2015: Truly Your Best Year Yet

I was very happy to kiss 2014 goodbye. It was a year of many lessons, some that I would have opted to skip had I had the chance. Like all years, it was full of joys and sorrows (including the loss of a much beloved aunt), and many wonderful “new beginnings.” All in all, it was a very good year. There were situations I could have handled better, of course, and 2015 offers another opportunity to begin anew.

As we look ahead to the New Year, I invite you to let go of any heaviness or disappointment you carried into this first day of 2015 and create a totally fresh start. If you have a bit of time over the next few days, the six simple steps below are variations from an earlier post, incorporating new learning. You can complete the steps in just a few minutes, and it helps if you actually write your thoughts on paper rather than typing them. The mechanics of writing somehow make a difference.

So, find a spot where you can focus entirely on YOU for a few minutes and let’s begin…

Step 1: Close your eyes for a moment and take three very deep breaths, inhaling slowly, holding each breath for several seconds, then slowly exhaling. Open your eyes.

Step 2: Think about the year that just ended and make a list of the things that were not as you wanted them to be. Add as much or little detail as you feel necessary.

Step 3: Take a few minutes to jot down “unfinished business” from 2014 — an unresolved conflict with a loved one, a conversation you’ve been avoiding, a major decision you are postponing, anything that nags you whenever it comes to mind. Try to make this list without filtering, without wondering how you should deal with each item. The goal here is simply to bring them into your awareness.

Step 4: Make a list of the people for whom and to whom you are grateful, and the things you loved about your life and choices in 2014.

Step 5: Write a detailed description of the New Year you are choosing to create, always using the present tense (“In 2015, I am….”, “In 2015 my life is…”)

Step 6: Reread your description and ask yourself if you are ready to accept the amazing year that you have just created. If you are, welcome it into your life. If you do not yet feel ready to accept it, spend a few moments exploring what may be holding you back. When you are ready, sign and date your creation, committing to yourself that you are gratefully accepting the many gifts already on their way.

Follow your instincts. If other ideas came to you as you read this post, incorporate them in your creative process. The goal is to release the thoughts that weigh you down and to choose the life you want to live in 2015.

Congratulations on creating a terrific year ahead! May 2015 be your best year yet.