The New Year brings with it a clean slate, but before you go filling it up and compounding the chaos, try these steps for getting yourself focused on the future by letting go of the past.
1) Have a ceremony to put 2007 to rest. It will be difficult to move into a great New Year if you are still holding on to or stuck in less-than-stellar feelings, situations, or events that happened last year.
One suggestion for putting the past in the past is to write down what's bothering you and burn it! Write down all the disappointments, resentments, judgments, vitriol, venom, nasty stuff that is in your head with wild abandon. Let the "little girl" or "inner child" in you have a voice, too (write with your opposite hand) and see what she has to say.
By really letting yourself tap into your upset and rage about what did or didn't happen during the year, you free yourself, your mind, your heart and your precious energy to focus on creating the best year of your life! Let yourself really feel the disappointment, sadness, frustration.
You can do this with a friend, a group of friends, or alone. Whatever serves you best - but really do it. Once you have all of the unhappies down on paper, rip the paper into little pieces so you can burn it. I suggest doing this outside, in nature, so that energy has more room to float away into the ethers where it can be recycled.
It can be powerful, too, to recite intentions and affirmations as the paper is burning:
• "I release all the events of 2007."
• "I am happy to let go of all that did not serve me in 2007."
• "It feels great to let go of the past."
• "I consciously let go of 2007 with love and compassion for myself."
• "I release any make-wrong of myself for anything I did not do in 2007."
• "I free my self and my mind to create a bright new future for myself."
Saying these statements out loud is a signal to your mind, your spirit, and anything that guides you in your life that you are serious about letting go, loving yourself and moving on.
2) Plan to have the 2008 you want.
Pick three areas of your life that deeply inspire you to make a lot of progress on this year. This can be anything from financial abundance, thriving relationships, an inspiring career, happy hobbies, self-care, a gorgeous body, whatever. After you pick these areas, write down what success in each of these categories would look like to you.
One of my areas of focus this year is financial abundance. I defined success for me with regard to financial abundance, as "having $50k in the bank, being free of debt, starting of a diversified investment portfolio and having double-digit savings."
By writing down my definition of success, I have a clear plan that lets me, the people around me and the universe conspire to help me achieve those goals.
3) Deal with one thing you have been avoiding, however long you have been avoiding it.
Free yourself, your heart and your mind by making "right" those situations in your life you have been avoiding being responsible for.
For me, this meant calling my friend Ed and taking responsibility for being "less-than-stellar" with him two years ago. I had to give up that it was two years ago and that it doesn't matter anymore, we don't ever see each other around, etc.
It takes more energy to push back our feelings than it does to surrender to them. Choose love and watch your world transform!
For more ideas on how to create the best year of your life, tune in to the deeply insightful interview I did with New York Times best-selling author Debbie Ford. You can also read more about "Living the Life of your Dreams" in my book, where I offer many exercises to help you design the life of your dreams! For more info on this or personal coaching, please email me at: alissa@personallifemedia.com.
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Show Host, Author and Entrepreneur Alissa Kriteman brings a sassy and bold approach to all that she does. She has transformed her experience as a lifecoach and relationship expert into two mediums - a book entitled "Meet the Dreamer: Alissa's Four Cornerstonesfor Living Your Dreams" and a weekly podcast on the Personal Life Media Network, Just for Women: Dating, Relationships and Sex. Alissa is also a licensed massage therapist at Sacred Spa and is a facilitator for the Authentic ManProgram, which helps men access and express themselves in all of their personal relationships. In addition to all these accomplishments, the most impressive thing about Alissa is her ability to make you laugh and to ask the questions you're too embarrassed to!