What You Actually Need to Do Before the New Year

I’m writing this at the beginning of November when there are only two months left of 2021. This time of year, all we’re hearing is “how to make the last two months count” and “how to set yourself up for a powerful 2022.” But I actually want to start a different conversation. Let’s talk about how to rest and prepare for hibernation as a way to access a more powerful 2022. 

Here’s what inspired today’s topic: 

Last week, as a gift to myself for turning 30, I went out and got a tattoo. You can see photos of it on my Instagram if you’d like to check it out. And as a new mother to a 4-month-old baby, rest is an elusive concept. So I pretty much napped throughout the process of getting my tattoo. 

You heard that right - I slept through getting stabbed with a needle for three hours.

That was the quietest, stillest experience I’ve gotten to have since entering motherhood and going back to work two months ago. So it got me thinking, how can I create more moments of stillness these next two months? 

Where can I carve out these moments where one else really needs me? Moments to just reflect and rest and be there for myself? 

You may not be a new parent or plan on getting a tattoo anytime soon, but you might be able to relate to this feeling of being frazzled. You might feel like you need to really perform hard to get more results before the year ends. 

I’m here to tell you that there are a few things you can do, instead. 

Create Deliberate Quiet Time for Yourself

The first practice that you can do is to create some deliberate quiet time just for yourself.

When my battery is really low, and I just keep going and going and going, I don’t even have time to take stock of what would recharge my battery. I just keep going until I’m so depleted that I crash and burn, and my battery hits 0%. 

It’s important as we head into the winter, which is also cold and flu season, that we get clear on where we’re depleted, how we’re getting depleted, and what could recharge and rejuvenate us. 

Going into the new year healthy is just as important - or more important - as going into the new year is productive. 

Reflect on the Past Year

As you take this time to be present with yourself, you can also look at your end-of-year rituals. 

Are you already thinking about how you want to make more money in 2022? Or make your business better next year? Are you setting some resolutions for the year ahead? 

Before you do that, make space at the end of this year to take inventory of where you are, how you got there, and what accomplishments you have to celebrate. 

With the holidays coming up quickly, we really need to intentionally put in these rituals so we have time to honor them before greeting the new year. 

Celebrate the Past Year

As mentioned above, make sure you take ample time to fully celebrate what you've accomplished this year. 

A lot of people think we’re in post-COVID times - but in actuality, we’re still in para-COVID times. The pandemic is still a real thing, and it continues to challenge many of us. 

It’s valuable to acknowledge all that we have been through and the stamina that we've needed to make it this far. Even if you’re fortunate enough not to have had the pandemic affect you personally, we have all had our own mini pandemics that are happening in our lives at any given moment. 

Here are some things you can acknowledge about yourself from the past year: How did your business grow? How did your leadership grow? How did you flex your voice in a new way? What relationships are you proud of? How have you grown from January 1st to this point?

This is important, especially for a lot of the perfectionists and recovering overachievers that I work with. We need to take a moment to acknowledge how far we’ve come. 

Why? 

It gives us a break from the default messaging, which is “what do I need to fix next year?” and “what needs to be more?” and “what needs to be better?”

In other words, if we start the year from a place of celebration, we get to be in a state of “and this is what is next!” and “here is what I want to add to my life!” instead of focusing on what’s wrong or what needs to be fixed.

I hope these three practices resonate with you and that you take some time to put them into place before the year ends. See you next time.