So this last year was… interesting.
Our first full year of dealing with the pandemic, 2021 certainly had its challenges.
And yet, here we are.
The end of a year has been a time of reflection in our culture for as long as I’ve been alive – probably a lot longer.
And we certainly have plenty to reflect on.
As a manifestation coaching professional in Toronto, reflection is an important part of both my practice and my personal life.
Let’s take a look at how this year has been.
First Off, Let’s Practice Some Gratitude
It’s always helpful to start off a year end ritual with a practice of gratitude.
Gratitude to the people around you who have supported you in your journey.
That could be anybody – your friends, your spouse, your family, your clients and business associates, the person who delivers your groceries, or even that emergency plumber who showed up at two in the morning.
Each of these people made a positive difference in your life, and it’s important to recognize that.
But most of all, gratitude to yourself for accomplishing all you were able to this year.
No matter where you are in your life, you’ve done great.
And you’ve done enough.
Did you accomplish everything you set up to this year?
Maybe, maybe not – either way, it’s all good.
Please, don’t use this as an excuse to be down on yourself.
Consider everything you’ve faced over the last 365 days – you made it through.
Maybe it was rough.
Maybe you feel a little bruised.
But you made it!
And if you had a great year?
You deserve to celebrate your wins without being made to feel guilty about it.
All that said, the year is a social construct.
Yes, a year is how long it takes for the Earth to revolve around the Sun, but there’s no real reason the end of the year needs to fall on the specific day it does.
But that doesn’t mean it isn’t real.
You can still use the year end as a way to reflect on what’s passed and consider what’s to come.
Here are some of my favourite year end rituals.
1. Review Your Wins With A Partner
This doesn’t have to be a romantic partner, though it can be.
It should be somebody who knows you well, though – somebody who is there for you and really recognizes your accomplishments.
List out your accomplishments together – you can write them down if you like, or just speak them out loud.
Take turns asking each other about your wins.
This may start out with your most obvious wins – you bought a house, you met the partner of your dreams, you got a raise or a new position at work, you published your first novel.
But as time goes on, you’ll begin to remember some of the wins that aren’t quite as big but are nevertheless important game changers for you.
Keep going – you should be able to come up with at least fifty different things you’re proud of.
In fact, that’s quite a low number – an average of only about one per week.
Things like:
- Emotional situations you navigated better than you used to
- Moments where you stood up for yourself or others in spite of discomfort
- Goals you set and accomplished
- A new mindset you’ve worked to manifest
- New habits you’ve established which are making a positive difference for you
- Stressful situations you managed with grace
- New skills you learned
- Old skills you refined
- Recognition you’ve received, professional or otherwise
- A mindset of abundance you’ve established
- Risks you took that paid off
- Things you’ve done that you always wanted to do
- A greater work life balance you’ve managed to establish
- Financial goals you’ve met
- Creative projects you’ve pursued
- Rifts between loved ones you’ve worked to heal
- Times where you’ve forgiven others
- Moments of joy
- And much, much more
The longer you dig into these wins, the more grateful you’ll feel about the year that’s passed.
2. Reflect On, And Learn From, Your Failures
Life is a beautiful journey, with all its bumps and challenges.
We can learn to see it as a perfect imperfection.
There are always going to be setbacks, because there are always going to be things you can’t control.
Manifesting the life of your dreams isn’t about completely ridding yourself of adversity – that’s impossible.
It’s about learning to face adversity with grace, compassion, and a growth mindset.
Take some time to acknowledge the emotions behind your setbacks.
What did it mean for you to achieve that goal, and what did it mean when you fell short?
What expectations did others have of you, or what expectations did you have of others?
And were they fair and realistic, or not?
In what ways were these setbacks a blessing in disguise?
For example, maybe you missed out on a new opportunity that left you open to embrace another, more exciting opportunity a month later.
Ask yourself what you could have done differently to change the outcome, and what was truly out of your control.
This can help you reframe the setbacks you’ve faced.
It can help you to be better prepared for how you’ll face similar situations should they come up again next year.
And it can help you leave old hurt behind and prepare yourself for all the good that’s coming.
Book Your Appointment With Evelina Hovich Today
It’s the end of the year, and a time for reflection.
I’m not one for making New Year’s resolutions, since they almost seem like they’re a promise designed to be broken.
But at the same time, it can be powerful to reflect on the past year and set your intentions for what’s coming.
If you’d like some help in setting your intentions for 2022 and beyond, I’m here to help.
Book a discovery session today with me, Evelina Hovich, and get started on the path of manifesting the life of your dreams.