The new year eve is a great time to have some new resolutions, to aspire for new dreams, and to set goals for new habits. The dawn of the first day of new year is a beautiful time to let go of the past and to welcome the new beginning to our lives.
So, how about planning for a mindful beginning of the new year? Here are some beautiful ways to start the new year with mindful living. Let’s have a look.
Breathe:
Wake up in the morning, and look around. Feel the air, hear the sounds.
Sit in a silent corner of your house, gently close your eyes, and begin to slow down your breathing. Take some slow and deep breaths, inhale the calmness of mind and exhale all your worries. Let the inner calm spread in your mind, body and soul. Let them heal.
Journaling:
Writing down your thoughts on the journal helps you to revisit the lessons and learnings of the past year and you can reflect your realizations on the paper.
Take five to fifteen minutes to put your thoughts on the pages of your journal. You can write your thoughts randomly as your mind goes reminding, or you can prepare a questionnaire set to ask yourself, reminiscing the bygone year.
Try these questions:
What were the best things that happened with you in the last year?
Among them all, what mattered most to you?
In that thing, what really mattered to you?
How do you wish to carry that one thing forward to this new year?
How are you finding this serene morning now?
How do you relate to yourself to this present moment?
Is there anything special you can feel at this hour?
What relationships were most meaningful for you in the last year?
Write the names of the people you were grateful to in the last year.
Write the things you were proud of in the last year.
Write the things that brought a smile on your face and you felt happy for those things or those moments.
Now, take a quiet look at the pages and observe them mindfully.
Setting realistic goals:
Plan a way to execute, one task at a time.
After you read about the things that you have already written in your journal, take one minute break from writing. Have a deep breath, close your eyes, and keep your mind calm. Be still.
After one minute, close your eyes and look around. Think about your dreams and aspirations for this new year.
Then, start writing about them in your journal.
Yes, it’s true that life goes at its own pace and makes its own plans. But there is nothing wrong with aspiring for your life goals and having a plan for your life. It helps you to keep a track of the upcoming tasks and you become more organized. It also helps you with time management.
So, you can write about the things that you want to do in the next three months. I am planning to do a series on my blog and also on my podcast. I have started working on it. I have some more aspirations and dreams this year and I have written them all in my journal.
Let’s wait and watch the reel of life, passing moments and making memories.
Being Grateful:
Gratitude is a beautiful way to welcome the new year. Counting your blessings help you to begin a new journey more peacefully.
The first thing when you are showing gratitude to something or someone is acknowledging that there is still goodness in the world, there are still good people around us.
Another reason is being grateful gives us the revelation that all the little and big things need an act of appreciation. Gratitude helps you to be happy without any regrets and gradually reduces negative thoughts and negative emotions.
So, start the new year with a note of gratitude. Let the kind year shower more happy moments to you.
Writing something positive:
A positive word can impact wonderfully in everyone’s life. Positive words carry the message you want to send to the world and they work as affirmations to the note that “There is still room for hope, love, and smile in the world.”
Here are some positive lines I love to share with you:
Thank You
I love myself in the way I am
I am beautiful in my own way
Life is beautiful
Be the reason behind someone smiles today
Spread smile, spread hope, spread love.
You are magic.
Here is what I wrote in my journal:
Believe in your own path.
A positive change in your life:
In the ecstasy of the new year, today, make a promise to yourself. Promise yourself a positive change in your life. Remember, promises are meant to be kept, always.
So, think about yourself, what you really wish to change in your life or what you want to put to a regular habit from this year.
A positive change guides you towards a positive mindset and this way, you walk towards the positive growth of your lifestyle.
You can try these:
- Writing a daily journal.
- Writing gratitude journal and being more grateful.
- Communicating and interacting more with people.
- Helping people to reach their goals.
- Healing through empathy and kindness.
- Spreading more happiness in the world.
I have promised myself that I will try to respond to people with more peace from now. And yes, I have made one more promise to myself, that I will make peace with my own choice and beliefs. I will write daily quotes to express my emotions, and I will try to bring more smiles in the world.
All I need this year is plenty of peaceful moments in my life.
More peace, more love, more smile.
Taking one step closer to self-love:
At the beginning of the new year, set some priorities for yourself. Let self-love and self-compassion be the first thing you should focus on this year. Pick up a good habit and make it a regular thing.
Try these:
- Taking one step closer to a healthy lifestyle.
- Meditate daily for at least half an hour.
- Gardening.
- Spending quality time with dear ones.
- Having some time for yourself and spending time doing the activity you love to do.
- Healing with nature.
- Cycling or walking.
- Expressing your thoughts through creativity.
I have taken one step closer to self-love with a habit of sleeping peacefully. In the last year, I spent many nights sleepless, being anxious about my future and worrying about my family.
But this year, I have decided to sleep without any stress or anxiety and thinking about future things or mourning about the past.
I have started ending my day with this note:
“Today was an awesome day. I have given my best to utilize it. I have lived to the fullest. The works that are pending could be done tomorrow. I will have enough time to finish my tasks. Tomorrow is a new day, a new beginning. Let’s hope to heal and be healed.”
The new year is a beautiful time to have some positive transition towards a positive shift in life, inner self and the world. Today, take one step closer to mindful living.
Feel this moment, and bring peace in life. Be mindful. Be happy. Keep spreading hope, love, and smile.
Wish you all a very happy new year.
© Swarnali Nath (Rethink Mindful)
Image Courtesy: Canva
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