1. Clean it up- Between taking down holiday decorations and receiving an abundance of new gifts. Your house can be even more cluttered than usual. Take one step at a time. Choose one day to remove and put away all decorations. I highly recommend doing this before the New Year. I know some people like to let the decorations linger but it can cause more procrastination in other areas of your life. Then once your house is free of any sign of Christmas or Hanukkah you can begin to remove clutter. Rule of thumb, if you haven't worn it or used it in the last year then get rid of it. You have to get rid of the old to make room for the new.
2. Set Goals- I love to have a vision board party right before the New Year. It helps me get clear and visually see where I want my life to evolve in the next year. Also journaling your goals and affirming them through meditation and prayer. Make one master year goal list along with weekly lists throughout the year.
3. Let go of old beliefs- See where your life is unharmonious and ask yourself where you might have an outdated belief system that has you holding onto something or someone that no longer serves you. Sometimes we can trick ourselves into believing that a toxic relationship or job is tolerable and even joyous at times because of our old beliefs that we had made with ourselves for whatever reason. Hold onto what empowers you and leave the rest behind.
4. Start a new practice- Whether it be yoga, meditation, church, or painting. Start a new practice in your life. Something that uplifts and inspires you. Do it atlases 6x before you decide if it is for you or not and if you decide it isn't then move onto another practice. Continue giving yourself a consistent creative outlet throughout the whole year.
5. Promise to love yourself- This one is huge! The other night while I was having a talk with my son, I decided to take my own advice. He is starting to like girls and he is truly smitten with a particular one and with his courageous heart, it dawned on me that eventually he will have his heart-broken. I told him that he will like or love many people is his life, but the love he has for himself is most important and should be unswayed by who comes and goes from his life.
Truly loving yourself through the ebb and flows of life allows other loving souls to come into your life.Loving yourself creates an energy of respect and gives others the courage to do the same.
6. Let go- Let go of that one habit that you know is not good for you but you keep doing it anyways. Blaming and justifying it in your head to only feel worse afterwards. Choose one thing to stop or let go of and seek help to do so. Reach out and ask for help. You don't need to do it alone. There is a whole world waiting to serve and help you and in turn you may inspire and change other people's lives too.
7. Charity- Commit to giving back in the New Year. One of the most rewarding and fulfilling things a human being can do is give their time and love to others. Even if its not a soup kitchen or dog adoption, it could be a family friend who needs help in some way. Extend yourself and reach out to others in need. Being selfless is one of the greatest gift we can give in the New Year and always.
8. Forgive- One of the hardest things that there could be in life is to forgive someone who has hurt you. Choose one person that has hurt you the most and begin to do the work. I like to imagine them on a stage, receiving all their blessings and wishes that they have ever asked for. This can be very difficult at first but do the visualization and the feelings will eventually follow. Granting true forgiveness to someone who doesn't deserve it can be our greatest work. I like to think of it as an opportunity to create more light in my life.
9. Let go of fear- Fear is crippling. It prevents you from achieving your ultimate happiness and life's purpose. Put fear in your pocket and courage in your heart. Every day in the New Year you have another opportunity to let go of fear and live in love. You can't be in both. Consiously begin to ask yourself in every situation if it is fear and love, then let go of fear and get back to love. All we need is love, the rest will follow.
10. Find out your Chinese astrology sign- 2014 is the year of the horse and that just so happens to be my year!The Wood Horse year is a time of fast victories, unexpected adventure, and surprising romance. It is an excellent year for travel, and the more far away and off the beaten path the better. Energy is high and production is rewarded. Decisive action, not procrastination, brings victory. But you have to act fast in a Horse year. If you are not 100% secure about a decision, then don’t do it. Events move so quickly in a Horse year that you don’t want to gallop off in the wrong direction. Learn more about year of the horse here.
*“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.
Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're Doing Something.
So that's my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.
Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it.
