It’s a Christmas and New Year period like no other I’ve known.
Plans keep changing as restrictions go up and down.
And to think that a year ago, we’d barely even heard of the coronovirus.
My work is ALL about self care and has been for YEARS but I’ve had to dig deep this 2020.
It’s been a year of transformation
Not necessarily the kind of transformation you wanted but you’ve seen an entire world pivot. Repeatedly.
You’ve probably done so yourself.
Part of me wants to ask how you might do so more deliberately in 2021, to use that hard won resilience to make positive changes in your life, work and relationships.
To ask you what you imagine for yourself, a year from now, in an ideal world.
But I’m imagining that you’re simply hanging on, relieved to have made it through 2020.
Some simple self care ideas for seeing in this unusual New Year
I’ve been sober since 2001 and while I generally love people (and massively miss them this year), I have plenty of practice avoiding crowds when it comes to seeing in the New Year.
None of the following ideas are even remotely rock and roll but they can all contribute to a Happy New Year.
Feel free to adapt any that resonate for you.
I clean more at the end of the year than I do any other time of year. I like to end the year by taking the bins out, with fresh bedding for the New Year, clean floors, everything organised etc etc.
As I clean, I visualise letting go, letting go and more letting go.
Releasing all of the inauthentic energies that no longer serve me.
I imagine, (as I drain washing up bowls and flush mop buckets) all of these old energies being released, deep into the earth, where they can be recycled for the benefit of the planet.
And then, before midnight, I’ll have a bath or a shower – Candles, magnesium flakes, bubbles, music, mug of herbal tea,
Rainbow MagnifiCat (usually. Hard to predict on account of cat) on the side, accepting punk hairstyles from my foot. I used to worry about her falling in but she’s generally very careful and exceedingly cute.
When ready to get out, again, visualising any and all energies I’m ready to release gently flowing down the plug hole and being recycled.
In an ideal world, I’d have had an NYE sea swim to let go of 2020 and welcome in 2021.
But (at time of writing, this is still permitted. Things might change), I’ll be with family for lunch and tide times don’t work for NYE.
Still, will have a glorious New Year’s DAY swim to welcome in 2021 instead.
And when I say glorious, it’s likely to just be a couple of minutes but it’ll be worth it.
Last year, I had a NYD paddle.
For both, I do mini meditations, simply visualising the sea releasing energies I no longer need and imagining my each step being guided (and am always gentle with myself and super respectful of the sea but based on how cold I am, in my house, in several layers, with the heating on, am fully prepared for that guidance to be, after a few steps into the water and below the knees – GET OUT, EVIE. We’ll see.)
My transpersonal quality for 2021 is ease.
Am so ready for an easier year.
Already, having chosen it a few weeks ago, I’ve been making some decisions based on the level of ease saying yes or no brings.
If you already have your word for the year (choosing a transpersonal quality – something to aspire to – is one idea but it could be anything that resonates for you), anchor it by writing it in lots of places where you’ll see it.
It can be written big or small. You might use your own handwriting, print it off or use paints or multimedia – it might even form the basis for a new Vision Board
You might want to embroider it! Whatever works for you.
But the more you remind yourself of this quality you’re actively cultivating in your life, the more focused you’ll remain on doing so.
And, of course, each time you do your Relaxation Response practices, you can choose this quality.
If the idea of committing to one word for three minutes or more let alone a year is stressing you out, remind yourself that it can, of course, evolve any time you choose. This is about supporting not restricting you.
This blog post has some more ideas to help you choose your quality.
On New Year’s Day itself, I like to do lots of symbolic little things to ground my intentions for the year ahead.
I’ll make time for an especially indulgent yoga and meditation practice.
365 Ways to Feel Better: Self-care Ideas for Embodied Wellbeing (White Owl, 2019) practically wrote itself (after I spent ages on the book proposal including a very details spreadsheet for each other the days’ self care ideas).
For the past few years, I’ve been stalling.
There’s no point simply SAYING I’ll be submitting these book proposals I’ve been working on for so long.
I’ll spend a little time working on both of them on NYD.
I’ll even do a teensy bit towards the whole learning to drive thing.
I’ll prepare some nourishing and delicious food.
I’ll also spend some time in nature (the sea!!! Yup. Am a bit obsessed).
I’ll catch up with loved ones with massive gratitude to the technology that isn’t the same as being there in person but is so much better than telegram or penny post.
Etc etc etc…
What little tastes of the wondrous year ahead can you bring into your NYD?
Indulgent tastes and actions that support of your longer term goals?
Join me at 8pm on Wednesday, 30th December for a live self care coaching call
For this month’s membership call, we’ll be focusing on releasing what we’re ready to release from 2020 and setting intentions (in a flexible kind of way) for 2021.
Membership is €20 pcm and, from Monday, includes weekly live self care coaching calls as well as options with each weekly email to help you decide whether you have the time and energy to do everything on offer that week or to simply make a little bit of progress with your self care.
While you’ll obviously reap the biggest rewards (in terms of increased resilience and wellbeing) by doing as much as possible, even the smallest of steps will help you make progress as you learn to prioritise your own self care.
And finally, here’s a message from the MagnifiCat (who you can follow on Twitter and Instagram @RescueCattitude)
With love,
