one for 2015. Decorate it with inspirational images and text.
PART 2 COMING SOON…