Make your mistakes, next year and forever.” -Neil Gaiman
10 Tips to Gallop into the New Year!
1. Clean it up- Between taking down holiday decorations and receiving an abundance of new gifts. Your house can be even more cluttered than usual. Take one step at a time. Choose one day to remove and put away all decorations. I highly recommend doing this before the New Year. I know some people like to let the decorations linger but it can cause more procrastination in other areas of your life. Then once your house is free of any sign of Christmas or Hanukkah you can begin to remove clutter. Rule of thumb, if you haven't worn it or used it in the last year then get rid of it. You have to get rid of the old to make room for the new.
2. Set Goals- I love to have a vision board party right before the New Year. It helps me get clear and visually see where I want my life to evolve in the next year. Also journaling your goals and affirming them through meditation and prayer. Make one master year goal list along with weekly lists throughout the year.
3. Let go of old beliefs- See where your life is unharmonious and ask yourself where you might have an outdated belief system that has you holding onto something or someone that no longer serves you. Sometimes we can trick ourselves into believing that a toxic relationship or job is tolerable and even joyous at times because of our old beliefs that we had made with ourselves for whatever reason. Hold onto what empowers you and leave the rest behind.
4. Start a new practice- Whether it be yoga, meditation, church, or painting. Start a new practice in your life. Something that uplifts and inspires you. Do it atlases 6x before you decide if it is for you or not and if you decide it isn't then move onto another practice. Continue giving yourself a consistent creative outlet throughout the whole year.
5. Promise to love yourself- This one is huge! The other night while I was having a talk with my son, I decided to take my own advice. He is starting to like girls and he is truly smitten with a particular one and with his courageous heart, it dawned on me that eventually he will have his heart-broken. I told him that he will like or love many people is his life, but the love he has for himself is most important and should be unswayed by who comes and goes from his life.
Truly loving yourself through the ebb and flows of life allows other loving souls to come into your life.Loving yourself creates an energy of respect and gives others the courage to do the same.
6. Let go- Let go of that one habit that you know is not good for you but you keep doing it anyways. Blaming and justifying it in your head to only feel worse afterwards. Choose one thing to stop or let go of and seek help to do so. Reach out and ask for help. You don't need to do it alone. There is a whole world waiting to serve and help you and in turn you may inspire and change other people's lives too.
7. Charity- Commit to giving back in the New Year. One of the most rewarding and fulfilling things a human being can do is give their time and love to others. Even if its not a soup kitchen or dog adoption, it could be a family friend who needs help in some way. Extend yourself and reach out to others in need. Being selfless is one of the greatest gift we can give in the New Year and always.
8. Forgive- One of the hardest things that there could be in life is to forgive someone who has hurt you. Choose one person that has hurt you the most and begin to do the work. I like to imagine them on a stage, receiving all their blessings and wishes that they have ever asked for. This can be very difficult at first but do the visualization and the feelings will eventually follow. Granting true forgiveness to someone who doesn't deserve it can be our greatest work. I like to think of it as an opportunity to create more light in my life.
9. Let go of fear- Fear is crippling. It prevents you from achieving your ultimate happiness and life's purpose. Put fear in your pocket and courage in your heart. Every day in the New Year you have another opportunity to let go of fear and live in love. You can't be in both. Consiously begin to ask yourself in every situation if it is fear and love, then let go of fear and get back to love. All we need is love, the rest will follow.
10. Find out your Chinese astrology sign- 2014 is the year of the horse and that just so happens to be my year!The Wood Horse year is a time of fast victories, unexpected adventure, and surprising romance. It is an excellent year for travel, and the more far away and off the beaten path the better. Energy is high and production is rewarded. Decisive action, not procrastination, brings victory. But you have to act fast in a Horse year. If you are not 100% secure about a decision, then don’t do it. Events move so quickly in a Horse year that you don’t want to gallop off in the wrong direction. Learn more about year of the horse here.
*“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.
Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're Doing Something.
So that's my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.
Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it.
Make your mistakes, next year and forever.” -Neil Gaiman