As we say good bye to 2017 and welcome 2018, its important to take the time to reflect, release, and press the refresh button. Taking the opportunity to reflect on the good and the bad. The happy times and the hardships. The successes and the failures, will allow us to truly let go of all that no longer serves, express our gratitude for all that has happened, and take away the lessons we have learned.
At the end of each year we follow these particular cleanses and practices that help us clear our minds and allow us to start the year with a clear mind:
1. Write A Letter Of Personal Truth
If there are any regrets, disappointments, or even heartbreak that 2017 may have brought to you, take a moment to reflect upon it. Then I want you to write that person, or yourself a letter as if you truly plan to mail it out. Speak your complete truth. What do you wish to say to yourself or to that person. Don’t hold anything back, just keep writing. Write as many pages as your heart desires, just let it out.
Once you are finished, take that letter outside or to a fireplace and put a flame to it. Allow the flame to take away those feelings, words, and emotions from you. Let it cleanse you as you watch the words on paper turn into ash. Let the fire signify the removal of the pain and regret you may have been holding onto. Let the flame take it away from you and leave you feeling lighter and ready to welcome new beautiful energy that this year will bring.
2. Cleanse Yourself With A Spiritual Cleaning Bath
Taking a bath is always an opportunity for you to relax and reflect. Use that opportunity to create a meditative experience out of it. Fill the bath with epsom salt, light as many candles in the bathroom as possible, burn some sage or incense to cleanse the energy in that space. If possible, put on a guided meditation (such as the one below )as you allow yourself to truly let go and relax. Following the guided meditation, allow the water and the energy around you to wash away the past. Breathe and let go.
3. Create A Vision Board For 2018!
There is proof all around us that writing down your goals and dreams on paper is the first step in manifesting them into reality. We must set the course for our sailboat otherwise who knows where the sea will take us, that is the same idea for our goals and dream. How are we going to achieve our goals without a proper plan and outline in mind?
Take an evening and write out a plan for what it is you wish to achieve this year, in five years or in ten years. Write out your goals in bold, on a large piece of paper so you can have it visible to you everyday. On that board/sheet of paper, build a set of steps of what you must do in order to achieve your goals and dreams. This is called creating your vision board, creating a map for bringing your dreams and goals into fruition. Don’t hold back, know that no dream is too big. Anything is possible if we truly believe in ourselves, work extremely hard, and stay driven and committed to taking that one step at a time to get us closer to a life we’ve always dreamed of. It’s not too late, you can do this, create the dream board and go get it!
4. Cut Out The Negativity and People That Bring You Down
It’s never easy to come to the decision that you must let go of certain friends or people in your life. The truth is you become who you surround yourself with. If your circle of friends is bringing you down, distracting you from your dreams and goals, discouraging you from going out there and fearlessly chasing your dreams then the hard truth is that its time to get new friends. Life is short and you do not have time to waste on people who are not inspiring you, lifting you up, or pushing you to be better then you were yesterday. You don’t have to make it a big ordeal, instead simply realize who it is in your circle of friends that’s bringing you down and begin to spend less time with them as possible. Work on you, work on your craft, work on your dreams and the right people will enter your life. Make an effort to be-friend someone that is successful in your eyes, who has achieved that which you wish to achieve. Take them out for coffee, study them, learn from them. Put the energy of starting new relationships with people you aspire to become.
5. Write Out 10 Things That You Are Grateful For
Gratitude is one of the most powerful ways of welcoming positive energy and manifesting more love and prosperity into your life. Take a moment to journal 10 things that you are grateful for. Send that energy of love and gratitude into the Universe through your words. Allow that energy to come back to you tenfold and bring you even more things to be grateful for in 2018. Your words are powerful, so use them wisely and speak with love.